10 Exciting Spanish White Wine Styles (Best Bottles to Buy, Prices 2024)

Crisp, fresh, and with bright acidity, the affordably-priced Spanish white wines have won hearts across the globe!

Even though the country is best known for its robust Tempranillo reds, the white wines are not far behind  - especially the seductive White Rioja wines. There are many more, including Viura, Verdejo, Airen, Godello, and others.

Discover the 10 most popular Spanish white wine styles, including their tasting notes, and the best bottles to buy now.

Top 10 Spanish White Wines (Including Characteristics & Best Bottles to Buy)

Here are the top 10 Spanish White wines that you need to add to try.

1. Sherry

Sherry is Spain’s star fortified wine native to Jerez, a southern Spanish town.

A traditional Sherry wine is produced from three white wine grapes - Palomino, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximenez.

The typical Sherry wine styles include:

• Dry Sherry: It is a low acidity wine with low residual sugar. 

• Naturally Sweet Wines: Naturally sweet wines are produced by stopping the fermentation mid-way, leaving the wine with a bit of residual sugar.

• Sweet Sherry: It is made by blending two or more fully aged Sherries. 

Dry Sherries are best served with umami dishes like Tapas, while sweeter styles pair best with chocolate desserts.

Best Sherry Wines:

• 1933 Williams & Humbert Coleccion Anadas Single Cask Oloroso Sherry ($5,451)
• Barbadillo Reliquia Amontillado Sherry, Andalucia ($1,115)

2. Viura (Macabeo)

Most wine lovers know Viura as the primary grape used to make the sparkling Spanish wine, Cava. However, Viura is also a light and fruit dominated varietal white wine.

Since Viura is a high-yielding grape, many winemakers take advantage of the abundance leading to the production of low-quality wines. 

But, with controlled yields, Viura produces one of the most delicious Spanish whites.

Typically, this Spanish white wine has a light body and fruity and floral aromas of melon, apple, and white flowers. An oak-aged Viura also has coconut and cinnamon notes. Over time, it can develop earthy flavors that taste best with roast meat and resinous herbs.

Unoaked Viura, on the other hand, has bright acidity.

Best Viura (Macabeo) Wines:

• 1957 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco, Rioja DOCa ($1,149)
• 2015 Finca Allende Martire, Rioja DOCa ($129)

3. White Rioja (Rioja Blanco)

If you’re looking for an exciting Spanish white wine with citrus and fruity notes, then White Rioja is the way to go.

Produced in the Rioja region of Spain, the White Rioja is made entirely from white grape varieties like Viura, Tempranillo Blanco, Garnacha Blanca, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

White Rioja can range from light to full-bodied, and the best wines can age for more than 10 years.

Based on aging, there are four White Rioja styles:

• Joven: Young white wines with no oak aging
• Crianza: Aged for 12 months with six months in oak barrels
• Reserva: Aged for 24 months with six months in oak barrels
• Gran Reserva: Aged for 48 months with six months in oak barrels

Aged Rioja wines are bold and have complex aromas of roasted pineapple, caramelized honey, lime, candied tarragon, hazelnut, whisky, and horehound candies. It makes a perfect gift for a white wine enthusiast!

They also have lemon curd and creamy pine nut flavors, tingly acidity, and a subtle minerality that pairs well with shellfish.

Best White Rioja Wines:

• 1986 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial ($637)
• 1948 Marques de Murrieta Finca Ygay Reserva Blanco ($354)

4. Godello

Godello is an early budding and early ripening grape with low yields. No surprise, it is one of the rarest white wine grapes. 

Godello has the potential to take the characteristics of its surroundings. So, you can find a light and tarty Godello wine as well as a richer Godello produced from extended lees contact and malolactic fermentation.

In general, this white wine has stone fruit, peach, and apple fruit aromas with subtle ginger and honey scents. Oak-aged Godello also has vanilla and baking spice notes - perfect to pair with seafood.

Best Godello Wines:

• 2016 Bodegas Rafael Palacios Sorte O Soro, Valdeorras ($209)
• 2011 Bodegas Valdesil Pedrouzos Godello, Valdeorras ($115)

5. Cava

Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine hailing from the Catalonia wine region of Spain.

Cava is produced from “Methode Champenoise,” the reason why it has bubbles similar to Champagne. It can range from bone dry (brut nature) to extremely sweet (dolce.)

Traditionally, a Cava wine is a blend of these three grapes:

• Macabeo
• Xarel lo
• Parellada

Some Cava winemakers also add other grapes like Chardonnay to the blend.

Cava is aged in the bottle on its lees for at least nine months, Cava Reserva for 15 months, and Cava Gran Reserva for 30 months.

In general, Cava has low acidity, intense fruit aromas, and citrus and Mediterranean fruit flavors.

Best Cava Wines:

• 1999 Recaredo Turo d'en Mota Cava, Catalonia ($287)
• 2009 Cordoniu Ars Collecta 'La Pleta' Chardonnay Paraje Calificado Cava, Catalonia ($99)

6. Albarino

Albarino is the star grape of Rias Baixas (Rías Baixas) in Galicia. It accounts for over 95% of vine planting of Rias Baixas.

Albarino wines are one of the most aromatic Spanish white wines. These pale yellow wines are light to medium-bodied with zingy acidity. 

They have citrus notes of lime, orange, and grapefruit balanced by fruity aromas of peach, green apple, cantaloupe - perfect to pair with seafood dishes.

Best Albarino Wines:

• 2018 Bodegas y Vinedos Attis 'Attis Mar' Albarino, Galicia ($102)
• 2018 Raul Perez 'Sketch' Blanco, Rias Baixas ($76)

7. Verdejo

Exclusive to Rueda, Verdejo has gained itself a DO status in the region. Even though some Rueda wines are blended with Sauvignon Blanc and Viura, Verdejo remains the dominant grape variety.

Verdejo grape grows in tight clusters and is harvested at night to lock in the acidity of the grape. 

Verdejo wines are dry, light-bodied with a pale straw color, intense lime and tropical fruit aroma, and citrus fruit flavors of grapefruit and lemon. 

Best Verdejo Wines:

• 2015 MicroBio Wines Ismael Gozalo Respublica Verdejo, Castilla y Leon ($90)
• 2015 Ossian 'Capitel' Blanco Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Leon ($71)

8. Garnacha Blanca (Grenache Blanc)

Garnacha Blanca is a white mutation of red wine grape Garnacha Tinta and is mostly found in Rioja, Navarra, and Aragon.

This white wine grape produces rich, creamy wines that compete with the buttery Chardonnay. 

Garnacha Blanca wines are aged in oak barrels which gives them a beautiful deep blonde color and exotic coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon notes. The wines have a tropical fruit, pear, stone fruit, and citrus aroma on the nose.

It tastes best with desserts like coconut creme pie and pineapple cake.

Best Garnacha Blanca:

• 2011 Terroir Al Limit Soc. Lda. Pedra de Guix, Priorat DOCa ($80)
• 2014 Portal del Priorat Trossos Tros Blanc, Montsant ($71)

9. Airen

Even though Airen is the most widely planted grape variety of Spain, it is primarily used to produce brandy and some table wines. 

Most Airen wines have low acidity, aromas of green apples, pineapple fruit, and citrus fruit. 

These wines taste best with fish and other seafood dishes.

Best Airen Wines:

• 2012 El Vinculo Alejairen, Castilla La Mancha ($43)
• 2018 Esencia Rural Pampaneo Airen Vino de la Tierra de Castilla ($19)

10. Txakoli

Mainly produced in the Basque Country, Txakoli is a light, refreshing, and clean Spanish white wine.

The wine is primarily produced from Hondarrabi Zuri wine grapes which gives the wine high acidity. 

This low alcohol, crisp, citrus wine pairs perfectly with Pintzos, cured meat, seafood, and cheese.

Best Txakoli Wines:

• 2015 Senorio de Astobiza Malkoa Edicion Limitada, Arabako Txakolina ($36)
• 2013 Bodegas Itsasmendi Artizar Blanco, Bizkaiko Txakolina ($40)

Grab A Bottle Of A Refreshing Spanish White Wine!

Spanish white wines are crisp, fresh, and simply delicious. Sip these wines on a lazy evening and pair them with your favorite seafood dishes.

Some exceptional Viura and white Rioja bottles also make great investments.

If you’re looking to invest in a fine Spanish white wine, Ribera del Duero Tempranillo, a Cabernet Sauvignon wine, or even an Italian wine, you need a trusted wine investment company like Vinovestto select, source, and store your authentic bottle. 

Visit the Vinovest website now to know more.