Give More, Spend Less This Holiday Season

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Aug 30, 2011) - From Thanksgiving through New Year's, the world experiences a marathon of gatherings, gift-giving occasions and celebrations, all of which can be financially taxing. To bring some comfort and joy back into the holiday budget, Wines from Spain reminds consumers that great wines don't have to break the bank: Spanish wines offer some of the best values in terms of quality and affordability.

"Spanish wines continue to grow in popularity in the U.S., and exports to this country continued to increase over the past year," said Katrin Naelapaa, executive director of Wines from Spain. "The wines we're seeing today are literally all over the map, which means that consumers have a wide selection of styles, varietals and regions with which to experiment. Plus, the wines are very accessible; it's not difficult to find a truly enjoyable vintage at a reasonable price."

When gearing up for the holiday season, Naelapaa offers a few tips on stretching the budget:

I. Try to anticipate your wine needs for the season. Take into consideration your needs for entertaining as well as gift giving, whether as a hostess gift or as a special selection for a true oenophile.

II. Research your local wine shops and retailers. Many establishments regularly offer half-case or full-case discounts and even extend those markdowns to mixed cases, so you could save some cash by buying in larger quantities rather than bottle by bottle.

III. Take a closer look at Spanish wines. From robust reds to crisp whites to sparkling celebratory wines, there's a Spanish wine to suit any taste or occasion. As proof, Naelapaa offers a few recommendations for easy-to-find, memorable and affordable wines.

Spanish Red Wines

• Tempranillo is the king of Spanish grapes and produces ruby red wines bursting with flavors of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herb.

• Garnacha -- also known as Grenache -- is cultivated primarily in Spain's north central region and is the third most planted variety in the country. Garnacha tends to produce wines that are approachable and fruity in style with dominating red fruits.

• Monastrell -- also known as Mourvèdre -- is a dense, nearly sweet fruit that produces wine deep in color. Depending on the terroir, Monastrell wines can exhibit an array of tastes, ranging from wild, gamey and earthy notes to soft red fruit flavors.

Spanish White Wines

• Depending on the vintage and subregion of Rías Baixas, Albariño, an indigenous variety of Galicia in northwest Spain, is an aromatic grape that produces a wine that can be rich and expressive, with peach and apricot notes, or tart and bracing, like green apples and lemon peels.

• Godello is a native white wine grape found in northwestern Spain, particularly Galicia. It is typically a full-bodied, silky, medium-acidity wine, with pear, apple, floral and light citrus aromas and flavors, and an intense mineral character.

• Grown in Rueda, Verdejo is a delightful and textured grape with citrus elements covering notes of melon, apple and stone fruits. It is a refreshing white wine with a dry, mineral laced finish.

Spanish Sparkling Wines

• Nearly 95 percent of Cava is from Penedès in northeastern Spain. Made using méthode champenoise, the same used for Champagne, Spanish Cava is produced in varying levels of dryness: brut nature, brut (extra dry), seco (dry), semiseco (medium) and dulce (sweet). Sparkling wines typically have higher acidity and lower sugar levels than table wines, making them extremely complimentary to nearly any food. When looking for a Cava rosé, notice the color of the wine, which ranges from pale to deep ruby red.

Visit Wines from Spain on Facebook (www.facebook.com/spanishwines) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/WinesFromSpain).

About Wines from Spain
Wines from Spain is a promotional division of the Trade Commission of Spain based in New York. For more than 25 years, Wines from Spain has been committed to increasing the awareness of Spanish wines throughout the United States through education, informational materials, special events and promotions. For further information on specific wine regions and producers, please contact: Wines from Spain, Trade Commission of Spain, 405 Lexington Avenue, 44th Floor, New York, NY 10174-0331 or visit www.WinesfromSpainUSA.com.