In recent weeks, various US dailies have been proclaiming the virtues of drinking Spanish wines as a means of combating summer’s rising temperatures. This is the case of one of the most important newspapers in the State of Missouri, the ‘St. Louis Post-Dispatch’, which devoted a whole column to describing the quality of white wines from various appellations.

Under the heading “As temperatures rise, so does demand for Spain’s crisp white wines”, Gail Appleson, in the wine and spirits section, recommends Spanish white wines, explaining that the recent rising demand for these wines is down to a combination of factors such as vastly improved production methods, positive reviews from various wine critics, and the consumer’s quest for something new, as well as their excellent value for money.

Appleson goes on to name her list of favourites. “One of the brightest stars in the galaxy of Spanish whites is the Albariño grape, which is grown in Rías Baixas…Retailers say that people fall in love with this grape, and it's true. My first taste of an Albariño made me think of the ocean because the wine's refreshing acidity was as tingly as a sea breeze”, she explains. She also states that the selection of Albariños available in the US practically doubled between 2004 and 2006. From among this ample choice, she highlights those made by Bodegas Martín Códax and cites ‘Martín Códax 2007’ which she describes as “tropical, tasting of fresh pineapple and melon, and would please a range of palates. It is popular in the United States”.

Another of the regions to have captivated Appleson’s palate is DO Rueda, whose white wines she describes as fresh and lively. “For many years Palomino…was the main grape here. But in the early 1970s, a well-known Rioja-based winery, Marqués de Riscal, researched the region and began producing refreshing whites in Rueda made from the native grape Verdejo. Viura is another important grape grown in Rueda”, the wine critic stated, adding that there has been an significant increase in exports of wines made from a blend of both grapes.

And lastly, Appleson also mentions that there are two regions, already recognised for their red wines, which also make some spectacular white wines: QDO Rioja and DO Ribera del Duero.