James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of Spain 2022
American wine critic James Suckling publishes annual lists of the best wines he’s tasted from different countries, and he’s just released his top 100 Spanish wines for 2022. To those who follow the world of Spanish wine it’s a list that highlights the exciting things that have been happening in Spain in the last few years, especially considering that Suckling includes availability as a criterion, precluding the inclusion of some interesting small-production Spanish wines.
Spanish Stars
The stars of Spanish wine, both new and long-established names, are well represented. Telmo Rodríguez, Álvaro Palacios, Artadi, Comando G, Terroir al Limit are all names that often come up talking to Spanish wine experts. If the second wave of Spanish quality wine in the 1990s focused on the richness and power that Spanish terroirs could produce, these new stars have come full circle and embraced subtlety, elegance, and the importance of terroir and exceptional vineyards. It’s also true that to enjoy wines from these producers, you may have to search high and low and pay handsomely when you do find a bottle. Even so, the star growers of Spain have helped change the image of the country’s wine on the world stage, showing that Spain is one of the world’s great wine-producing nations.
Top Spanish Wines: From the Canary Islands to Galicia to Sherry
There are some surprising and exciting inclusions on the list from regions or styles less well known outside Spain. The Soria region of Ribera del Duero, a harsh land of old vines and cold winds, is being recognized as one of Ribera’s finest areas. Suckling includes both Domino de Es and Dominio de Atauta, two producers of breathtaking wines from vineyards planted a century or more ago in Soria. Reds and whites from Galicia and northwest Spain make several appearances, including bottlings from legendary producers like J. Palacios, Zárate and Pazo Barrantes among others, highlighting the overdue appreciation of Mencía, Albariño, and Godello for their potential to produce world-class and age-worthy wines. Even the outer-space viticulture of the Canary Islands gets a spot thanks to top producer Envínate, showing how the cult following of the fresh, unusual whites and reds from this archipelago has grown. And it has to be mentioned that two sherries, Lustau Amontillado VORS and González Byass Cuatro Palmas Amontillado, are ranked among the top 10 wines from Spain, continuing a trend of critical acclaim for sherry that has brought this once-forgotten style to the attention of sommeliers and collectors worldwide.
Historic Spanish Wineries
The great historic names of Spanish wine fill out much of the rest of Suckling’s list, wineries that will be familiar to many for their classic style and consistent performance. Producers like López de Heredia, La Rioja Alta, Muga, CVNE, Vega Sicilia and Torres deservedly appear here and on any list of the best wineries in Spain. Despite the cult status of some bottlings, by and large the classic wineries of Spain produce wines of exceptionally good value. Top-rated wines from Rioja stalwarts can be found for under $50 in the US and for much less in Spain. Even López de Heredia’s wines, carefully allocated and sought-after, offer impressive complexity for the money. A bottle of classic Rioja especially will often be the best option on a wine list anywhere in the world.
There are also more obscure producers in Rioja and Ribera del Duero who are making a name for themselves even if they don’t have the star power of some of the grand estates. Personally, I’m happy to see some of my favorite under-the-radar Spanish producers get a top spot: Valderiz, Losada Vinos de Finca, Attis, Zárate, Exopto and Ferrer Bobet. Pick up any of these wines at your local store or online site. These are very good and budget-friendly wines.