In compliance with European Commission Regulation (CE) 753/2002, Spanish wines are classified into two categories, which in turn are further classified into sub-categories depending on the strictness of the criteria applied in producing the type of wine in question:[1]
- Quality Wines Produced in a Specified Region (QWPSR)
- (Vino de Calidad Producido en Región Determinada (VCPRD) in Spanish)
- Denominación de Origen de Pago (DO de Pago): these wine regions aspire to the very highest standards with extremely strict geographical criteria, centering on individual single-estates with an international reputation. There are currently only 10 estates with this status: 7 in Castile-La Mancha and 3 in Navarre.
- Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) (Denominació d'Origen Qualificada (DOQ) in Catalan): regions with a proven track record of consistent quality. There are only 2 wine regions with this status: Rioja and Priorat.
- Denominación de Origen (DO) (Denominació d'Origen in Catalan, Denominación de Orixe in Galician and Jatorrizko Deitura in Basque): mainstream quality-wine regions. There are 66 wine regions with this status.
- Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica. A 'starter home' for wine regions climbing the quality ladder. There are 2 wine regions with this status.
- Table Wine (Vino de Mesa in Spanish)
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- Vino de la Tierra (VdlT) "Country wines" which do not have EU QWPSR status but which may use a regional name. There are currently 46 Vino de la Tierra regions in Spain.
- Vino de Mesa (Table Wine) is bulk-grown, usually drawn from a wide variety of regions and hence has no vintage or area designation on the label, apart from "Produce of Spain". Production of this low grade of Spanish wine is falling year on year.
