Question: What does 'denominacion de origen' mean when talking about Spanish wine?
Spanish wines usually have 'denominacion de origen' written on the label - but what does it mean?
This page is a part of the Spanish Wine FAQ.
Answer: 'Denominación de origen' is Spanish for 'designation of origin', the Spanish version of the European Union initiative designed to protect regional foods (though the Spanish version predates the European Union itself). It is because of this system that champagne can only be named as such if it comes from that specific region in France and why cheeses have to be made in a certain area to receive a certain name.
There are strict procedures required of wines (and indeed all foodstuffs that belong to such a designation) before they can be labeled with a denominación de origen. Primarily, it applies to where the wine is made, but it also affects such things as the types of grapes that can be used as well as the manufacturing process.
In recent times, some wine producers have become dissatisfied with the denominacion de origen system, believing that such a strict system is not necessary for a wine to be of good quality - instead they make wine known as vino de la tierra.
Thanks to Mary O´Connor of Planeta Vino Wine Tasting School, Madrid for her help with this page.
