Spain boasts the largest planted vineyard area of any country in the world. However much of this area on the arid Meseta plateau where un-irrigated bush vines can only squeeze out very low yields. It is also the largest exporter of wine but only receives the lowest average price for it.

The Meseta dominates the country, a large raised plateau from 600 to 1000m in altitude, framed by several mountain ranges. The Duero, Guadiana, Tajo and Guadalquivir rivers have carved large valleys through the plateau which drain westwards. The River Ebro flows east along the North-Eastern boundary of the Meseta, through Rioja and down past Priorat, to the Med.

Spain is a large country with a wide range of climatic and growing conditions, however they broadly split into three zones: The Atlantic coast where Moderate Maritime conditions prevail, the Meseta plateau which is Warm Continental and arid and the western and southern Mediterranean coastal strip where is Warm and Mediterranean. This neat summary is slightly undermined by the fact that there are several sub-regions on the slopes of the mountains, that rise up from the coastal strip to the central plateau, that become less Mediterranean and more Continental.  However I found the generalisation a helpful way to categorise and remember the wine regions of Spain. 

I have condensed the WSET Diploma D3 material on Spain into these three broad zones. The Maritime zone along with an overall summary is posted here. The Meseta (with major continental inland regions) and the regions along the Mediterranean coastal strip, will be posted separately.  Again the notes are organised into the key subject areas of: climate, topography, growing hazards, wine law, grape varieties, wine growing and wine making practices.

To date (Oct 25) wines from Spain have come up fairly regularly in the country, region and mixed bag questions. For instance in both 2025 exams wines came up in the mixed bag; a Campo Viejo Reserva Rioja and a Verdejo from Rueda. Prior to that in October 2023 it was the Q2 country with an Albarino, a Rioja and a Priorat. In 2022 Rioja was the region with a Joven, Reserva and Gan Reserva and it has been in the Q4 mixed bag on 3 other occasions in the last 10 years. 

A Mencia from Bierzo, Godello from Valdeorras or even one of the modern perfumed Garnachas coming out of high altitude Calatayud (as part of a Q1 Grenache trio?) are yet to come up……

In the theory paper, a question on the white wines of Rias Biaxas, Rueda and Rioja just come up in October 2025 and before that one on Rias Biaxas and Priorat in October 2023.

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World.

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