Spanish wine sales are up, we are told, thanks to Spain’s new flamboyant image. Marks & Spencer recently reported a 200% increase on last year and Spanish sales at Waitrose are 40% up. Various reasons have been suggested, from sangria nostalgia to the heroics of Rafa and the brilliance of Spain’s peerless world cup squad. What better example of Spanish excellence is there after all? Well, Cruz, Bardem and Almodovar apart, food and wine of course. El Bulli’s Ferran Adrià and the UK’s tapas bar and sherry revolution have done much to shine a new light on the huge strides made in Vino Español.

Last week the spotlight was on Spain’s lesser-known red wine producing regions, so this week it’s the turn of Spain’s whites for a place in the sun. Before the sun, the rain, which does not in fact fall mainly in the plain. No, it falls mainly in Galicia on the Atlantic Coast, which happens to be home to an impressive number of mouthwateringly crisp dry whites. As if Spain’s misty Atlantic coast demanded an accompaniment to its rich seam of delicious shellfish, the Rias Baixas region obliges with a cornucopia of vivid, zesty fresh whites made from the albariño grape.

The 2010 Fillaboa Albariño, from Bodegas Fillaboa, Rías Baixas, £15.99, Amps Fine Wine (01832273502), is a good example, spritz-fresh with juicy apple and peach ripeness and the tangiest of dry aftertastes. If that has your mouth watering, the 2010 Pazo Señorans Albariño, £17.99, buy 2 = £13.99, Majestic, has the most intensely peachy fruit supported by the most refreshingly mineral streak of acidity. Both are pure albariño, but move inland a little and you’ll find the region of Ribeiro, and appetising floral whites made from Treixadura and Torrontes such as the fresh and spicy, stonefruit-laden 2010 Viña do Campo, Bodegas Docampo, £10.95, or £9.95 case / bottle, Lea & Sandeman shops (02072440522).

Neighbouring Ribeira Sacra returns you to albariño again where it blends with the godello grape to create the powerfully full-flavoured and zesty 2010 Albariño Abadía da Cova, Adegas Moure, £15.60, Taste Of Galicia. Godello is another white variety making waves, and you can see why when you taste the impressively opulent and intensely peachy 2009 Godelia Godello y Doña Blanca, around £12.99, Moreno Wines (0208 960 7161), Bowland Forest Vintners (01200448222), a dry white blended with the obscure Doña Blanca grape. Head to the Basque coast and you’ll find the most lipsmacking dry white of all, as thirstquenching and tongue-tingling as it’s tongue-twisting, the 2010 Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli, around £14.99, The Sampler (02072255091, Haslemere Cellar (01428645081).

The plateau of Rueda in the supposedly rain-drenched Spanish plain yields delightfully fragrant , shellfish-friendly dry whites such as the 2010 El Quintanal Blanco, Cillar de Silos, £9.95, Berry Bros & Rudd ((08002802440), and the superfresh, floral, grapefuit zesty 2010 K-Naia, Bodegas Naia, £8.99, Worth Brothers (01543262051), WoodWinters (01786834894), and its superripe richly flavoured big brother, the concentrated yet zesty 2008 Naides, Bodegas Naia , around £19.99, Handford (02075896113), Noel Young Wines (01223844744).

No mention of new wave Spanish whites would be complete without a Catalonian context, notably the 2010 La Báscula Catalan Eagle from Agrícola Fuster in Terra Alta., around £11.99, Noel Young, Moreno Wines. No shame is attached to the fact that its refreshingly juicy fruit blends the local garnacha blanca with France’s viognier and roussanne in the most harmonious Franco-Spanish accord since Anelka and Torres.

Something for the Weekend

Something for the Weekend 1 October 2011

Under £6

2010 Tesco Finest Touriga Nacional

Deep-coloured and aromatic, this youthfully vigorous Portuguese tinto made from the number one Port grape displays a juicy fresh dark cherry and damsony fruit quality, a marked improvement on previous efforts. £5.79, down from £7.79, until Tuesday, Tesco.

Under a Tenner

2010 Filosur Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina

From Andeluna Cellars, based in Mendoza’s high altitude Uco Valley, this is a vivid, pure cabernet whose cassis and cherry fruit succulence is supported by powerful shoulders and an appetizingly savoury freshness. £9.99, buy 2 = £7.49, Majestic Wine.

Splash Out

2009 Langhe Nebbiolo

While you wait for the barolo, the minimal oak and zingy fresh fruit in Andrea and Fabio Oberto’s more affordable dark cherry and spice-laden nebbiolo (same grape) make this Piedmontese rosso a joy. £14.95, £13.95 bottle / case, Lea & Sandeman (02072440522).

Ends