New York Is Going Spanish: 7 Rioja Pours Every NY Wine List Needs in 2026

Chez Fifi just won Best Spanish Wine List in NYC — a room that pours Sierra de Gredos, Galicia, Catalonia and, of course, Rioja. Mercado Little Spain and Salinas both hold Certified Spanish Excellence and build their programs around Tempranillo. When two of the city's most talked-about wine lists lean this hard on Spain, it stops being a trend and starts being a signal: New York restaurants are betting on Spanish reds, and the guests are following.

That matters because New York is one of the most demanding wine markets in the country. It is a city where sommeliers curate rather than stock, where a by-the-glass pour has to earn its place, and where value-per-dollar decides whether a wine gets re-ordered. Spain — and Rioja in particular — hits all three notes: pedigree, food-friendliness, and a price ladder that runs from a $12 glass to a trophy Gran Reserva. Here is how to build a New York list around it, and the seven pairings we would pour tonight.

Key Takeaways

• Spanish wine is having a New York moment — award-winning lists (Chez Fifi, Mercado Little Spain, Salinas) are built on Rioja and Tempranillo.
• Tempranillo is the ultimate restaurant grape: savory, medium-bodied, and flattering to everything from jamón to a dry-aged ribeye.
• Rioja gives you a full price ladder — Crianza by the glass, Reserva by the bottle, Gran Reserva for the cellar — all under one grape guests already trust.
• Premium is where the growth is: even as U.S. volume softens, Americans keep trading up, and New York over-indexes on fine dining.
• Manzanos Gran Reserva 2015 earned 95 points and the Reserva 2018 earned 93 points from Wine Enthusiast — trophy pours at a working-list price.

Why New York is drinking Spanish right now

The backdrop is a U.S. wine market in transition. The category was valued at roughly $78.7 billion in 2025 and is still projected to grow at about a 4.6% CAGR through the next decade, even though total volume has softened — 2022 saw around 964 million gallons consumed, the lowest since 2015. The takeaway for operators is blunt: Americans are drinking a little less but spending more per bottle. Premium wine already commands roughly 39% of volume share in some states, and New York — with its density of fine-dining rooms and wine bars — is exactly where that premiumization plays out.

Spanish reds are built for this environment. They deliver Old-World structure and oak-aged complexity at a fraction of the price of comparable Bordeaux or Barolo, which is why a savvy New York wine director can put a genuinely aged, cellar-ready red on the list without pricing out the table. Explore our Spanish portfolio and you will see the same logic: Rioja and Navarra names that punch far above their placement.

What food goes well with Tempranillo?

Tempranillo is a sommelier's friend because it sits in the medium-bodied, savory middle — enough tannin and acidity to cut through fat, enough red fruit and leather to stand up to char and spice. In a New York dining context, that makes it one of the most flexible pours on the list.

• Grilled and roasted meats — lamb chops, dry-aged steak, pork belly. The classic Rioja move.
• Charcuterie and hard cheeses — jamón Ibérico, chorizo, aged Manchego. A Tempranillo-and-jamón board is the reason half of NYC's Spanish bars exist.
• Tomato-forward dishes — braises, short rib, even a good wood-fired pizza. Tempranillo's acidity mirrors the tomato.
• Smoked and grilled vegetables — a genuinely good pairing for the plant-forward menus dominating new NYC openings.

What food to serve with Rioja (by age level)

The smartest way to build a Rioja section on a New York list is to pair by age classification, because each tier wants a different dish:

• Crianza (2 years aging) — bright, juicy, everyday. Perfect by-the-glass partner for tapas, croquetas, grilled sausages and burgers. Berceo and Las Campanas (Navarra) live here.
• Reserva (3 years) — more oak, more depth. Serve with roast lamb, duck, and mushroom risotto. Our Manzanos Reserva Rioja 2018 (93 pts, Wine Enthusiast) is the natural anchor.
• Gran Reserva (5+ years) — silky, complex, cellar-worthy. Save it for the dry-aged ribeye or the cheese cart. The Manzanos Gran Reserva Rioja 2015 earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast — a special-occasion pour that still lands at a fair list price.

What pairs well with Spanish wine beyond Rioja?

A well-built Spanish section is more than Tempranillo. Round out a New York list with:

• Siglo — our flagship Rioja, including the iconic burlap-wrapped Saco; a recognizable, guest-friendly by-the-glass name.
• Navarra rosé and whites (Las Campanas) — for raw bar, ceviche, and the summer terrace pour New York rooftops live on.
• Graciano and blends (Voché) — for the guest who has "done" Tempranillo and wants something to talk about.

And Spain is only part of the story. We import from Italy, Chile, and South Africa too, so a restaurant can source a whole by-the-glass program through one partner — Duchessa Lia Barolo and Moscato d'Asti from Piedmont, Cremaschi Furlotti Carmenere and Cabernet from Chile, and Bruce Jack Pinotage from South Africa.

7 Spanish pours every New York wine list should carry in 2026

• 1. Siglo Tempranillo — the by-the-glass workhorse. Familiar name, crowd-pleasing profile.
• 2. Berceo Crianza — bright, food-first Rioja for tapas and shared plates.
• 3. Las Campanas Rosé (Navarra) — the terrace and raw-bar pour.
• 4. Manzanos Reserva 2018 — 93-point Rioja for the mid-list bottle order.
• 5. Manzanos Gran Reserva 2015 — 95-point trophy for the cellar and the special table.
• 6. Voché Graciano — the somm's conversation wine.
• 7. Duchessa Lia Barolo — because your Italian-leaning guests deserve a real Nebbiolo, from the same order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What food goes well with Tempranillo?

Tempranillo shines with grilled and roasted meats — lamb, steak, pork — plus charcuterie, aged cheeses like Manchego, and tomato-based braises. Its medium body and savory profile also make it a reliable match for smoked and grilled vegetables, which is why it works across so many restaurant menus.

What is Rioja Tempranillo?

Rioja is a wine region in northern Spain, and Tempranillo is its signature red grape. A "Rioja Tempranillo" is a red wine made predominantly from Tempranillo grown in Rioja, typically oak-aged and classified by time in barrel and bottle: Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva, from youngest to oldest.

Is a Rioja like a Pinot Noir?

They share a medium body and food-friendliness, but they are different. Pinot Noir is lighter and more delicate; Rioja Tempranillo brings more savory, leathery, oak-driven character and firmer structure. If a guest likes Pinot's versatility, a Crianza is an easy, slightly bolder step across.

What is the best Spanish wine for a restaurant by-the-glass program?

Start with a recognizable Tempranillo (Rioja) for reds and a Navarra rosé or white for the aperitif and seafood pours — they cover the widest range of dishes and please the most guests. From there, add one aged Reserva or Gran Reserva to give the list depth and an up-sell.

Ready to pour more Spain in 2026?

Consumers: want to find these bottles near you? Find our wines or browse the full portfolio.

Restaurants, retailers and distributors: build your Spanish, Italian, Chilean and South African program through one importer. Become a distributor and get New York's fastest-growing category on your list.

Manzanos Wines USA is the premier importer of premium wines from Spain, Italy, Chile, South Africa, and France, serving all 50 US states through our nationwide distributor network. Learn more at manzanoswinesusa.com.