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Tempranillo replaces white Airén as the most planted grape variety in Spain with 202,917 hectares. This was announced by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture. The white wine variety Airén is mainly used for the production of brandy and stands on 200,084 hectares. It has lost 138,000 hectares since 2000, while Tempranillo has gained about 80,000 hectares in the same period and now occupies 21 per cent of Spain's vineyard area. With 42 percent, Tempranillo is also the most cultivated red grape variety.
Of the white grape varieties, only Verdejo with 23,206 hectares and Palomino with 6,578 hectares recorded significant growth. Red varieties such as Garnacha Tintorera have increased by 30,694 hectares, Syrah by 16,560 hectares, Cabernet Sauvignon by 12,740 hectares and Merlot by 8,512 hectares.
Losers since 2000 were the red varieties Bobal with a minus of 37,338 hectares, Monastrell with 28,443 hectares and Garnacha Tinta with 27,726 hectares, which, however, with an area of 59,122 hectares still ranks second among the most cultivated red grape varieties in Spain.
In July 2021, the total area under vines in Spain was 981,120 hectares.
(al / Source: Harpers.co.uk; Photo: wikimedia Fabio Ingrosso)