The
cultivation of vineyards in Spain dates to 4000 BC. Today Spain ranks
3rd in total wine production following Italy and France but remains the
world leader in vineyard plantings with nearly 1.2 million hectares.
This is due to very low yields and wide spacing of old vines planted in
the dry, infertile soils found in many Spanish regions. Spanish wine law
is regulated by the D.O. system that was revised in 1970 and has
similarities with the French and Italian systems. In 2007 there were 67
D.O. in Spain. Among them are Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Penedes,
Priorat, Toro, Alicante, Rueda, Yecla and Montsant.
