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The Best Places to Buy Spanish Wine Online in the U.S.

The Best Places to Buy Spanish Wine Online in the U.S.

Spain boasts over 900,000 hectares of vineyard, making it the largest country in the world by vineyard surface area. So, it’s fair to say there’s quite a lot more on offer than just the standard Riojas, Albariños, and Cavas we’re used to seeing on liquor store shelves. 

From lesser-known native Spanish grape varieties to regional delicacies that don’t regularly make it to our shores, there’s a whole lot out there left to explore. But none of that matters if you can’t access the kind of bottles you want, right? And this is where knowing where to shop becomes just as relevant as knowing what you like. 

Fortunately, there are now numerous suppliers in the U.S. endeavoring to scratch that collective itch we Spanish wine enthusiasts have spent years trying to scratch. The trick now is finding the retailer most aligned with your motivations. So, whether you’re after a midweek dinner Rioja, a celebratory Cava, or simply looking to discover a new favorite, one of the five suppliers below will be your perfect match.

Wine Insiders: Best for Value and Accessibility

wine insiders website

It doesn’t need to cost the equivalent of a round trip to explore Spanish wines, and Wine Insiders’ selection makes an excellent case for keeping things simple and affordable. Within their current range of Spanish wines, their curated selection touches base with not only Riojas, Cavas, and Albariños, but there are also a few treats laying in wait for those with an eye for the road less travelled. All of these happen to come in at less than $20 at the time of writing, did I mention?

In terms of accessibility, I often find it a little daunting to click into a ‘Spain’ menu, only to be faced with 15 pages of options. Sure, variety is always welcome, but I don’t always want to spend hours laboring over every imbibing decision. Maybe I just want something decent to enjoy with dinner, not to track down a rare vintage to store for the next few years. And that’s where Wine Insiders wins out in this bracket. 

That said, don’t be fooled into thinking their selection is in any way one-dimensional. There are plenty of interesting little discoveries to be sought out. At this very moment, they’re listing a Monastrell, known in France as Mourvèdre. It’s a grape that produces wonderfully characterful reds, often with dark fruit flavors and a little Mediterranean warmth.

A caveat: Wine Insiders like to switch up their range fairly frequently. As such, don’t always expect to find the exact same bottles at the same prices every time you peruse their selection. 

Best for: An affordable, accessible collection of Spanish reds and white wines at your fingertips, coupled with the availability of the occasional obscure grape variety without having to part with collector-tier money. 

K&L Wine Merchants: Best for Serious Enthusiasts

https://www.klwines.com/

Already know your Rioja from your Ribera del Duero? This may be the place for you! K&L currently boasts a Spanish wine section with over 250 unique bottles — varying from everyday sippers to impossibly obscure, collector-focused vintages dating back decades. Effectively, it’s a fun place to get lost window-shopping before you inevitably add another $15 Cava to your basket. 

The main reason K&L makes this shortlist, however, is its approach to sourcing. Their reputation is built upon their skill in negotiating access to wines that can be impossible for a regular consumer to find, as well as their tendency to buy their bottles directly from the producer. This is all well and good, but means nothing if the shoppers’ experience doesn’t reflect that work. Thankfully, it does.

Rather than simply making decisions between bottles based on an in-house blurb, you can investigate different appellations, producers, and even various approaches to winemaking to inform your decision. Sure, it’s a lot more attention to detail than most would have asked for, but it’s definitely a nice touch to feel like you have a certain modicum of control.

A caveat: For some, a massive catalog of wines can actually be a bit of a hindrance. If you’re still trying to assess whether you prefer a Tempranillo or a Garnacha, a more curated list will probably work better for you. Shipping costs also vary, depending on your location. I’d recommend checking that out first before getting drawn into the rabbit hole. 

Best for: This supplier is best suited to serious enthusiasts seeking out specific producers, vintages, and varieties. 

Wine.com: Best for Selection Size

wine.com

When I say the selection size is large here, I’m not exaggerating. At the time of writing, there are a whopping 631 wines listed in their ‘Spain’ category. That’s a lot, by any measure, but it is very useful if you happen to have diverse tastes and a desire to shop for everything under one roof. 

But isn’t that large a selection a precursor to option paralysis? Surprisingly, no. Wine.com is quite intuitively laid out. Its ‘Spain’ section sits next to wines from elsewhere in the world, allowing the potential customer to draw easy comparisons and get a better idea of what they’re looking at. There are also detailed product descriptions coupled with several different rating systems to help point you in the right direction. Naturally, these aren’t quite a substitute for an IRL tasting, but it’s a start!

For your Spanish wine search, I’d recommend starting with your major categories: Rioja for reds, Cava for sparkling, etc. From there, it should be easy enough to find your way, funneled towards discoveries like Garnacha from the Aragon region.

A caveat: As fantastic as it is to have such a broad selection under one roof, a broad selection doesn’t necessarily mean better prices. If you’re looking for something widely available, you may find it can be sourced for less elsewhere. 

Best for: Those who want all of the options in one place, from lesser-known varieties to familiar favorites. 

Total Wine & More: Best for Spanish Classics on a Budget

https://www.totalwine.com/

Total Wine & More, unlike the previous two mentioned above, is one for the folks who just want to keep it simple and have their wine ordered and shipped out within minutes. It’s focused on the Spanish wines everyday wine drinkers are likely to reach for first (think Riojas, Albariños, and Cavas), with some absolute bargains to be found within those categories.

Overall, its main strength lies in its accessibility. Whether you want to buy a few bottles for a casual dinner party, restock a nice everyday red, or celebrate with some sparkling, you’ll find the basics right here within a few minutes. They also run a mix-six case promotion, which can make your purchase even more economical than it first appeared. 

Though Total Wine’s selection is quite broad, it would be a mistake to equate breadth to depth. Though a larger supplier like this will carry all of the basics and several variations of them, what you’re missing out on is offerings from smaller producers, obscure grape variants, and sought-after vintages. So, if you happen to be a connoisseur, this probably isn’t going to be the one-stop shop you’re looking for. 

Still, not everyone needs to uncork a rare bottle at every available occasion. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting back to the basics every now and then.

A caveat: Those on the hunt for something obscure, rare, or just a little different may find the selection a tad shallow.

Best for: Affordability and accessibility. Will also suit buyers who like to compare prices across popular brands. 

Despana Vinos y Mas: Best for the Consummate Hispanophile

https://despanafinewines.com/

A New York-based boutique operation with a sole focus on all things Spain, Despana is more than worth a look when you’re craving a distinctly Spanish palate-teaser. 

Known for dealing in Spanish food products as well as wines, Despana will appeal to the type of buyer who wants to explore culinary and drinking traditions in tandem. They don’t just scratch the surface, either. Over the years, they’ve become renowned by Spanish industry sources for their work highlighting Spanish winemaking traditions and emphasizing lesser-known grape varieties.  

For me, that specialist focus is what sets this supplier apart from most others. Spain has a practically bottomless range of styles and grape varieties to explore, so choosing a specialist like this makes sense if you want to truly hone in on what’s what. Despana rounds out the shortlist, not because it’s going to help you find the best value bottle of Cava. It’s here because it’s probably the best out there if your goal is discovery. 

A caveat: Specialist items tend to pair with specialist prices, unfortunately. If you’re simply looking for an affordable Cava or Rioja for the weekend, you’ll find better value elsewhere. 

Best for: Those who want to delve deep into indigenous grape varieties, regional specialties, and traditional food pairings. 

The Last Drop

the last drop

Though I’d love a definitive answer on the best place to buy Spanish wines online in the US, the unfortunate truth is there is no single place that ticks every box. If you’re an expert on the lookout for a particular vintage, K&L or Despana are your best bets. Conversely, Total Wine & More and Wine.com’s appeal lies in the breadth of their selections. 

That just leaves Wine Insiders, the all-rounder of the bunch. For me, their carefully curated range makes exploring Spanish wines, as well as revisiting old favorites, relatively straightforward. 

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