Spain has a similar classification system to France and Italy, with all classified wine regions regulated under the Denominación de Origen (DO) system. With over 60 DOs, Spain has more acreage devoted to vineyards than any other country.
Red wines are often labeled as Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva. In Rioja and the Ribera del Duero, Crianza wines are two years old, with at least twelve months spent in cask (elsewhere the oak ageing may legally be restricted to just six months). Reservas are three years old (at least one year in cask), Gran Reservas five years old (two in cask, three in bottle).
Leading the country in the production of the finest wines are the vibrant DO's of Ribera del Duero, Priorat, Rias Baixas and Penedes.
"Small, quality-oriented wineries in Spain's lesser-known regions are spurring the country's recent surge in quality."
- Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator, December 15, 2005
