Rioja remains the top Spanish wine, but other Tempranillo-based wines are helping to drive the category, according to buyers.

Rioja remains the top Spanish wine, but other Tempranillo-based wines are helping to drive the category, according to buyers.

Melissa Yorke from Morrisons said: “The value coming out of the country is great, and products from Rioja and the surrounding regions based on Tempranillo are driving the category.”

Laura Jewell MW from Tesco agreed. She said Rioja “look-alikes” were proving popular. She pointed to Valdepeñas for “great value for money”, adding: “It is amazing what a gold net on a classy bottle can do.”

Oddbins’ Emma Nichols said: “We have tried to diversify the range, but we have to acknowledge that Rioja is still massive as far as consumers are concerned.”

But Moreno Wines’ business development manager Mike Ritchie MW warned that there is more to Spain than just Rioja and other familiar wines like Cava and sherry.

He said: “There is still a perception among UK consumers that starts and finishes with Rioja. But where there is a broader Spanish wine offer, consumers love what they taste.”

He pointed to Navarra reds and whites, and also an “increased interest and listings for Galician whites”.

Spain has continued to grow market share in Britain, up 9.3% in value and 25.2% in volume over the 12 months to May 2012, according to the OEMV.

Rioja accounts for more than 40% of the value of Spanish wines sold in the UK and enjoys the highest UK consumer recognition among any wine region in the world.

Read more about the market in the Harpers Spain supplement out today