Spain: Winemaking

Spanish winemaking has changed radically since the 1960s. Stainless steel, once a rarity, is now commonplace and virtually all bodegas have the means of temperature control for fermentation. These improvements transformed Spanish wines, especially in La Mancha and the Levante, where temperature control is essential to preserve the primary fruit character in both red and white wine. The epoxy-lined concrete tanks still to be found in some co-operative wineries are regaining favour with top producers for red wines, as are oak vats, in a return to traditional fermentation vessels which ensure less temperature variation than stainless steel tanks.