The long, arduous process of recovering Mallorca's native varieties continues to produce results. While Giró Ros and Gorgollassa are expanding, grapes such as Escursac, Esperó de Gall, Vinater or Callet Negrella are appearing on some labels.

Despite having the same DNA as Graciano and sharing some features, the wines being made now in southern Spain with Tintilla de Rota are very different. Historically used to make sweet wines, it is now time to explore this grape’s versatility.

Is it possible to trace the origins of wine and grape varieties back to the first wild varieties grown in the Iberian Peninsula? Our varieties expert has gathered all the existing literature on this topic.

In an area dominated by large cooperatives and huge volumes of wine, a handful of small producers are recovering forgotten grape varieties. These are some of the new names to follow.

Viura, Albillo, Dona Blanca, Palomino, Pedro Ximénez or Airén are usually described as “neutral” grape varieties, but the picture has changed in recent years because they are emerging as great terroir translators.

The future of wine growing lies in achieving healthier grapes. Expert Félix Cabello delves into the past, tackles possible solutions and lists which traditional Spanish varieties are naturally resistant to fungi.

Although planted mostly in Catalonia’s Terra Alta, Garnacha Blanca is gradually increasing its presence in the country’s high-quality whites. A recently published dissertation reinforces this perception.

Despite the dominance of Tempranillo and Verdejo in the vineyards of Castilla y León, there is an exciting future for obscure grape varieties in the area, according to speakers at the recent Duero International Wine Fest held in Burgos.

Last week Bobal was the centre of attention in two conferences organized by DO Manchuela and DO Utiel-Requena. As a speaker in one of them, I had the opportunity to learn a great deal about this variety and taste an interesting range of Bobal-based wines

This Catalan region welcomed international grapes with open arms in the last quarter of the 20th century but it is now focusing on indigenous varieties. White Xarel.lo is leading the way, but Sumoll, Malvasía and Xarel.lo Vermell are vying for space.

For over 30 years Torres has been tracking Catalan vineyards in search of ancient grape varieties. We had the opportunity to taste some of their most promising discoveries a few days ago. Their names: Forcada, Pirene, Gonfaus, Moneu and Querol.

A bit showy, definitely pleasing, and probably the tastiest red grape on earth, Garnacha is going through an exciting renaissance in Spain. SWL cheers to its success with this practical style guide.

No matter whether it comes from Rioja, Ribera del Duero or Castilla-La Mancha… Tempranillo is what we Spaniards drink most often. Sounds boring? We hope these five reds bring some novelty to your palate.

Next Thursday, and subsequently every second Thursday in November, is International Tempranillo Day. Curiously enough, this celebration originated in the US but we thought it was a great opportunity to recall Tempranillo’s origins and styles of wines.

Which grape varieties are widely planted in Spain? Are there any fighting for survival? The last article in our grape patrimony series presents the figures

Grenache is widely planted across Spain, where it grows in the most diverse type of soils. In this piece, Amaya Cervera digs up the most distinctive, explains where these soils are found and the kind of wines they produce.

Next Friday Grenache wine lovers will be celebrating G-Day all over the word. Spanish wine lovers are very lucky to have fantastic Grenache-based reds offering outstanding value.

Historical errors abound when it comes to identifying grape varieties. Chilean Carmenère was thought to be Merlot and Albariño vines planted in Australia turned out to be Savagnin. Spain has also suffered some mix-ups with Albillo and Malvasía vines.

In a three-part series, our grape expert Félix Cabello writes about three key areas of a study carried out in Spain over the last years: number of grape varieties, some conflicting issues around them which have now been resolved and vineyard ranking.