https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Every June 29th, Spaniards in the winemaking region of La Rioja spend the day dousing each other in wine during 'la Batalla del Vino': the Battle of Wine. https://www.thelocal.es/20240611/in-images-is-la-riojas-wine-battle-the-wildest-party-in-spain Tue, 11 Jun 2024 18:59:33 +0200 in-images-is-la-riojas-wine-battle-the-wildest-party-in-spain It's one of Spain's most famous tipples, and yet there are a number of reasons why Rioja wines are widely respected but not always considered fine wines by international experts and the general public. https://www.thelocal.es/20230920/why-are-spains-riojas-often-not-considered-fine-wines Wed, 20 Sep 2023 12:57:53 +0200 why-are-spains-riojas-often-not-considered-fine-wines It was the Romans' favourite drink, a muse to Picasso and fell victim to the fascist regime of dictator Francisco Franco. Wine blogger Timmer Brown lifts the lid on everything you (probably) didn't know about Spanish vino. https://www.thelocal.es/20160926/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-spanish-wine Mon, 26 Sep 2016 15:30:26 +0200 10-things-you-didnt-know-about-spanish-wine For over a century, Joaquin Gay de Montella Estany's family produced wine in Spain's Mediterranean region of Catalonia, but the effects of climate change have pushed them to seek higher ground. https://www.thelocal.es/20210903/uphill-battle-spains-wine-growers-forced-to-adapt-to-climate-change Fri, 03 Sep 2021 11:39:12 +0200 uphill-battle-spains-wine-growers-forced-to-adapt-to-climate-change Jerez has declared the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz as part of the city’s intangible cultural heritage, the first Spanish breed of dog to be awarded such protected status. https://www.thelocal.es/20201007/spanish-dog-breed-awarded-special-status-for-keeping-wine-cellars-free-of-rats Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:05:52 +0200 spanish-dog-breed-awarded-special-status-for-keeping-wine-cellars-free-of-rats If you’re searching for the best value for money Spanish wines on the market, here’s what the experts recommend. https://www.thelocal.es/20191010/the-six-best-cheap-spanish-wines-for-5-or-less Thu, 10 Oct 2019 15:37:45 +0200 the-six-best-cheap-spanish-wines-for-5-or-less When young German Friedrich Schatz turned up in 1982 to grow grapes in a part of southern Spain which hadn't produced wine in 100 years, they thought he was crazy. https://www.thelocal.es/20200902/spain-vineyards-feel-the-pinch-but-harvest-must-go-on Wed, 02 Sep 2020 11:10:08 +0200 spain-vineyards-feel-the-pinch-but-harvest-must-go-on In normal times Madrid & Darracott offer wine tastings in the bodega beneath their shop near Madrid's Plaza Mayor, but during lockdown they'll provide free delivery on a half case and the opportunity to join them in a live online wine tasting. https://www.thelocal.es/20200326/coronavirus-lockdown-welcome-to-the-armchair-wine-tasting-tour-of-spain Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:29:58 +0100 coronavirus-lockdown-welcome-to-the-armchair-wine-tasting-tour-of-spain You may be forgiven for thinking the Spanish city with the most wine bars per capita would be found in a famous wine growing region like Rioja or a touristy capital such as Barcelona or Valencia. https://www.thelocal.es/20191127/which-spanish-city-has-the-most-wine-bars Wed, 27 Nov 2019 11:18:18 +0100 which-spanish-city-has-the-most-wine-bars Anyone who knows Spain, knows Spain has some great wine. But do you know the Spanish words and phrases to bluff your way through a tasting? https://www.thelocal.es/20190628/a-beginners-guide-to-wine-tasting-in-spain-plus-all-the-lingo-youll-need Fri, 28 Jun 2019 14:36:10 +0200 a-beginners-guide-to-wine-tasting-in-spain-plus-all-the-lingo-youll-need Five years ago, a group of university students in Spain's Basque Country decided they wanted to shake up a sector - any sector - but preferably one to do with food or drink. https://www.thelocal.es/20181017/blue-wine-a-tea-infused-vintage-spanish-startup-shakes-things-up Wed, 17 Oct 2018 13:11:27 +0200 blue-wine-a-tea-infused-vintage-spanish-startup-shakes-things-up Summer is the ideal time for cracking open a bottle of rose, but fans of French wine might be thinking twice after millions of bottles were found to contain less costly Spanish versions instead. https://www.thelocal.es/20180709/france-sees-red-after-10-million-bottles-of-spanish-wine-are-sold-off-as-ros Mon, 09 Jul 2018 15:41:51 +0200 france-sees-red-after-10-million-bottles-of-spanish-wine-are-sold-off-as-ros With the aid of a small crane, Borja Saracho lowers five cages loaded with 2,500 bottles of white wine from a fishing boat into the Cantabrian Sea. https://www.thelocal.es/20180705/underwater-aged-winery-wines-spain-cantabria Thu, 05 Jul 2018 14:04:24 +0200 underwater-aged-winery-wines-spain-cantabria Spain has yet again beaten Italy and France to remain the world’s biggest exporter of wine exporting a whopping 22.8 million hectolitres. https://www.thelocal.es/20180411/spain-is-worlds-biggest-wine-exporter-but-why-does-it-sell-its-vino-so-cheap Wed, 11 Apr 2018 14:00:48 +0200 spain-is-worlds-biggest-wine-exporter-but-why-does-it-sell-its-vino-so-cheap When five young Spaniards came up with the idea of marketing a blue wine, it was dismissed by Spain’s traditional vintners as a gimmick that would never take off. https://www.thelocal.es/20170112/red-white-but-not-blue-spain-bans-wine-because-its-the-wrong-colour Thu, 12 Jan 2017 12:57:20 +0100 red-white-but-not-blue-spain-bans-wine-because-its-the-wrong-colour Ana Vela Rubio has never been ill a day in her life and only moved into a nursing home at the age of 109 where staff say that she "does not look her age". https://www.thelocal.es/20161031/happy-115th-birthday-to-spains-oldest-woman-ever Mon, 31 Oct 2016 11:49:42 +0100 happy-115th-birthday-to-spains-oldest-woman-ever A Spanish start-up has come up with an ingenious, or some would say ‘blasphemous’, modern twist on traditional vino. https://www.thelocal.es/20160621/the-future-of-spanish-wine-is-blue-gik Tue, 21 Jun 2016 18:58:52 +0200 the-future-of-spanish-wine-is-blue-gik A warm and wet spring has caused havoc in the vineyards of Andalusia where vintners report that fungus is threatening this year’s sherry production. https://www.thelocal.es/20160621/fungus-threatens-spains-sherry-grape-harvest-jerez Tue, 21 Jun 2016 14:54:31 +0200 fungus-threatens-spains-sherry-grape-harvest-jerez Spain’s supreme court has thrown out a claim by the Champagne industry that a Spanish soft drink is too similar to the famous French bubbly. https://www.thelocal.es/20160308/spanish-soft-drink-beats-champagne-in-court-battle Tue, 08 Mar 2016 11:28:16 +0100 spanish-soft-drink-beats-champagne-in-court-battle Wine blogger Timmer Brown shares his top tips on where to find the best local wine in Barcelona. https://www.thelocal.es/20160222/the-insiders-guide-to-coolest-wine-bars-in-barcelona Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:57:01 +0100 the-insiders-guide-to-coolest-wine-bars-in-barcelona