The Spanish Wine Industry

Abstract

The Spanish wine sector is characterized by its prominent position in the world. Spain has more than 130 quality geographic indications (PDO and/or PGI). Of these the PDO Rioja is the most notorious. The grapes are produced in small holdings, and many local and foreign grape varieties are being used, though mostly Airen, for white wines, and Tempranillo, for red ones. Data show a big disequilibrium between a growing supply—despite decreasing vine surface—and a decreasing domestic consumption, especially with younger generations. The consequence, together with legal changes eliminating subsidies to distillations, is that large amounts of Spanish wines are exported in bulk, which in turn places Spanish wines in a lower price segment in the international markets. However, large investments in reinforced distribution capacity and the expansion of the number of exporting firms, combined with a better knowledge of the international markets, could improve the value of Spanish wine exports in the near future.