Spanish Terroir Spanish Terroir
Writer

Adolfo Gatell

Adolfo Gatell is a Spanish sommelier and co-founder of Sommeliers of Amsterdam, the youngest person in Spain to earn WSET Level 3. He works on the ground with the family wineries behind Spanish Terroir, from the vineyards of Rioja and Priorat to the cellars of Jerez.

Instagram Site

Posts by Adolfo Gatell

Chenin Blanc vs Godello: the textural whites | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Grape varieties

Chenin Blanc vs Godello: the textural whites

Chenin Blanc vs Godello compared: two textural, mineral, ageworthy whites, how they differ, and why Godello is the Spanish answer for a Chenin palate.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Spanish wine for pintxos, the Basque way | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for pintxos, the Basque way

Which Spanish wine goes with pintxos: why Basque Txakoli is the answer, the pours from gilda to txistorra, and how to drink them like San Sebastian.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Low-histamine Spanish wine, explained | a bottle among old vines under an evening sky · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

Low-histamine Spanish wine, explained

Low-histamine Spanish wine, explained: where histamine in wine comes from, which fresh young whites and Cavas tend to be lower, and an honest caveat.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Sierra de Gredos wine pairing, done right | a Spanish red beneath the sierra at sunset · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Sierra de Gredos wine pairing, done right

Sierra de Gredos wine pairing: why these pale, high-altitude Garnachas eat like cool Burgundy, and the dishes they love from duck to mushrooms.

Adolfo Gatell··8 min
Spanish wine for a vegetarian dinner | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for a vegetarian dinner

Spanish wine for a vegetarian dinner: why vegetables flip the pairing rules, the pours from greens to mushrooms, and a two-bottle plan for the table.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Spanish wine for sushi and omakase | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for sushi and omakase

Spanish wine for sushi and omakase: why high-acid saline whites beat the rest, the pours from nigiri to toro, and a flight to run an omakase counter.

Adolfo Gatell··4 min
Super Tuscans vs Spanish cult wines | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

Super Tuscans vs Spanish cult wines

Super Tuscans vs Spanish cult wines: what made Tuscany's icons, why Spain's answer is a discovery shelf not a trophy, and the bottles to buy now.

Adolfo Gatell··8 min
Txakoli vs Albarino: Spain's coastal whites | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Grape varieties

Txakoli vs Albarino: Spain's coastal whites

Txakoli vs Albarino compared: two Atlantic whites, where their grapes and coasts diverge, what each does at the table, and which to pour when.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Wine for Cantabrian anchovies (anchoas) | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Wine for Cantabrian anchovies (anchoas)

Wine for Cantabrian anchovies: why salt, oil and umami demand a sharp, saline pour, the Txakoli and Albarino that win, and anchoas vs boquerones.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
What is Txakoli? The Basque white, explained | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Grape varieties

What is Txakoli? The Basque white, explained

What is Txakoli: the bone-dry, faintly spritzy Basque white, where it comes from, what it tastes like, how to pour it high, and the bottle to start with.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Spanish wine for umami-rich food | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for umami-rich food

Spanish wine for umami food: why mushrooms, aged cheese and soy break most wines, and how saline, savoury Spanish styles meet the fifth taste instead.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Albariño for a seafood restaurant | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Albariño for a seafood restaurant

Which Albariño belongs on a seafood list and by the glass: young, lees-aged or barrel styles, what each pours best with, and the math behind the slot.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Albariño vs Verdejo: Spain's two white answers | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Grape varieties

Albariño vs Verdejo: Spain's two white answers

Albariño vs Verdejo: ocean against meseta, salt against fennel. How Spain's two favourite whites differ, what each pours best with, and which to list.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
The best Spanish reds to serve chilled | a Spanish red against a stone map of Spain · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

The best Spanish reds to serve chilled

The best Spanish reds to serve chilled: which styles love a 30-minute fridge, why temperature unlocks them, the exact degrees, and the bottles to start with.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
The best Spanish white for grilled fish | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

The best Spanish white for grilled fish

The best Spanish white for grilled fish: why char and smoke change the rules, the pours from sardines to turbot, and which whites meet the flame.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wines for Indian curry | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wines for Indian curry

Spanish wines for Indian curry: why heat and spice rewrite the rules, the pours from korma to vindaloo, and which Spanish Terroir bottles own the chilli.

Adolfo Gatell··8 min
The best wine for jamón ibérico | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

The best wine for jamón ibérico

The best wine for jamón ibérico: the bone-dry, saline answer the classic Jerez tradition is built on, the unfortified Palomino we pour for it, and the sparkling and red routes too.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Buying Spanish wine in the Netherlands | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

Buying Spanish wine in the Netherlands

Where and how to buy Spanish wine in the Netherlands: supermarket, wine shop or webshop, what the label hides, and how to spend €15 like a sommelier.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Cava vs Prosecco: the difference that matters | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Regions

Cava vs Prosecco: the difference that matters

Cava vs Prosecco compared honestly: bottle versus tank fermentation, grapes, ageing, the extra dry label trap, and when each one is the right pour.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Sourcing collector-grade Spanish wine | a wine bottle over terraced vineyards at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Producers

Sourcing collector-grade Spanish wine

How collectors source Spanish wine: what makes a bottle collectable, where the icons trade, provenance rules, and the undervalued shelf worth knowing.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Corporate and team wine tastings in Amsterdam | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Corporate and team wine tastings in Amsterdam

Planning a corporate wine tasting in Amsterdam: formats that work for mixed teams, quantities per person, Zuidas logistics and the flight that lands.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Spanish wine for a date night with Spanish food | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for a date night with Spanish food

Planning a date night with Spanish food: the three-bottle arc from Cava to Garnacha, what to pour with tapas, paella and cheese, and how to serve it.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
The best Spanish wine for ribeye | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

The best Spanish wine for ribeye

The best Spanish wine for ribeye: why fat and char want Ribera del Duero or Rioja reserva, when Garnacha steals the plate, and how to serve the bottle.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
The best Spanish wine for a tapas night | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

The best Spanish wine for a tapas night

The best Spanish wine for tapas: why versatile beats perfect across small plates, the four all-rounders that cover the table, and a per-tapa cheat sheet.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
The best Spanish wine for the barbecue | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

The best Spanish wine for the barbecue

The best Spanish wine for the barbecue: why chilled reds beat warm ones over coals, the pours for every grill from sardines to ribs, and the summer case.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Wine supply for events in Amsterdam | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Wine supply for events in Amsterdam

How to buy wine for an event in Amsterdam: per-guest quantities, chilling and delivery questions, and the Spanish styles that pour well at scale.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Garnacha vs Tempranillo: Spain's two red answers | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Grape varieties

Garnacha vs Tempranillo: Spain's two red answers

Garnacha vs Tempranillo compared honestly: structure, fruit, where each grape grows, what each does at the table, and which bottle to open first.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Luxury canal boat wine catering in Amsterdam | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Luxury canal boat wine catering in Amsterdam

Luxury canal boat wine catering in Amsterdam: which Spanish wines work on deck, dock delivery and ice logistics, quantities and the backup case.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Mencía vs Pinot Noir: the slate cousin | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Grape varieties

Mencía vs Pinot Noir: the slate cousin

Mencía vs Pinot Noir compared: how Bierzo's slate grape echoes Burgundy, where the two diverge, what each costs, and which to pour when.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Organic and biodynamic Spanish wine, explained | a bottle among old vines under an evening sky · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

Organic and biodynamic Spanish wine, explained

Organic and biodynamic Spanish wine explained: what each label legally certifies, why Spain leads the world in organic vineyards, and how to buy honestly.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Buying premium Spanish wine in Amsterdam | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

Buying premium Spanish wine in Amsterdam

What premium Spanish wine actually means in Amsterdam, where to buy it, the bottles that justify the word, and the prices at which Spain beats everyone.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Building a private cellar of Spanish wine | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Building a private cellar of Spanish wine

How to build a private Spanish wine cellar: what actually ages, the 36-bottle blueprint, storage that works at home and the buying rhythm that fills it.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
The Spanish section of a restaurant wine list | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

The Spanish section of a restaurant wine list

How to build the Spanish section of a restaurant wine list slot by slot: by-the-glass picks, the Rioja slot and its alternative, sparkling and sizing.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Rioja vs Bordeaux: a guide to the old rivalry | a Spanish red and the map of Spain · Spanish Terroir
Regions

Rioja vs Bordeaux: a guide to the old rivalry

Rioja vs Bordeaux: how phylloxera made the two regions family, where the styles split, what release-ready ageing means for buyers, and which to pour when.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine for asparagus season | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for asparagus season

Spanish wine for asparagus: why the vegetable breaks most bottles, how Verdejo's bitter-fennel register solves it, and the pour for every classic prep.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine for the cheese board, honestly | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for the cheese board, honestly

Spanish wine for the cheese board: why whites beat most reds across mixed cheeses, where crianza and sherry styles win, and a board-by-board cheat sheet.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Spanish wine for prawns and gambas al ajillo | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for prawns and gambas al ajillo

Spanish wine for prawns and gambas al ajillo: why garlic and chilli rewrite the match, the four pours from raw to grilled, and the bottles to keep cold.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine for lamb chops | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for lamb chops

Spanish wine for lamb chops: why lamb is the natural partner for Spanish reds, the pours from herb-grilled to slow-roasted, and the bottles to open.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine for oysters, from Zeeland to Galicia | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for oysters, from Zeeland to Galicia

Spanish wine for oysters: the four pours that work, steel Albariño, Txakoli, our saline Chapirete Palomino and brut nature Cava, matched to Zeeland's salty shells and beyond.

Adolfo Gatell··4 min
Spanish wine for aged Dutch cheese | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for aged Dutch cheese

Spanish wine for aged Dutch cheese: why old Gouda's crystals change the rules, the red, saline and sweet routes, and the bottles for every age of the wheel.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine for tasting menus | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for tasting menus

Building a Spanish wine pairing for a tasting menu: pour sizes, the arc across courses, where sherry changes the game and the math behind the package.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish reds for Burgundy and Pinot Noir lovers | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

Spanish reds for Burgundy and Pinot Noir lovers

Spanish reds for Burgundy and Pinot Noir lovers: the three lanes, Gredos Garnacha, Bierzo Mencía and the new pale wave, with a ladder of bottles to climb.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish white alternatives to Chablis | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Grape varieties

Spanish white alternatives to Chablis

Spanish white alternatives to Chablis: which steely, mineral, unoaked whites match its bite, where Godello, Txakoli and Albariño each fit, and what to pour.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine food pairing: the working logic | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine food pairing: the working logic

Spanish wine food pairing built on working logic, not memorized rules: acidity, salt, fat, heat and weight, mapped to the styles and dishes that prove it.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Spanish wine importer in the Netherlands | a Tempranillo above sunset vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Spanish wine importer in the Netherlands

What a Spanish wine importer in the Netherlands actually does, how to choose one, and how Spanish Terroir works: regions, producers, terms, delivery.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine for Middle Eastern food | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for Middle Eastern food

Spanish wine for Middle Eastern food: how za'atar, sumac, tahini and grilled lamb reshape the match, the pours from mezze to shawarma, and the bottles to chill.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine supplier for Amsterdam horeca | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Spanish wine supplier for Amsterdam horeca

How Amsterdam restaurants, bars and hotels choose a Spanish wine supplier: trade terms, delivery, by-the-glass logic and the questions that sort partners.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Spanish wine wholesale for horeca | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Sommelier

Spanish wine wholesale for horeca

How the Spanish wine trade channel works for horeca: importer versus wholesaler, what trade terms look like, cross-border orders and the direct route.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
How to read Spanish wine vintages, honestly | a Spanish red against a stone map of Spain · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

How to read Spanish wine vintages, honestly

How to read Spanish wine vintages: why one chart misleads, where the official council ratings live, when the year matters, and how to use it.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
What terroir means in wine, without the mystique | a Spanish red against a stone map of Spain · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

What terroir means in wine, without the mystique

What terroir actually means in wine: the official definition, the four levers of soil, climate, altitude and the human hand, and how to taste it at home.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Which red wine goes with chorizo | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Which red wine goes with chorizo

Which red wine goes with chorizo: why pimentón and fat rewrite the match, the pours from fresh to cured, and the Spanish reds that meet the paprika head on.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Spanish wine for bitterballen and the borrel | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for bitterballen and the borrel

Which Spanish wine suits bitterballen: why brut nature Cava beats everything beside the fryer, the full borrelplank mapped, and what to do about mustard.

Adolfo Gatell··4 min
Spanish wine for mussels, the Zeeland way | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for mussels, the Zeeland way

Spanish wine for mussels: why Albariño beats white-wine-in-the-pot logic, what changes with garlic, cream or tomato, and the pours for every Zeeland season.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Which wine goes with squid and calamari | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Which wine goes with squid and calamari

Which wine goes with squid and calamari: why the cooking method decides everything, the pours from fried to grilled to ink, and the Spanish whites to chill.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Why Albariño is perfect for seafood | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Why Albariño is perfect for seafood

Why Albariño and seafood work so well: acidity, salinity and no oak, which style fits oysters, rich fish or the grill, and the bottles to buy first.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Spanish wine for mushroom risotto | an old vine beside a dark bottle at dusk · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for mushroom risotto

Spanish wine for mushroom risotto: why earth and umami change the match, the red and white routes, and the Spanish bottles that meet the forest on the plate.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
Wine for a Spanish dinner party, planned | a Spanish red beneath limestone cliffs · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Wine for a Spanish dinner party, planned

Wine for a Spanish dinner party: the bottle-per-guest math, the cava-to-garnacha arc, how to plan quantities and temperatures, and the case to order once.

Adolfo Gatell··4 min
Spanish wine for an Indonesian rijsttafel | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wine for an Indonesian rijsttafel

Spanish wine for the Indonesian rijsttafel: how sambal, coconut and sweet soy rewrite the rules, why tannin loses, and the four pours that survive the table.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
Spanish wine tastings in Amsterdam | the Spanish Terroir bottle in high-altitude vineyards · Spanish Terroir
Tasting

Spanish wine tastings in Amsterdam

Spanish wine tastings in Amsterdam: home and on-location formats, English-language flights for expats, what six wines should tell, and how to source it.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
Spanish wines for plant-based tasting menus | sunset over an old-vine vineyard · Spanish Terroir
Pairing

Spanish wines for plant-based tasting menus

Spanish wines for plant-based tasting menus: why vegetables rewrite pairing logic, the vegan fining question answered honestly, and a course-by-course arc.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
A glass of Spanish red wine beside a map of Spain marking Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Priorat
Sommelier

Building a Spanish by-the-glass program

Which Spanish styles earn their place in an open bottle, and how to build a by-the-glass list that sells itself in an Amsterdam dining room: the anchor, the white, the wildcard.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
A wine bottle on the broken slate and quartz stones of a steep Priorat vineyard at sunset
Regions

Understanding the soils of Priorat

Llicorella is not one rock. A field guide to the slate, schist and quartz that make Priorat speak, and the slate-grown Spanish reds that let you taste the idea.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
A bottle of Spanish Terroir red wine on a stony ridge above Spanish vineyards at sunset
Sommelier

Spanish wine for an Amsterdam dining room

Why the Spanish wines that succeed in an Amsterdam dining room are chosen for the local table, the spice and the canal-house light, not for the map of Spain.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
A wine bottle on a green terraced Spanish hillside vineyard at golden hour
Grape varieties

Albariño beyond freshness

Lees-aged, oxidative and late-released Albariño: the dialects beyond the crisp export style, what each tastes like, and the bottles that prove the grape ages.

Adolfo Gatell··5 min
A red wine bottle beside a gnarled old Garnacha bush vine on stony high ground at sunset
Grape varieties

The quiet power of old-vine Garnacha

What altitude and old vines do to Garnacha: how Sierra de Gredos turns a misunderstood workhorse into a pale, perfumed, Burgundy-shaped red, and the bottles to taste it.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min
A glass of Spanish wine beside a carved stone relief map of Spain among old vines
Pairing

Pairing oxidative Spanish whites

How to pair Spain's saline, nutty, low-fruit whites: our unfortified Jerez Palomino with broth, cured meat and aged cheese, and the late-harvest white for the sweet end.

Adolfo Gatell··7 min
A bottle of Rioja Tempranillo on a rock above rolling Rioja vineyards at sunset
Regions

Rioja without clichés

Rioja beyond the oak-and-vanilla caricature: how the region moved to village wines, revived its whites and looked past the ageing labels, and where to taste it.

Adolfo Gatell··6 min