El concurso de vinos que organiza la Federación Española de Enología: VinEspaña 2022

VinEspaña once again brings together wineries and winemakers from all over the country in one of the most influential national competitions on the wine calendar. It is an event that goes beyond handing out medals: it takes the pulse of a sector that keeps reinventing itself.

What VinEspaña is and why it matters

Organised by the Spanish Federation of Oenology, VinEspaña is a competition that pits wines from dozens of designations of origin against one another, all assessed blind by professional tasters. It is not just another commercial showcase: the jury works with anonymous samples, scores according to international criteria and rewards genuine quality, not the label or the marketing budget.

For a small or medium-sized winery, making it onto the winners' list means an independent endorsement that carries weight when opening up markets and winning over a distributor. That is why every edition stirs so much anticipation among producers.

Ourense as host: territory and symbol

Holding the competition in the province of Ourense is no accident. Galicia is enjoying a sweet moment with its whites and with reds such as mencía, and inland Galicia is staking its claim to a form of wine tourism that combines vineyards, thermal spas and landscape. Better transport links following the arrival of high-speed rail have brought the area closer and make it easier for professionals from all over Spain to attend without complications.

The choice of venue sends a message: the map of Spanish wine is far broader than the big-name designations we have always known.

A sector on the mend

The competition arrives in a context of recovery after several difficult years. The closure of bars and restaurants hit wineries that depended on the hospitality trade head-on, and many had to find an outlet in direct sales, e-commerce and winery visits. In that scenario, an event like this also works as a collective morale boost.

• Blind tasting: guarantees impartiality and credibility in the verdict.
• Diversity of origins: major D.O.s sit alongside emerging projects.
• Useful recognition: the distinctions help to sell and to export.

What it brings to wine tourism

The awards from a competition like this end up echoing in the tasting room of the winery itself. A visitor who tries an award-winning wine connects the experience with tangible recognition, and that reinforces the appeal of the visit. If you want to discover where to taste these wines first-hand, you can explore all the wineries open to the public.

Competitions like VinEspaña remind us that behind every award-winning bottle there is a vineyard, a team and a territory. And that the best way to understand it is still to go there, taste, and listen to the people who make it.