Spain's Most Expensive Wines

(Wine-Searcher) - You can pick up a decent glass of local wine for as little as one euro in Spain's bars, but the country is also home to a number of producers whose wines command some pretty hefty prices.

While Spain isn’t going to lose its "value for money" spot in Europe’s wine hierarchy any time soon, collectors and wine lovers are going nuts over top offerings from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat, and the relatively unknown Bierzo region.

Many of these wines have a couple of things in common: small production and high scores from Robert Parker. They're unlikely to challenge the prestige of France’s most sought-after regions, but the top Spaniards are finding a place in the cellars of younger, less conservative American collectors – particularly those of Spanish or Latin descent, or who have traveled in Spain.

Chuck Hayward of JJ Buckley Fine Wines believes that top Spanish wines, while relatively undiscovered, have an element of safety due to their European pedigree: “Showing off a wine that has something different to friends and wine enthusiasts is a popular pursuit, and the best Spanish wines allow for that, as well as a safer exploration in the world of wine.”