Nowadays people care more and more about their figure and want to stay healthy and fit. As a consequence of this new way of living, the amount of calories that one is ingesting every day is becoming a real preoccupation. Both men and women try to acquire low-calorie wines so they can avoid annoying restrictions. In fact, it is estimated that in the case of United States, 20% of the population is in constant diets.

May 1st, Labor Day, is a holiday and to celebrate nothing better than a glass of wine... A great way to discover new flavors along with a wide range of cuisine! Pair the wine with a snack or a special meal and enjoy this day with your loved ones. 

Spain is one of the countries of the world in which the quality and variety of wine is more prominent internationally, especially since, in recent decades, local producers, institutions and numerous appellations of origin have taken care of these areas, traditionally reserved to a few varieties.

Apart from the famous wines -reds and whites- of Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Penedes, to name just a few appellations, the sweet, fortified or 'generous' wines have always been placed among the most consumed varieties, especially Sherry, thanks to the success they have had for centuries in the British Isles and other European countries. 

Italy is famous for its gastronomy, but also for its wines, young, strong, aged, of long tradition... 

In the region of Lazio, whose capital is Rome, the wines are very recognized, mostly the whites, thanks to the Trebbiano grape. The most popular is the one from Frascati, called "wine of the Popes", also white, which in addition to the grapes of this region, is elaborated with Malvasia, offering a fresh fruity aroma and a sweet taste of better quality. 

Rosé wines are not only for the summer. Their freshness and flavor presume that are fully optimal to taste them with fish or rice dishes by the sea, but we can also consume them in winter. These are some of the myths that characterize the world of wine, the same way that many people drink only reds during the colder months, when they also can be consumed throughout the year.

Do you know the wines of Bierzo region? They are becoming more and more popular and widespread thanks to their tradition and pure modernity offer to suit the times.

The Bierzo is a region located in the west of the province of León in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, a well known land by its production of wines, varied and rich in aroma and flavor.

For this reason the wines of DO Bierzo are unique, thanks to the land where they are produced, with diverse landscapes with fields, valleys and mountains and a special orography which determines the character of its wines.

Currently, China is an emerging market in many areas and also in the world of wine. Hong Kong, the capital of import, imposes trends nationwide. Want to know what's most trendy in Hong Kong's wine world?

In general terms we note that French wines top the list of the most consumed, but increasingly new wines from other countries with less production gain force. So, Hong Kong citizens like to experiment and taste, and they leave classic wines to open up to others of smaller productions.

Australia and the United States are two of the countries that sell most wine in the country, after France. And what about the Spanish wines? The magic and strong personality flavor of Spanish wines are increasingly demanded. Something that denotes the effort of Spanish producers crossing borders and introducing wines in other countries, with Asia as a preferential place.

By long tradition, the Navarra wine is powerful and leaves a strong imprint on the palate. Its wide variety of wines is due to the large extension of its vineyards, with a total of 18,400 ha. This implies elaborations based on different climates, from Atlantic, Mediterranean and even continental.

The production areas of the wines are in five specific areas: Baja Montaña, Valdizarbe, Tierra Estella, Ribera Alta and Ribera Baja. The grape varieties are also very diverse. Among reds, the Cabernet Sauvignon, red Garnacha or Merlot are quite remarkable, occupying 94% of the total wine production. Among whites, we must highlight the chardonnay, white garnacha and malvasía, with 6% of the total.

A wine for every occasion

The DO Navarra gives wines of every kind, always according to the consumer tastes. Although red wines of Navarra are really the majority, the most renowned are the rosé wines of Navarra, but the region also offers white wines and the famous sweet wines of Navarra, with Muscat grapes.

The white wines are fresh and yellow colored, with fruity notes in mouth. They are ideal with fish, appetizers and light entrees like salads or pasta. The reds are characterized by their strong color with berry flavors and vanilla notes, with an excellent quality, very well considered in restaurants around the world. They are recommended with pates, cheeses, meat and poultry dishes.

Meanwhile, the rosés are those with greater leadership, at least in Spain. They are fresh and taste of strawberries, pomegranate... perfect with any type of rice.

The Muscat grape variety is responsible for the sweet wines of this land. They offer an exquisite aroma and are often consumed with cakes, cookies and sweets, and even with goat and blue cheese.

If you want to discover the best of Navarra, we suggest you to start buying wine from the region. We are sure you’ll like our two recommendations:

Currently no one disputes the Rioja wine differentiation over other wines still be exported and become better known. It consists of three sub-areas with vast vineyards and historic cellars that have made possible this global identification.

One of these subzones is the Rioja Baja, near the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, which produces wines of great quality and always gifted with personality and great body. The terroirs of Rioja Baja extend over 17,787 ha and have a mostly Mediterranean climate, featuring some dry areas with most extensive vineyards than other subzones that are part of this DO.

This zone extends over several municipalities located between Logroño and Alfaro, such as Calahorra, Arnedo, Autol and San Adrián, among others. It employs about 6,700 farmers in over 24,000 parcels that are committed to the wealth of their land in order to obtain greater vintages each season.

Wines of ripe grapes

This climate results in ripe grape wines, mostly red and elaborated with the Tempranillo variety –prevailing in all Rioja-, with an interesting presence of garnacha grape, which represent about 90% of total production. They are therefore stronger, meaty, with a powerful taste and less acidic than the wines of the rest of DO. They taste of berries and usually have more alcohol. The variety of flavors in the aged wines is remarkable, since they lie in the barrel for a few years, and the great reserves still need more time to finish their development.

Wine Museum of Rioja Baja

In the town of Aldeanueva de Ebro, particularly in the building of the Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Portal, we find one of the most important spots in the area: the Wine Museum of Rioja Baja. It discovers the history of the wines of this region with explanatory panels, focusing on their variety, vintage and scientific research. It also houses a tasting room where you can taste the local varieties.

No doubt that Rioja wine is one of the best in the world. Its elaboration comes from many years ago and each area guards its process in long tradition cellars. The DO Rioja encompasses various areas such as Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa.

In the case of wines from Rioja Alta, as well as wines from the Rioja Alavesa, they have fairly similar climates. In this case, the biggest influence is Mediterranean, leading to tasty wines with body and unquestionable quality. Its vineyards extend for 24,457 ha that comprise a large part of the DO Rioja total area.