The grades of Spanish wines are determined by the National Regional Management Agency (INDO), and then managed by the local management committee (Consejo Regulador) in each region. * * * There are five levels, and the following is the introduction from the lowest level.
General grade
(VDM): The lowest grade. No matter which producing area the wine is mixed with, as long as its quality does not meet other higher quality regulations, it can be marked with this grade. As far as China people are concerned, as long as it is 100% wine, it can be called this level.
(VC): This level is slightly higher. The origin of grapes should be marked, but there is no production regulation.
(VDLT): It is equivalent to the regional table wine in France. The range of origin is larger than the DO level below, which is general, with few and simple regulations.
Premium wine grade
(DO): wine of legal producing area grade. Known as the (DO) producing area, it is necessary to establish a strict control system, and at the same time, the wine produced must conform to the tradition and have considerable popularity. At present, half of the wine producing areas in Spain are rated as (DO).
(DOC): higher than DO, established in 199 1, with strict requirements in all aspects. At present, only a few areas meet this requirement.
Pit level
Spain attaches great importance to oak barrel storage and bottled aging. The former is put into a barrel (after fermentation), and the latter is put into an oak barrel for a period of time and then put into a bottle to make the wine more mellow and stable. Spain's "Wine Law" has clear regulations on the cellar storage time of various grades of wine. As long as you look at the wine label, you will know that the longer the wine is stored, the better the quality of the wine and the more expensive it will be.
Crianza, general cellar grade, wine is aged after a certain period of time; Minimum requirements: two years in (1 year bottle) and (1 year small oak barrel).
Reservation, collection level, red wine included in the collection must be aged for at least 36 months, of which 12 months is in the barrel; White wine and rose wine must be aged for at least 24 months, and the time in the barrel is 6 months.
Gran reservation is a special collection level, which needs to be stored in wooden barrels for at least 24 months and aged for 36 months. White wine and rose wine take 48 months, of which 6 months are in barrels. If the wine label has the above words, it means that the wine has not been cellared or has not been hidden for a long time. It's called (young wine).