Rioja profile
The need-to-know facts...
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW is a Decanter contributor and joint Regional Chair for Spain at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 alongside Ferran Centelles. He has studied around the world, including Spain, France, USA and Germany. He holds a degree in agro-food engineering and a masters in viticulture and oenology among his qualifications. A columnist for magazines in Spain and Belgium, he works in four languages. He sits at the governing board of the Unión Española de Catadores (the Spanish wine tasters’ union), the board of the International Federation of Wine and Spirit Journalists and Writers, the wine committee of the Basque Culinary Centre, and acts as expert at the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine). He is a VIA Certified Italian Wine Ambassador, a member of Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino, and has been awarded the Spanish Command Order of Agricultural Merit.
The need-to-know facts...
There’s much more to these northern Spanish wines than just Albariño, says Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, who looks at the five main regions and their key varieties
Everything to know...
Spanish winemakers to watch...
There's great value if you know where to look...
What to look out for...
Understand the new classification...
Few other regions can field such a fascinating range of red wine styles, made from a broad palette of native grape varieties, reports Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW...
All within walking distance...
Two small DOs in Spain’s far northwest are punching above their weight with characterful white wines...