To the layperson, Spain lags behind its European neighbours in the fine wine stakes. Overshadowed by both France and Italy, the country has few producers of giants, so you could be forgiven that when it comes to investing in Spanish fine wine, you don’t get much bang for your buck.

However, massive investment from the Spanish government along with the change in consumer palette for lighter wines has brought Spain's cultural heritage back into fashion. At around the same time influential Robert Parker gave two wines from Spain very high scores, officially bringing the country’s wine industry back from the dead.

Thus ambitious investors began looking at Spanish wine with new eyes; they took an increased interest in the grape varieties (for both red and white wines), the different wine regions and the winemaking skills of the bodegas. They researched the altitude of the vineyards, realising the part that this plays in Spanish viticulture; the fact that most vineyards were planted at over 600 metres meant long days and cooler nights perfect for making wines with good levels of acidity and colour all around. With just those two scores, Parker had started the Spanish wine revolution.

While Spain’s wine industry is still emerging, we cannot really consider it a new world wine. Like the rest of Europe, it fell victim to the phylloxera bug that ravaged vines during the late 19th century. Followed by two world and one civil war, it is no wonder that the Spanish fine wine industry took a bit longer than its competitors to get its mojo back. Nevertheless, there are certain regions and producers that are now working so spectacularly, we can forgive them their chequered past.

One such region is Ribera del Duero, located in the north of the country. Found in Castilla y Leon, roughly two hours north of Madrid, the region is approximately 70 miles long and runs along the River Duero. It also has a surprisingly semi-arid terrain while the huge differences in elevation, soil, exposure and of course savoir faire make no two wines the same. It was also named Wine Enthusiast’s Region of the Year in 2012.

Take for example its two star players: Pingus is considered one of the most individual wines on the market. Its singularity is its strength, and would not have been possible in one of the other wine regions of Spain. The old-vine Tempranillo wines are big, bold and textured, and are treated with sensitivity and love by Pingus’ winemaker Peter Sisseck, who has shone a spotlight on the region. And yes, it’s a Pingus is one of the Parker perfect pointers.

The other superstar of the region is completely different, underlining the vast variety that Ribera del Duero is capable of. Vegas Sicilia’s Unico has kept the old-world traditionalism that has made it a world-player for over 150 years. Its epic proportions are limitless, offering unparalleled cellaring potential whether you are looking to drink or invest. Both wines are to be saved for a rainy day though - at around €800 a bottle for Pingus (Q3 2019, certain vintage like 2014 are much higher) and upwards of €400 for Unico, it appears that what Ribera del Duero lacks in fine wine quantity, it makes up for with quality.

Like many things that are small, Priorat is beautiful. And we don't just mean the terrain. Located a little south of Barcelona, if the question is big, bold, red wines then Priorat is the answer. Terrain is rugged and dry, climate is sunny, and wines are so unique that Parker has given his perfect 100 at least to wines from the region on at least three recent occasions.

Despite the region’s winemaking roots that stretch back to 1163, Priorat was sadly neglected throughout much of the 20th century, due both to the fascist regime of the time and the annihilation of vines by phylloxera in the 19th century. Priorat’s vineyards dwindled from 5,000 hectares (and remember, this is a small region of fewer than 20,000 hectares) to just 1,500 acres in 1989.

However, all that changed with the arrival of René Barbier, who introduced French techniques and grapes to the forgotten region. Together with his team of passionate winemakers, oenologists and advocates, they created the five “Clos”, i.e. walled vineyards such as in France. These original famous five labels, Clos Mogador, Clos Dofí (now Finca Dofí ), Clos de L’Obac, Clos Martinet, and Clos Erasmus all received intense attention both at home and abroad. Outstanding wines and high scores naturally followed. Priorat is now planted with over 1,900 hectares and has over 100 wineries (and nearly 600 growers). Bravo to Barbier, whose Lazurus effect changed the face of Spanish winemaking forever.