What does DO mean?
DO, Denominación de Origen, is Spain's most common protected designation of origin: the wine comes from a defined area and follows its rules.
Also known as: Denominación de Origen
DO stands for Denominación de Origen and is the most common protected designation of origin for Spanish wine. A DO wine comes from a geographically defined area and is made according to that area's own rules. Spain has around 70 DOs, including Ribera del Duero, Rías Baixas, Bierzo, Rueda and Jumilla.
Each DO is run by a regulatory council, the Consejo Regulador, which sets permitted grape varieties, maximum yield per hectare, minimum alcohol and how the wine must be aged. The council also checks production, and many DO wines carry a numbered back label or seal from the council.
Ageing terms are common within DO. Joven is a young wine with little or no oak ageing. Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva require progressively longer ageing in barrel and bottle, and individual areas can set stricter times than the national minimums.
Above DO sits DOCa, held only by Rioja and Priorat, and Vino de Pago for single estates. Below it is Vino de la Tierra, Spain's protected geographical indication. In the EU, DO counts as a protected designation of origin, DOP.