The denominación de origen system in Spain is used to regulate the quality and geographical origin of Spanish food and drink products. This system is similar to that found in other European countries, and is part of EU regulations. The denominación de origen system covers products such as cheese, olive oil, ham, and vinegar, but here we will outline how it works for the wines of Spain.
The wine region classification in Spain uses a hierarchical form in which the Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) is a mainstream grading, equivalent to the French AOC and the Italian DOC. It translates as Protected Denomination of Origin. The Spanish DOP is a subset of the EU-sponsored Quality Wine Produced in Specific Regions (QWPSR) regulatory code (vino de calidad producido en región determinada (VCPRD) in Spanish) which Spain formally adopted in 1986, when they joined the EEC. In 2016, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Spain (Ministerio de Agricultura,Pesca y Alimentación) outlined the changes in the naming categories for the wine appellations, which is as follows:
- Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP)
- Indicación Geográfica Protegida (IGP)
- Vino de Mesa (table wine)
In 2019 Spain had 138 wine regions under some form of geographical classification – 2 DOCa/DOQ, 68 DO, 7 VC, 19 VP, and 42 VT. The majority of the wine produced in Spain falls under the DOP appellation – our other article gives the breakdown of Spanish wine per appellation for the 2017/2018 campaign.
Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP)
A designation of origin is one of the quality figures that encompasses the concept DOP. DOPs identify products originating in a geographical place, whose quality and characteristics are due to the link with that place and to the natural and human factors inherent therein and in which the production process takes place entirely in that geographical area.
In Spain there are 96 DOPs, that are subdivided into DOCa, DO, VP, and VC:
- 2 DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada)
- 68 DO (Denominación de Origen)
- 19 VP (Vino de Pago)
- 7 VC (Vino de Calidad con indicación geográfica)
The sub-categories can be called DOP, or they can use the traditional terms of DOCa, DO, VP, and VC.
Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)
The DOCa (Qualified Denomination of Origin in English) is the highest category in Spanish wine law, reserved for regions with above-average prices along with stringent quality controls. The DOCa was created in 1988 when Spain joined the EEC. Initially Rioja was the sole DOCa, eventually joined by Priorat in 2003. (Priorat uses the designation DOQ, for ‘denominació d’origen qualificada’ in the Catalan language.)
In addition to the requirements for DO, the following must be met:
- That at least ten years have elapsed since its recognition as DO
- All bottled wine is sold from registered warehouses and located in the defined geographical area
- Have a control system from production to commercialization with respect to quality and quantity, including physical-chemical and organoleptic control by homogeneous lots of limited volume
- Coexistence is prohibited in the same winery with wines without the right to DOCa, except for VP wines from the same territory
- It must have a cartographic delimitation, by municipalities, of the land suitable for producing wines entitled to DOCa
In 2109, Spain had two DOCa wine regions – Rioja in the Alto Ebro region and Priorat in Catalonia.
Denominación de Origen (DO)
Until 1988 this was the highest category of Spanish wine, and comparable to France’s AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). All the DOs have their own regulatory bodies called Consejos Reguladores, that are responsible for creating and maintaining the definition of each DO. These rules include which grape varieties are permitted, the ageing, and the types of wine. The DOs are a specific region, county, locality, or particular place that has been administratively recognized to designate wines that meet the following conditions:
- Have been made in the region, region, locality or specific place, with grapes from it
- Enjoy high prestige in commercial traffic in response to its origin
- Whose quality and characteristics are fundamentally or exclusively due to the geographical environment that includes natural and human factors
- In addition to having passed at least five years since its recognition as a quality wine with geographical indication (IGP)
In Spain there were 68 DOs in 2019.
Vino de Pago (VP)
The VP category was introduced in 2003, along with the VC category. Pago means vineyard, so the VP category is for single estate wines. The VP status entails that the estate is perceived to be one of the great estates in Spain and that it can exist outside of an established DO. The wine from a VP must be wholly created and bottled within that domain. Each VP is allowed to draw up its own rules, the grapes used, and the methods of viticulture, vinification, and aging, which provides flexibility not previously seen in Spanish wine regulations.
To date this new category has been recognised by Navarra, Castilla-La Mancha, Valencia y Aragón only, and as of 2019 there were 19 VP wines. Not everyone is convinced with this category. For example, Robinson and Harding (2015) have suggested that ‘arguably too many’ estate wines are in this category of “supposedly exceptionally high-quality, single estate wines”.
Vino de Calidad con indicación geográfica (VC)
In 2003, the categories VC and Vino de Pago (VP) were introduced. For VC (Quality Wine with Geographic Indication in English), it is a wine produced and made in a region, county, locality or particular place with grapes from them, whose quality, reputation or characteristics are due to the geographical environment, the human factor or both, in regard to the production of the grape, wine making or aging. The VC category is used for wines that do not fully meet the stringent standards of the DO category, but are above the standards of the VT/IGP category. In 2019 there were seven VC wine regions.
Indicación Geográfica Protegida (IGP)
The IGP wine is a product originating from a specific place, a region or a country, which has a certain quality, reputation, or other characteristic that can be essentially attributed to its geographical origin, and has production phases, at least one of which takes place in the defined geographical area. These can and do use the traditional term Vino de la Tierra (VT).
Vino de la Tierra VT or VdT (“Country Wine”)
Vino de la Tierra is the quality level above Vino de Mesa, and falls under the category of IGP. This category mirrors the Vins de Pays of French wine. A Vino de la Tierra is a wine from a particular place, but with few specifications of grape varieties, yields, site, or, aging. To qualify, at least 85% of the wine needs to come from the named production area. As of 2019, there are 42 VTs.
Vino de Mesa (table wine)
The Vino de Mesa category is the lowest rung on Spain’s wine quality ladder, comprising wines without geographical indication and that do not have to meet the requirements of wines from protected geographical areas. It also includes grapes that have been declassified through blending not allowed under the regulations of other categories.
Wine appellations in Spain
Below is a list of the wine appellations in Spain as of 2019, with links to our guides to the wine regions of Spain. Do you want to learn more about Spanish wines. Why not check out our private wine tours where you can savour the best of Spanish wines.
List of the wine appellations in Spain as of 2019 includes the wine region, autonomous region, name, indication type (DOP (Denominación de Origen Protegida) or IGP (Indicación Geográfica Protegida)), traditional term (DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada), DO (Denominación de Origen), VC (Vino de Calidad con indicación geográfica), and VP (Vino de Pago)), and the File number| Wine Region | Autonomous Region | Name | Indication Type | Traditional Term | File No. assigned by the Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alto Ebro | Supra-autonomous region | Rioja | DOP | DOCa | PDO-ES-A0117 |
| Navarra | Navarra | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0127 | |
| Navarra | Pago de Arínzano | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0183 | |
| Navarra | Pago de Otazu | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0184 | |
| Navarra | Prado de Irache | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0182 | |
| La Rioja | Valles de Sadacia | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0511 | |
| Navarra | 3 Riberas | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0128 | |
| Andalusian | Andalucía | Condado De Huelva | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1485 |
| Andalucía | Granada | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1475 | |
| Andalucía | Jerez-Xérès-Sherry | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1483 | |
| Andalucía | Málaga | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1481 | |
| Andalucía | Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1482 | |
| Andalucía | Montilla - Moriles | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1479 | |
| Andalucía | Málaga | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1480 | |
| Andalucía | Lebrija | DOP | VC | PDO-ES-A1478 | |
| Andalucía | Altiplano de Sierra Nevada | IGP | VT | PDO-ES-A1402 | |
| Andalucía | Bailén | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1404 | |
| Andalucía | Cádiz | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1405 | |
| Andalucía | Córdoba | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1406 | |
| Andalucía | Cumbres del Guadalfeo | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1407 | |
| Andalucía | Desierto de Almería | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1408 | |
| Andalucía | Laderas del Genil | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1409 | |
| Andalucía | Laujar-Alpujarra | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1410 | |
| Andalucía | Los Palacios | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1411 | |
| Andalucía | Norte de Almería | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1412 | |
| Andalucía | Ribera del Andarax | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1414 | |
| Andalucía | Sierra norte de Sevilla | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1415 | |
| Andalucía | Sierra sur de Jaén | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1416 | |
| Andalucía | Sierras de las Estancias y los Filabres | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1417 | |
| Andalucía | Torreperogil | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1418 | |
| Andalucía | Villaviciosa de Córdoba | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1419 | |
| Aragonese | Aragón | Calatayud | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0247 |
| Aragón | Campo de Borja | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0180 | |
| Aragón | Cariñena | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0043 | |
| Aragón | Somontano | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0534 | |
| Aragón | Aylés | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A1522 | |
| Aragón | Bajo Aragón | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1362 | |
| Aragón | Ribera del Gállego-Cinco Villas | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0245 | |
| Aragón | Ribera del Jiloca | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0244 | |
| Aragón | Valdejalón | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0246 | |
| Aragón | Valle del Cinca | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0181 | |
| Balearics | Islas Baleres | Binissalem | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1056 |
| Islas Baleres | Pla i Levant | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1038 | |
| Islas Baleres | Formentera | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0875 | |
| Islas Baleres | Ibiza | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0110 | |
| Islas Baleres | Illes Baleares | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0947 | |
| Islas Baleres | Isla de Menorca | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0870 | |
| Islas Baleres | Mallorca | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0960 | |
| Islas Baleres | Serra de Tramuntana-Costa Nord | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0103 | |
| Canarian | Canarias | Abona | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0975 |
| Canarias | El Hierro | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1250 | |
| Canarias | Gran Canaria | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0112 | |
| Canarias | La Gomera | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0111 | |
| Canarias | La Palma | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0510 | |
| Canarias | Lanzarote | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0113 | |
| Canarias | Tacoronte-Acentejo | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0115 | |
| Canarias | Valle de Güimar | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0980 | |
| Canarias | Valle de la Orotava | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1040 | |
| Canarias | Ycoden-Daute-Isora | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0114 | |
| Canarias | Islas Canarias | DOP | VC | PDO-ES-A1511 | |
| Cantabrian | País Vasco | Chacolí de Álava – Arabako Txacolina | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0732 |
| País Vasco | Chacolí de Bizkaia – Bizkaiko Txacolina | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0746 | |
| País Vasco | Chacolí de Getaria – Getariako Txacolina | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0741 | |
| Asturias | Cangas | DOP | VC | PDO-ES-A0119 | |
| Cantabria | Costa de Cantabria | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0129 | |
| Cantabria | Liébana | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0130 | |
| Catalan | Catalunya | Priorat | DOP | DOCa | PDO-ES-A1560 |
| Catalunya | Alella | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1423 | |
| Catalunya | Cataluña | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1549 | |
| Catalunya | Conca de Barberà | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1422 | |
| Catalunya | Costers del Segre | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1523 | |
| Catalunya | Empordà | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1548 | |
| Catalunya | Montsant | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1550 | |
| Catalunya | Penedés | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1551 | |
| Catalunya | Pla de Bages | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1557 | |
| Catalunya | Tarragona | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1555 | |
| Catalunya | Terra Alta | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1556 | |
| Central Region | Castilla- La Mancha | Almansa | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0044 |
| Castilla- La Mancha | La Mancha | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0045 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Manchuela | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0046 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Méntrida | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0047 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Mondéjar | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0048 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Ribera del Júcar | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0049 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Uclés | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0050 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Valdepeñas | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0051 | |
| Madrid | Vinos de Madrid | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1525 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Calzadilla | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0056 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Campo de la Guardia | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0055 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Casa del Blanco | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0060 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Dehesa del Carrizal | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0054 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Dominio de Valdepusa | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0052 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | El Vicario | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-N1634 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Finca Élez | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0053 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Guijoso | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0058 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | La Jaraba | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-01895 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Los Cerrillos | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-02228 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Pago Florentino | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0057 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Vallegarcía | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-02085 | |
| Castilla- La Mancha | Castilla | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0059 | |
| Del Duero | Castilla y León | Arlanza | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0613 |
| Castilla y León | Arribes | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0614 | |
| Castilla y León | Bierzo | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0615 | |
| Castilla y León | Cigales | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0622 | |
| Castilla y León | Ribera del Duero | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0626 | |
| Castilla y León | Rueda | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0889 | |
| Castilla y León | Tierra de León | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0882 | |
| Castilla y León | Tierra del Vino de Zamora | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0634 | |
| Castilla y León | Toro | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0886 | |
| Castilla y León | Cebreros | DOP | VC | PDO-ES-02348 | |
| Castilla y León | Sierra de Salamanca | DOP | VC | PDO-ES-A0631 | |
| Castilla y León | Valles de Benavente | DOP | VC | PDO-ES-A0646 | |
| Castilla y León | Valtiendas | DOP | VC | PDO-ES-A0747 | |
| Castilla y León | Castilla y León | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0948 | |
| De Levante | Murcia | Bullas | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0536 |
| Murcia | Yecla | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0606 | |
| Valenciana | Alicante | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1526 | |
| Valenciana | Utiel-Requena | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0874 | |
| Valenciana | Valencia | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0872 | |
| Valenciana | El Terrerazo | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0940 | |
| Valenciana | Los Balagueses | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-A0941 | |
| Valenciana | Vera de Estenas | DOP | VP | PDO-ES-N1665 | |
| Murcia | Campo de Cartagena | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0607 | |
| Murcia | Murcia | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0608 | |
| Valenciana | Castelló | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1173 | |
| Extremaduran | Extremadura | Ribera del Guadiana | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1295 |
| Extremadura | Extremadura | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1300 | |
| Galician | Galicia | Monterrei | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1114 |
| Rias Baixas | Rías Baixas | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1119 | |
| Ribeira Sacra | Ribeira Sacra | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1128 | |
| Ribeiro | Ribeiro | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1123 | |
| Valdeorras | Valdeorras | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A1132 | |
| Galicia | Barbanza e Iria | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1255 | |
| Galicia | Betanzos | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1257 | |
| Galicia | Ribeiras do Morrazo | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-02238 | |
| Galicia | Valle del Miño-Ourense/ Val do Miño- Ourense | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A1259 | |
| Supra-region | Supra-autonomous region | Jumilla | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0735 |
| Supra-autonomous region | Cava | DOP | DO | PDO-ES-A0109 | |
| Supra-autonomous region | Ribera del Queiles | IGP | VT | PGI-ES-A0083 |
References
Robinson, J., Harding, J. 2015. The Oxford Companion to Wine. OUP. Oxford. 4th ed.
Ministerio de Agricultura,Pesca y Alimentación. 2019. https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/alimentacion/temas/calidad-agroalimentaria/calidad-diferenciada/dop/htm/informacion.aspx
Vinosdo.wine DO organisation http://vinosdo.wine/denominaciones-de-origen/que-es-una-denominacion-de-origen-de-vino/
thanks for posting this informative and organized listing of spain’s wine regions.
i love a good spreadsheet.
cheers