Drinking Through Spain is our ongoing series on the wine regions, culture, and cuisine of one of the most layered countries in the wine world. Each class focuses on a different corner of the map, pairs the grapes and styles worth knowing with the history and culture that shaped them, and gives you the context to shop, order, and travel with confidence. All of the depth, none of the textbook.
This class works through the top northern regions in a single evening. Rías Baixas and its benchmark Albariño. Ribeiro, quietly one of the most exciting white wine regions in the country. Txakolina from the Basque coast, with its signature spritz and salinity. Mencía from Bierzo and the slate hillsides nearby, which drinks like a cross between Cru Beaujolais and northern Rhône Syrah. And Navarra, where the shift from Rioja’s shadow has produced some of the best values in Spain. Along the way we cover why the Atlantic climate shapes these wines the way it does and how to find more of what you like once you leave the classroom.