Spanish Wine Experience

SWE Ep. 191 - Liébana

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We are back! Sorry for the gaps. Our new shop makes us very busy these days! But we have something rare and special. A wine from the Picos de Europa m...

SWE Ep. 190 - Redefining Rioja

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's almost Christmas! So to end off the year prior to this festive we are heading back to the big boy himself: La Rioja. Things have been changing in...

SWE Ep. 189 - Cabernet Franc

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A slightly differente episode today. We decide to celebrate International Cab Franc Day by diving into the life and history of this French grape. Or.....

SWE Ep. 188 - Almeria

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yee haw and giddy up! This week Roque and Luke head down to the depths of Almeria, towards the long coast of southeast Spain to a winery making a deli...

SWE Ep. 187 - Sweet Canary Wine!

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today Roque and Luke talk vertical tastings, wine events, and enjoy a very rare bottle of one of the finest sweet wines they've ever tried. Dulce Salm...

SWE Ep. 186 - Spain's Newest DO! Campo de Calatrava

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

That's right, Spain has recently welcomed into the Denominación de Origen family another new regulated wine region. Eagle-eyed listeners might recogn...

SWE Ep. 185 - Zalema/Listan: Two Grapes from Huelva

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Time for a weird grape double edition. Huelva, an episode we have been to before years ago, known for its sherry-esque wines and sweet vinos. We have ...

SWE Ep. 184 - Details Matter...

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Regions, grapes, statistics, numbers, facts and figures; over the last few years we've covered a lot. So, over a bottle of very alcoholic red wine (Lo...

SWE Ep. 183 - Basque Bubbles!

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Roque loves sparkling wines. Luke loves the Basque Country. If only there was a way to bring these two things together. Well there is! The Pais Vasco ...

SWE Ep. 182 - Weird Grapes: Forastera

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Time for another episode of 'what the hell grape is that?!' Roque spent New Year in the Canary Islands, lucky bugger, but he still did his job and bro...

SWE Ep. 181 - WE'RE BACK! Feat. Underwater Wine

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We. Are. Back. We have been away since March 2023! Why? Where were we? What have we been up to? All will be explained. Also, we enjoy an amazing gift ...

SWE Ep. 180 - Malaga

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A SHOCKING DISCOVERY! We never got round to recording a podcast about Malaga and its delicous sweet, fortified, aged, oxidised wines. We did Sierras d...

SWE Ep. 179 - All About Garnacha!

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a new version of an old podcast that was lost. Sounds kind of mysterious right? Years ago Roque and Luke did a podcast all about the grape ...

SWE Ep. 178 - Vermut, again....

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're back on the vermouth again! Not since back in 2018 have we focused on this amazing Spanish delicacy. And back then, prior to our shop, we didn't...

SWE Ep. 177 - Spanish Alternatives

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So, you're visiting Spain, or perhaps you just fancy something español for dinner to mix it up a bit, but don't know what to choose. You like Cab Sav...

SWE Ep. 176 - Tostado do Ribeiro

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

FINALLY! After years of trying to locate this wine, painstaking effort of behalf of us pestering distributors, we managed to get one: a bottle of Tost...

SWE Ep. 175 - Christmas-NY Round Up 2022

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another year in the shop, another year in wine, and other year in the world of wine. What's changed? What have we enjoyed drinking and what have been ...

SWE Ep. 174 - Sierra Sur de Jaen

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A wonderfully niche Vino de la Tierra this week. About as niche as you can get. Vino de la Tierra Sierra Sur de Jaen. Quite the mouthful! Deep down in...

SWE Ep. 173 - Valles de Benavente

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Roque and Luke managed to find another of the rare Vino de Calidad regional wines. On a recent trip to the Leon area in the northwest, Luke picked up ...

SWE Ep. 172 - Pago de Tharsys

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another Vino de Pago here; one we've been enjoying for quite some time now as they do things a little different in this winery. Tucked away in DO Utie...

SWE Ep. 171 - Very Old Wines

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How old can wine be? Should we be buying wine and waiting? What makes a wine worthy of ageing? All these burning questions will be answered as Roque a...

SWE Ep. 170 - Weird Grapes: Cayetana

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke try perhaps the most influential grape no-one's ever heard of and that you'll rarely find: Cayetana. Though, as you'll find o...

SWE Ep. 169 - Terroir

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ah yes, terroir, that most mysterious of words. So vague, so pretentious, so winey, so French. But, credit where credit is due, it is a great concept,...

SWE Ep. 168 - Fiestas de la Vendimia!

03 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's party time in many parts of Spain! And why? Well, it's the vendimia, the grape harvest. And Roque is about to head down to one; we all hope he ma...

SWE Ep. 167 - Summer Special!

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Summer everybody!! Lordy lordy it has been hot here in Spain the last few weeks, and we are still way off the cool days. Roque and Luke are on t...

SWE Ep. 166 - Beyond Cava

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week bubbles! So you know Roque is happy. And not just any bubbles. It's not Cava, it's not CORPINNAT, it's not even from the peninsula! A sparkl...

SWE Ep. 165 - VT Betanzos

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Betanzos? What's a Betanzos when it's at home? Well, it's a small town in the far north of Galicia near the crashing Atlantic coast, and not an area u...

SWE Ep. 164 - Back to Priorat

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As with many Spanish regions, back in 2019, just before the pandemic, Priorat underwent some big classification and structural changes. So we thought,...

SWE Ep. 163 - All about Albariño

04 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for another grape-centric podcast. We have alreasdy covered Garnacha and Tempranillo and now it's time for the King of the white grapes Alba...

SWE Ep. 162 - VC Cebreros

28 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

VC Cebreros - how did this region escape us for so long?! Just out west, over the Madrid border, is a high altitude mountainous Vino de Calidad wine r...

SWE Ep. 161 - Weird Grapes: Maturana Blanca

07 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maturana what now? Yes, that's right; we're back with another weird grape. This week it's a vitually non-planted and unknown white variety from Rioja....

SWE Ep. 160 - Non-fortified sherry?

23 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sherry. That famously misunderstood wine; sometimes sweet, sometimes drier than bone dry. Always fortified. But what if a sherry winemaker decided to ...

SWE Ep. 159 - Back to Bierzo

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke head back to Bierzo; one of their favourite DOs. Why? Well, since 2019 a lot of Spanish wine regions have been undergoing maj...

SWE Ep. 158 - The final blend

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What goes into a wine? Grapes? Sure. Fermented ones? That's right. And sometimes more than one type. The idea of a blended wine isn't new, but it's no...

SWE Ep. 157 - Ageing rosado?

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We have had only a few rose wines - or rosados - on the podcast over the few years. But something we've never really touched on is the idea of ageing ...

SWE Ep. 156 - Weird Grapes: Canary Island Special

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We love the weird grapes episodes. It's always fun for us to take you a world of wine that is marvellously off the beaten track in the hope we fuel yo...

SWE Ep. 155 - Supermarket Wines!

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, you read that correctly! Over the many years of giving winetastings we have been asked countless times 'Is supermarket wine any good?' or 'how do...

SWE Ep. 154 - All About Tempranillo

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard of Tempranillo? Of course you have. But do you really know about it? It is Spain's premier red grape of course, but most people only kn...

SWE Ep. 153 - Weird Grapes: Juan Ibañez

23 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, you read that correctly, Juan Ibañez. Could be the name of a Spanish bloke; but no, it's a grape! Actually it goes by many weird names and hails...

SWE Ep. 152 - Vino a granel (Bulk wine)

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week something a little different. Four different wines! Four?? That's right. But not the usual glass-bottled, labelled, from the wine-shop varie...

SWE Ep. 151 - Menorca

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Well aren't we all lucky that Roque had a little alcohlic jaunt with his family to the paradise island of Menorca recently. Fortunately, being always ...

SWE Ep. 150 - Pago Florentino

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

¿Qué deberías hacer si eres una famosa bodega de culto de la Ribera del Duero? Dirigirse al sur de La Mancha y empezar a hacer un vino de Pago... o...

SWE Ep. 149 - New Year 2022 and 2021 Round up!

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Following a few weeks off - due to Christmas, New Year, Three Kings and a lot of craziness in the shop, Roque and Luke are back to to...

SWE Ep. 149 - New Year 2022 and 2021 Round up!

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Following a few weeks off - due to Christmas, New Year, Three Kings and a lot of craziness in the shop, Roque and Luke are back to to...

SWE Ep. 149 - New Year 2022 and 2021 Round up!

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Following a few weeks off - due to Christmas, New Year, Three Kings and a lot of craziness in the shop, Roque and Luke are back to to...

SWE Ep. 148 - Pago Guijoso

13 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Another week and yes, another Vino de Pago! They've been popping up on our radar and we've been snagging them when we are able. This week we take a tr...

SWE Ep. 147 - Sierra Almagrera

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke are bringing you a wine that is the niche'st of the niche. You may have not heard of the region Almeria; it's a small provinc...

SWE Ep. 146 - Weird Grapes: Forcallat

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What's that? Two weird grapes in a row? Well yes! There are so many in this wonderful country and we just got one in the shop that we just had to try ...

SWE Ep. 145 - Weird Grapes: Mantonegro

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We are back again at this Halloween time of the year with another weird grape; an island grape at that. Mallorca has a few local varieties that nobody...

SWE Ep. 144 - Pago Vallegarcia

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Another week, another yummy wine, and another return to the wonderful world of the Vinos de Pago. This week Roque and Luke have a bottle of Petit Hipp...

SWE Ep. 143 - Animals of the Vineyard

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke talk animals, specifically those of the vineyards. From the bugs and bichos to birds, bats and beasts of burden, there is a l...

SWE Ep. 142 - Wine Qualifications

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke dive into the geeky world of wine qualifications as both of them are embarking on their SWS course. But of course there's a v...

SWE Ep. 141 - Vino de Pitarra

11 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever heard of pitarra wine? No? Well we hadn't either until quite recently. Vino de pitarra is a type of very localised wine from Extremadura...

SWE Ep. 140 - VT Murcia

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a new one for you. Vino de la Tierra de Murcia. Things are changing down south, and also changing for our old friends at Bodega Casa Rojo. They...

SWE Ep. 139 - Perfect Spanish Wine Cellar: 500€

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We are back again, so soon, we know, with another one of our Perfect Spanish Wine Cellar pods. This time we have upped the price to 500€ so be prepa...

SWE Ep. 138 - 3 Riberas

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Well look at that, we found another wine region for you guys! This one we have already tried and loved and have been selling in our shop. We just forg...

SWE Ep. 137 - Perfect Spanish Wine Cellar: 100€

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a new series on our podcast. As well as the usual wine region, weird grape and informative episodes, we are launching a new genre that is f...

SWE Ep. 136 - Ribera del Jiloca

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sorry for the delay! It's been a few weeks! Luke had horrendous allergies for over a week followed by some biblical food poisoning. But now the boys a...

SWE Ep. 135 - Orange Wine

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

And now for something completely different... Orange Wine is very much in fashion these days in the wine world. But most people would never think of S...

SWE Ep. 134 - Dehesa del Carrizal

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We have to hand it to Roque and Luke; their sleuthing abilities are second to none. They've managed to locate another Vino de Pago - Dehesa del Carriz...

SWE Ep. 133 - Weird Grapes: Graciano

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Another week, another pod, another weird grape. Weird by certain standard anyway. There is a grape in La Rioja that 'some' people know, but maybe don'...

SWE Ep. 132 - Maridaje (food and wine pairing)

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Time for something completely different. This week Roque and Luke want to focus less on a particular region and/or grape and instead talk both general...

SWE Ep. 131 - Barbanza e Iria

27 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Another week and another exciting discovery. This time Roque and Luke enjoy a bottle of barrel-fermented Albariño, but not from the usual area. It's ...

SWE Ep. 130 - Pago de los Balagueses

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Well, well, well, what's all this then? That's right, Roque and Luke discovered another one of Spain's 'top of the pyramid' hard-to-find Vino de Pago ...

SWE Ep. 129 - The Vine

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke take a light-hearted deep dive into the life of a vine. It's very common now to find wines with expressions like 'Old Vine' a...

SWE Ep. 128 - The Monovarietal and the Blend

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week the chaps want to step away from focussing on one particular grape or DO wine region for a moment and instead hone in on a theme that has be...

SWE Ep. 127 - Atlantic Reds

07 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke want to focus on the concept of the Atlantic Red, a style of wine that is becoming really popular in Spain. What is an Atlant...

SWE Ep. 126 - Fondillón

23 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

HAPPY NEW YEAR! And to celebrate? How about the fanciest wine yet tried on the podcast? Fondillón, a mythical and historically legendary, but sadly f...

SWE Ep. 125 - 2020 Special

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

So we come to the end of this most terrible year. 2020 has been a truly rubbish one. With a bottle of Avelino Vargas Aureo in their hands Luke and Roq...

SWE Ep. 124 - Vendimia Tardia (late harvest wines)

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's nearing the end of the year so before Christmas arrives, Roque and Luke decided they fancied something sweet to get in the mood! The world of swe...

SWE Ep. 123 - Pago Aylés

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Another week another region; well, sort of. With every passing week it is getting more difficult for Roque and Luke to find 'new' regions in the count...

SWE Ep. 122 - Vins de Primeur (feat. carbonic maceration)

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's that time of the year again. November arrives and the youngest wines in the wine world flood the market. Vins de primeur, nouveau wines, vinos jó...

SWE Ep. 121 - Weird Grapes: Verdil

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Another week, another wine, another weird grape. This week Roque and Luke have a look at Verdil; an almost-extinct varietal and very hard to find, fro...

SWE Ep. 120 - Non Vintage Wines

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Now when thoughts turn to the idea of non-vintage wines - if they do indeed turn at all - the most 'common' wine that presents itself is Champagne. Th...

SWE Ep. 119 - Sherry Blind Tasting

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week was SHERRY WEEK all across the world so in order to look more deeply into this most delicious and Spanish of wines - and also Luke's favouri...

SWE Ep 118 - Weird Grapes: Castellana Negra

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke are starting a new sub-series to the podcast. In Spain there are hundreds of grapes, and many of them are completely unknown ...

SWE Ep. 117 - Women in Wine

16 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The wine world - like many - is a traditionally a very male-dominated industry; and perhaps even more so in Old World Spain. This week, the day after ...

SWE Ep. 116 - Organic, Biodynamic, Natural: what does it all mean?

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke dive deep into a topic they've touched on on many wines over the years. The hot topic in winemaking and wine-selling: is the ...

SWE Ep. 115 - Table Wine

04 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, you read that title right. Vino de Mesa...table wine. Surely Roque and Luke aren't planning to drink 'bad' wine for the next 40 minutes? Well, no...

SWE Ep. 114 - White Wine in Toro?

25 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke want to head into a fairly unknown world. The world of white wine from a region almost exclusively known for big and heavy re...

SWE Ep. 113 - Marvellous Moscatel

19 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke decide once again to focus on one grape in particular. And that particular grape happens to be particularly tasty and one of ...

SWE Ep. 112 - Formentera

11 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Another LOST episode this week. And Roque and Luke are very happy they found it; as it was the first one they recorded on opening the Madrid & Darraco...

SWE Ep. 111 - Other Cavas

04 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all - well, almost all - know about Cava. That charming and affable sparkling wine from near Barcelona in Catalonia right? Well...to an extent yes....

SWE Ep. 110 - Clarete

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You have definitely heard of rosé wine - or rosado in Spain. But have you ever heard about the other, lesser known, Spanish pink called Clarete? Prob...

SWE Ep. 109 - CORPINNAT (LOST EP)

14 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recently Roque and I discovered a batch of podcast that we thought we had lost through the simple act of getting a new phone. But they had been saved!...

SWE Ep. 108 - Picos de Europa

07 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Roque and Luke have a fascinating wine to try this week. A bunch of friends who some years ago decided to try their hand at making wine...in the Picos...

SWE Ep. 107 - The Whites of Ribera del Duero

01 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

BIG NEWS: Something massive has happened in the world of Spanish wine. The mythical DO Ribera del Duero - home almost exclusively to be sexy Tempranil...

SWE Ep. 106 - Dorado Wines

24 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke return to the legendary region of DO Rueda to try an historic, mythical and almost completely unknown style of fortified wine...

SWE Ep. 105 - Sierra Norte de Sevilla

21 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week try a super yummy wine from a super small region tucked in the low hills north of Seville. The VT Sierra Norte de Sevilla with its handful o...

SWE Ep. 104 - Vinos de Pago

10 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Vinos de Pago. Roque and Luke have had a couple of them over the years; but they thought they'd take the opportunity to cover them in a bit more depth...

SWE Ep. 103 - All About Rosado

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's hot in Madrid. Summer has arrived. This week Roque and Luke turn their focus to the wonderful world of Spanish rosé. People usually think either...

SWE Ep. 102 - Revisiting Madrid

27 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There's things happening in the local wine region around here. DO Vinos de Madrid has undergone some changes in the last year, so Roque and Luke thoug...

SWE Ep. 101 - Vinos de Parcela

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke take a look at a concept of wine, and perhaps wine marketing, called Vino de Parcela. Or, in English, single plot or block wi...

SWE Ep. 100 - Mediterranean Wines

10 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On their 100th official episode Roque and Luke decide to indulge in a broader topic. Roque hails from the southeast of the country, so they thought th...

SWE Ep. 99 - All about Garnacha

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke are trying something different. Instead of focussing fully on just a region, they want to spend more time focussing on the gr...

SWE Ep. 98 - Sierra de la Culebra

12 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ahoy there! This week Roque and Luke are sampling a tiny production wine from a tiny and remote area in the northwest of Spain. The Sierra de la Culeb...

SWE Ep. 97 - Ageing Wines

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke turn their attention to the geekier side of the wine world. We all know about oak barrels and ageing wines in them. But is th...

SWE Ep. 96 - WINE EVENT Ribera de Guadiana

27 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Something a little this week. The season for regional wine events has started all over the country and Madrid is no different. An interesting one popp...

SWE Ep. 95 - Bajo Aragón

21 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke head back to one of the their favourite parts of Spain for red wines - Aragón. In this giant region of Spain there are 4 DOs...

SWE Ep. 94 - Revisiting Rioja

13 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week Roque and Luke return to where it all started. Episode 1 was all about Rioja. They sampled a classic red from the region but this time they ...