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Spanish wine laws have been harmonized to ensure the consistent use of terms on the label that tell the win drinker the ageing status of the wine.
Vino joven
Vino joven ("young wine") is wine intended for immediate drinking and bottled straight after fining. It is also known as vino del ano. The Institut Nacional de Denominaciones de Origen (INDO) is trying to encourage the use of the term joven instead of sin crianza, meaning wines that have spent no time in oak, or less than the legal minimum for crianza wines. However, there are sin crianza wines that have spent a year in the tank and then perhaps half a dozen years in bottle. They haven't seen any oak, but neither are they joven,
Vino de crianza
Vino de crianza (literally "wine of breeding") must have two full calendar years' storage, with a minimum of six months in barricas (oak casks). Some regions, like Rioja, insist on more than six months. A crianza may be released in its third year. White and rosado (pink) crianzas must spend one year in the bodega, of which six months must be in barricas. They may be released in their second year.
Reserva
Reserva red wines must spend three calendar years in the bodega, of which at least one must be in barricas. They may be released in their fourth year. White and rosado reservas must spend two years in the bodega, of which six months must be in barricas. They may be released in their third year.
Gran reserva
Gran reserva reds are permitted only in particularly good vintages, and must have spent at least two calendar years in barricas and three years in bottle. They may be released in their sixth year. White and rosado gran reservas, now very rare, must have been aged for four years, with at least six months in barricas, and may be released in their fifth year.
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