The road to El Dorado

Whether or not you agree with all of Robert Parker's predictions from last week, there is one that is hard to argue with: Spain is emerging as a leader in quality and creativity, combining tradition with progressive winemaking. After years of cooperatives that valued quantity over quality, Parker sees unlimited potential in Spain's old-vine vineyards. And unlike their French counterparts, Spanish wineries are not trapped and frustrated by history and tradition.

The chance to see how the American wine guru's words translate into practice came at the annual press tasting organised by Wines of Spain. This showed bottles from UK retailers, from supermarkets to merchants such as Adnams, Corney & Barrow and Lay & Wheeler, plus online and mail-order companies including Laithwaites, virginwines.com and Decanter Wines. Only Oddbins and Marks & Spencer were notable by their absence.

Picking one's way through the duff bottles (still too many for comfort - some from the Co-op, Morrisons, Somerfield, Unwins and Tesco were among the least impressive), there was a good range, from affordable gluggers to exceptional wines of international class, to give credence to Parker's vision of Spain.

White wines are not generally regarded as Spain's strong suit but they have improved. At the affordable level, the 2003 Poema Sauvignon Blanc (£4.99, Morrisons) is grassy and juicy, while the 2003 Picapoll, Pla de Bages, Abadal (£7.25, Lay & Wheeler, 0845 330 1855) is a refreshing, peppery-seafood dry white. In similar vein, the 2003 Pazo de Seoane, Albariño (£7.99, Waitrose) offers tangy, spritz-fresh fruitiness. Ditto another intensely fruity dry white, the 2003 Can Feixes Blanc Selecció (£7.75, John Armit Wines, 020-7908 0620). More complex still, the 2002 Veigadares Albarino, Adegas Galegas (£12.63 Corney & Barrow, 020-7265 2441) brings a rich, peachy fruit to Spanish whites.

Spain's heart is still undeniably red. In the affordable camp, three stood out. The first to hit the spot was Vineyard X Garnacha from Campo de Borja (£2.99, Thresher) with its vivid Rhône-like fruit. The 2003 Viña Fuerte Garnacha, Calatayud (£3.99, Waitrose) is a peppery plum-pudding of a red, confirming the potential value to be found beyond the borders of the classic regions. The same goes for the juicy, blackcurranty Jumilla red, 2002 Viña Alta Mar, Monastrell Cabernet Sauvignon (£4.99, Majestic), with its quaint woodcut label.

Catalonia came up trumps with the 2000 MM Reserva Privada, a cabernet-tempranillo blend, which, at £6.99 (from Unwins), offers fleshy, claret-like class with a whiff of cedary oak framing the cassis fruitiness. From Ribera, the 2000 Condado de Haza (£7.60, John Armit Wines) is surely one of the best-value reds from the region, rich in intense berry fruitiness without the oak overload of other Pesquera stable reds. From Castilla, the 2000 Romero de Condes Private Bin tempranillo (£9.99, virginwines.com), with its touch of cabernet, offers similar polish in a modern rioja-like style.

Goodies from the fine-wine end: Telmo Rodriguez 1999 Pegaso, Barrancos de Pizara, £14.99, Adnams (01502 727222) is an intense, sweet, black-cherryish red with spicy richness and concentration of old-vine garnacha. Best wine of the day: the 1998 Hacienda Monasterio Peter Sisseck, Ribera del Duero (£19.15, Corney & Barrow), a wonderfully complex, elegant, berryish blend of tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon with the silkiest of tannins. No Rioja? Not today, but I'll keep you posted.