If you’re just starting to cultivate your interest in Spanish wines, there’s no better place to do so than at your local neighborhood supermarket!
Yes, I said it.
There đź‘Ź Is đź‘Ź Nothing đź‘Ź Wrong đź‘Ź With đź‘Ź Supermarket đź‘Ź Wine.
In fact, some of my favorite wines over the past few years have come from the wine section of Carrefour. As an official non-winesnob, I am a fan of exploring the offerings the supermarket has to offer at the end of my weekly shopping spree. Granted, it usually doesn’t change much from week to week but every once in a while you stumble upon something new (for instance finding Habla la Tierra for 6 bucks at my local Dia! Some of the wines from this bodega can cost well over 10 euros).
My “wine journey” as the influencers put it actually began at Mercadona six years ago. Those supermarket experiences helped me work up the courage to journey into an actual wine shop. Why is this? Well, as I’ve alluded to before, sometimes wine people are intimidating! If you don’t know what you’re talking about, you might feel like you’ll quickly expose yourself as a “wine fraud” in front of a professional.
As an aside, before I started this blog, I really thought that the wine judgement was real. At least in my experience in Madrid, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The wine shop owners I have met have all been very helpful and friendly and have encouraged me to get out of my shell. Is anyone actually judging your wine knowledge? Probably not. Plus getting to know your local neighborhood wine shop helps support local business!
Now back to the supermarket. Although wine shops are actually great resources, sometimes you might just want to peruse the wine section on your own and that is FINE. There are some súper gems (get what I did there?) out there and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You can find a killer wine for under 10 euros at the supermarket. The important thing to remember is to drink what you like and enjoy the experience of learning and trying something new!
Supermarkets in Spain (and much of Europe) are stocked with beer, wine and even hard liquor. So if you’re interested in picking up a cheap and easy bottle and haven’t quite decided to spend the big bucks on a fancier wine in a shop, here are some tips you can utilize when undertaking the gargantuan Spanish supermarket wine section.
- Understand what you’re looking for
This is an obvious one. At the supermarket, wines are typically organized by color, then by grape. Typically, the wines that cost just a bit more are placed at eye level, say the six to seven euro range. Cheaper bottles tend to be closer to the bottom while the most expensive guys hover around the top. In Spain, you can easily find a wine for under two euros however if you have the budget and are actively trying to avoid a hangover, I highly, highly recommend spending at least five euros on a bottle. This isn’t a golden rule but it is a bit of common sense: the cheaper the bottle to a certain extent, the lesser the quality you can expect. Price reflects workers time, raw materials, bottling, marekting etc. etc. When all else constant, what kind of raw material do you really think is inside that one euro bottle?!
2. Read the labels
Pick up the bottle and examine it! Don’t be shy here. You need to look for those main keywords I spoke about in my last post. Take a look at the main points: DenominaciĂłn de Origen (Rioja or Ribera for reds will be the most common), the age (Crianza, Joven, Reserva etc) and the vintage (the year). Just taking note of these small details can give you an idea of what kind of wine you should expect. If you’re looking for something oaky, better a Rioja than a Ribera. If you’re looking for something acidic, better an Albariño than a Godello.
3. Take your time
Unless you’re in a massive rush to get out, take a few minutes to really examine all the options because there are a ton. It’s a good idea to think about what you’ll be pairing your wine with for dinner or what kind of occasion you’re celebrating. On some bottles a recommendation of pairing is even printed on the backside label. If this is your regular supermarket, take notice of if the bottles have been moved around or if there are any particular sales on for the week. Sometimes bodegas have special promotions with the supermarket on different weeks of the year. Might as well take advantage of those promos!
4. Take a risk
And finally, take a risk! There are so many wineries in Spain and so many wine options, you will likely never try them all. So, if you know what you like, take notice of the main details on the label I mentioned above and try to find a similar but new bottle. Most of my supermarket wine experiences so far have been trial and error and that’s fine! It’s part of the experience.
Let me know, what’s your favorite Spanish supermarket and the best wine you’ve tried from it!
The Vino Girl 