Raimonds Tomsons, crowned as ASI Best Sommelier of the World in Paris in 2023, shares his insights on wine culture, the challenges of competing at such level and the exciting diversity of Spanish wines.

As Spain increases its presence in the Liv-Ex index and La Place de Bordeaux, wine investment companies and auction houses in the United Kingdom share their views on the secondary market for Spanish wine.

We publish an in-depth interview with Pascaline Lepeltier, one of the world's leading sommeliers. She talks to SWL about wine, of course, but also about philosophy and the role of this drink in our surroundings and in our lives.

We interview the founder of Camino, a series of award-winning Spanish restaurants across London. His latest venture is the UK’s first bar dedicated exclusively to Rioja.

In our pursuit of fresh views on how Spanish wines fare in key markets, we spoke to an experienced American MW. She is not a Spanish specialist, but she has extensive knowledge of its main competitors.

Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, this multi-talented man talks about the evolution of Spanish wines in the US and the enormous potential of many varieties and regions of Spain that are still unknown.

Eric Solomon, the owner of European Cellars, imports into the US some of Spain’s most recognized brands such as Clos Erasmus or Comando G. He talks to Bill Ward about the present and future of Spanish wine.

We talk to Pierre Mansour, The Wine Society's wine director and Spanish buyer since 2008. The Wine Society is the oldest wine club in the world and a true institution in the UK with over 180,000 members.

This huge country, where various monopolies manage the import and sale of wine, offers opportunities for Spanish wine, although its reputation as a good value product can also be a double-edged sword.

The owner of the Cúrate group met her Catalan husband while working at Ferran Adrià’s El Bulli restaurant and now they run a thriving business in the US focused on Spanish food and wine. Our correspondent Bill Ward interviews them.

The cost of exporting wine to the UK is now more expensive as a result of the delays at the border and the extra paperwork generated by the country's departure from the European Union. Importers and restaurateurs tell us about their experience.

With the pandemic receding across the land, Americans are, more than ever, into sharing. This is good news for the Spanish wine world, as small plates and by-the-glass offerings continue their pre-Covid ascendency.

Producers, wine merchants and consumers breathe a big sigh of relief as US and EU officials pause tariffs on wines but the road ahead is far from being free of obstacles for the country’s wines.

It has been a marriage made in vinous heaven: red Spanish grapes and American oak. Even today, venerable Rioja wineries such a R. López de Heredia and La Rioja Alta are deeply committed to barrels crafted from the white oak trees found in the US.

Small wineries and distributors are likely to be hurt the most by the 25% tariffs on some European wines, and medium-priced wines ($15 to $25) will take the biggest hits, say distributors and restaurateurs.

With the second edition of the ground-breaking Viñateros trade tasting in London next week, we have asked Jancis Robinson MW, Tim Atkin MW and Jamie Goode whether they think there really is a revolution underway in Spanish vineyards.

Based in North Carolina, Tamers shares with us his experience selling Spanish wines in the US, the styles that will prevail in the 21st century and his thoughts on the new tariffs imposed by Donald Trump last week.

Regardless of Brexit, it was the dynamic pace of life in London and the opportunity to focus their career on wine rather than having to combine it with front of house tasks that led these professionals to move to the UK.

They get to taste and review thousands of wines every year, yet it’s the quality, not the quantity, that drives Joshua Greene (Wine & Spirits), Michael Schachner (Wine Enthusiast), Josh Raynolds (Vinous) and Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate).

French wines dominate wine lists in the bars and restaurants that care about wine in the British capital, but Spain’s fine wines are gradually gaining ground, both in Spanish and international restaurants.

Brand loyalty is built largely around buyers knowing that they can count on quality with every purchase. But that is not the only attribute to convince American wine enthusiasts to embrace premium Spanish wines.

Wine is a very popular drink in the United Kingdom, therefore Brexit-induced anxiety felt across the industry comes as no surprise. What is going to happen in one of the world’s most relevant wine markets? And how will it affect Spanish wine?

A window into US enjoyment of Spanish wines does not contain glass. Boxed-wine options are rising steadily, but it’s larger and smaller vessels that are arguably the hottest options these days.

The latest MW symposium held in June in Logroño brought together the largest concentration of Master of Wine ever seen in Spain. It was the perfect opportunity to find out their thoughts on Spanish wines.

Vermouth is gaining ground as the drink of choice among many Americans, who come back from their travels across Spain willing to reprise those experiences at home.

As member of the jury at the International Bulk Wine Competition, Barcelona-based broker and SWL contributor Cruz Liljegren ponders how to add value to Spain’s bulk wines, currently the cheapest worldwide.

Bill Ward asks US retailers and restaurateurs which Spanish wines’ “back stories” have proven enticing or enchanting to their customers.

As the weather cools, Americans’ appetite for Spain’s red wines warms up. From coast to coast, retailers and restaurateurs see an uptick in sales of not just Riojas but also an increasingly diverse selection of Spanish reds.

From Florida to California, mixed drinks containing Cava are a hot item. Mixmasters not only are finding it an affordable substitute for Champagne in staples like Mimosas, they also are making complicated cocktails that are finding favor with consumers.

Germany is Europe’s second Michelin-starred country only behind France. Ana Margareto investigates how Spanish wines perform across the 292 restaurants carrying this distinction to find an increasing interest for whites with a good story behind.

Tempranillo grapes have a long but spotty history in the United States. Albariño has almost no history, but both Spanish varieties have made great inroads in recent years, with domestic production rising sharply in quantity and quality.

How can the new generation of Spanish winemakers position their wines in the British market? The Viñateros tasting held in London late last month was a great chance for SWL to hear the views of some of the wine importers attending the event.

Cruz Liljegren goes wine drinking in Amsterdam and discovers some of the best places to drink Spanish wine in the Dutch city. Despite a few good finds, there are still plenty of work ahead for the country’s wines to gain visibility.

Austrian wine lovers fiercely defend their own wines, but it is also possible to enjoy Spanish wines in this cosmopolitan city which will receive thousands of visitors to celebrate the New Year. Ana Margareto checks out the places to go.

Unlike Spain, most popular foods in the US are not associated with particular regions. We ask three restaurant experts which Iberian wines they would match up best with classic American food.

Following on with his journey across Scandinavia, our contributor Cruz Liljegren arrives in Finland to find out the opportunities for Spanish wine in a strict market which is becoming more flexible and with wine consumption levels as high as Spain.

Spanish wines have a place of their own in Frankfurt, one of Germany’s most affluent cities and a great consumer of the country’s white wines. Our contributor Ana Margareto reveals the best places to find and enjoy them.

It’s not a reach to say that the United States has a major dose of Iberian Fever. As Spanish wines continue to ascend in popularity, and as more brands are imported to the US, restaurant wine lists are making the most of it. 

As the thirst for organic wines in Sweden shows no signs of relenting, some producers and brand owners have successfully adapted to the market with wines that appeal to the local, sweet taste, reports Cruz Liljegren.

The range of Spanish whites is definitely broader in the US than 10 years ago, says Bill Ward, but there’s still a lot of work to do to bring awareness to them after Albariño’s stumbles in this highly competitive market.

To end his series of articles on leading importers of Spanish wines in the US, Lucas Payá asked them about the future: what’s in store for Spanish wines in such a competitive market?

Danish restaurants and sommeliers have moved on from bold Spanish reds in favour of lighter wines produced with minimal intervention.

For young, hip Americans, Spain’s wines offer up a brave new world. The wide range of Iberian wines allows them to explore and experiment on the cheap.

Sue Style writes about the success story of Spanish wines in a country packed with wine lovers and recommends some interesting places to shop for them.

After his detailed piece on the leading importers of Spanish wine into the US, Lucas Payá takes a look at the presence of Spanish selections in the portfolios of large wholesale players.

Pioneering initiatives and young adventurous projects. We review the leading importers who have worked hard to improve the presence of Spanish wines in the world’s most important market.

Spanish wines are vying for a place in the Norwegian market as the announcement to relax some of the current alcohol restrictions coincides with a surge of wine bars in Oslo.

Spanish wines have a challenging task ahead in Russia. Beyond the wines from Rioja, Spanish producers need to focus on diversity and originality to succeed in the growing Russian market.

Spain’s prototypical drink has found a welcome home in all corners of the country, even if it often bears little resemblance to traditional versions.

China has become the main focus of numerous wine producers for its huge business potential. Pedro Ballesteros MW, who knows the country well, explains which Spanish wines are more likely to win over Chinese palates.

A new breed of chefs and sommeliers are introducing new flavors into Swedish cuisine. Stockholm-born Cruz Liljegren sees a renewed interest in Spanish wines – adventurous wine lovers are increasingly well catered for in the “capital of Scandinavia”

More than a decade after Spanish wine became “the next big thing” on America’s west coast, consumers are digging deeper for discovery, and finding much to their liking.

Now, it’s possible for anyone in London to enjoy a slice of Spain on a plate and in the glass. Spanish food and wines have finally gone mainstream.

Words like tapa or ibérico ham are part of the language of an average Japanese. Nowadays,there is a growing interest to learn more about Spain’s regional cuisines at specialist restaurants where wine lists are not constrained to specific areas.

Everything comes back around, the saying goes. That’s certainly true for sherry cocktails in the US, even if it has taken a century.

When a European is in search of inspiration, London is the place to look at. Brits seem to have a special talent for creativity and entrepreneurship. Elisa Errea checks the latest trends in the wine world.

After working for Spanish chef Ferran Adriá at El Bulli, sommelier Lucas Payá moved to Washington, where he now lives. He has discovered a pretty and quiet city with a vibrant activity around wine and plenty of serious aficionados.

It wasn’t so long ago that a Spanish restaurant in the United States would have a few tapas and native dishes, usually washed down with sangria. The Spanish section in a wine store, if it even existed, would have a handful of Riojas.

It has never been so easy for European consumers to source Spanish wines for their cellars. We review a selection of Spanish online wine stores that deliver directly to your home.

After witnessing a contest to choose Tokyo’s top venenciador (sherry-pourer), our correspondent in the Japanese capital recommends the best places in the city to enjoy these Andalusian wines.

Although almost in our antipodes, Australians are great wine lovers and increasingly appreciate the quality of Spanish labels. Elisa Errea recalls her experiences during her last trip to the country.

The Mexican capital is a paradise for lovers of well respected Spanish wine brands. Leading names are available in most shops, but lesser known producers are gradually finding a space on the most adventurous wine lists.

In the last of this two-part series on wine apps, Spanish Wine Lover sifts through hundreds of options and selects the 10 most interesting and attractive ones to download onto your smartphone or tablet.

There is a huge diversity of apps available for those who want to keep a cellar inventory or find out more about a particular brand or label. In this two-part piece, we try and taste 10 of them to track down the best for Spanish wine lovers.

Spanish Master of Wine Pedro Ballesteros has been based in Brussels since the 1990s. This background allows him to offer tips and restaurant recommendations to wine aficionados looking to enjoy Spanish wines in the Belgian capital.

Our London-based contributor writes about his favourite Spanish wines and where to find them in the UK. His first article recalls the beginning of his wine passion, inspired by classic Riojas such as Viña Tondonia and Viña Real.

The pioneering spirit at Cave du Relax is reflected in its choice of wines. Riojas are in short supply in contrast with other regions (Penedés, Tarragona, Alicante, Navarra…) and the variety of styles evidence their interest to remain unorthodox.