Question: What does Crianza, Reserva & Gran Reserva mean when talking about Spanish wine?
Spanish wine, especially the more expensive types, often say 'crianza', 'reserva' or 'gran reserva' on the front of the bottle. Most people assume that this has something to do with the wine's quality, but what exactly do the expressions mean?
See also: Spanish Wine FAQ
Answer: The terms 'crianza', 'reserva' and 'gran reserva', when talking about Spanish wines, refer to the length of time the wine has been aged, specifically the amount of time the wine has been aged in oak barrels. You can try these different types of Spanish wine on one of these Spain Wine Tours.
Buy Spanish Crianza
Below is the exact definition of crianza, reserva and gran reserva.
Crianza
A wine labeled 'crianza' has spent one year in oak barrels.Buy Spanish Crianza
Reserva
A wine which says 'reserva' on the bottle has been aged for two years; one of these years has to have been spent in oak.Gran Reserva
These wines are aged for two years in oak and three years in the bottle.See also: Spanish Wine FAQ
Thanks to Mary O´Connor of Planeta Vino Wine Tasting School, Madrid for her help with this page.
