As with all great stories about European wine, once upon a time the Phoenicians arrived… That’s right, as far back as 1000 BC, Spain has been home to winemaking practices. While it might have been the Phoenicians that bought wine to Spain, it was the Romans that capitalised and expanded the agricultural pursuit. Wine made on Spanish soil was so successful that the Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, kept detailed notes of wines coming out of what is now modern-day Catalonia, remarking that they were some of the finest in the world. 

Despite the Visigoths occupation of Spain, it wasn’t until the Moors arrival and subsequent takeover in the 8th Century that meant Spain began to lose its winemaking. The Reconquista of Spain in the 12th Century saw winemaking return to Spanish shores. 

Spain began producing incredible high alcohol and sweet wines that could travel exceptionally well. This meant that its reputation as a leading exporter of wine was solidified. For the next 6 centuries, Spain continued to export high quality wine to countries such as France and England. With Sherry being a particular favourite for international buyers.

Unfortunately, the same fate that afflicted Italy, France and the rest of Europe was no stranger to Spanish vines. Phylloxera (the vine-eating insect) destroyed the majority of Spanish vines at the same time.

As Franco believed that wine should only be used in religious ceremony and was himself a teetotaller, Spanish winemaking reduced significantly under his rule. It wasn’t until the later half of the 20th century that wine in Spain began to flourish.

To this day, Spain is one of the leading exporters of wine in the entire world, and in 2014 superseded both France and Italy in its exports. Spanish wine, while less revered than its neighbours, offers premium quality for a fraction of the price. Moreover, Spanish wine is directly responsible for Picasso’s Cubism movement, which he viewed as his muse.