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New format Taste Spain delivers gastronomic lift

There was, however, serious commercial reasoning behind bringing for the first time some of the best wine and food elements of Spain together at the one event, with this tie-in part of a strategy to help promote a more premium image for Spanish wines.

Hosted in the rather cool double-decker space of Mare Street Market in King’s Cross’s Coal Drops Yard, Taste Spain’s new gastronomic format reflected a drive by Foods and Wines from Spain (FWS) to better tap into the consumer trends in the UK, a €310 million export market.

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Figures from the promotional body show that while volumes slightly declined in 2025, over the longer term both volume and value for Spanish wines in the UK are rising. Volume rose 6% between 2016 and 2025, and value reached €3 billion in 2025, with FWS figures showing an upward curve towards higher quality wines, even as the wine market falters.

Further insights from Foods and Wines from Spain highlight the prevailing trends among UK consumers – seen as ‘leading the world’ – towards authenticity, diversity, more premium and sustainability.

Spanish wines can and do offer this, and especially well given the recent and ongoing regeneration and evolution across its wine sector. But such aspects are more widely recognised when it comes to the high points of Spanish gastronomy – which continues in its global ascendancy – hence the move to combine wine and food at the one event.

Speaking to Harpers at Taste Spain, Fernando Muñoz Naranjo, director of the Foods and Wines Department at Spain’s Economic and Commercial Office in London, explained the rationale.

“Basically, the idea was to bring it all together, for the wine and the gastronomy, because it all goes hand in hand,” he said.

“The idea is to raise the level of the wines, to get the price a little higher, because our objective right now is to reposition Spanish wines.”

Muñoz described the evolution of Spanish wines and the influx of a new generation of winemakers as “doing incredible things, much innovation”. He also highlighted the once overlooked but now revived DOs and rediscovered indigenous varieties that have been creating waves, at least in the UK trade.

He added that the most recent annual Spain Food Nation Summit talks in London, which brings together experts to identify trends and opportunities around Spanish wines and foods, had focused in on how to better engage and communicate the quality and diversity of Spanish wines to UK consumers – and especially the younger generations. Drawing on the strong positives surrounding Spanish food and gastronomy was identified as a strong plus.

“At the Summit the panel were speaking about the new trends, especially the younger generation… and how to reach this new generation of people, who are consuming less,” said Muñoz.

With stories of diversity, authenticity, discovery, plus much sustainability to the fore, Spain is clearly homing in on communicate all this with a further gastronomic lift. And, as evidenced at the buzzing Taste Spain tasting this week, with its many food and wine masterclasses and food stands, it’s a stance that appeared to resonate well with the attendees to that event.


Picture credit: Captivate Imagery

• UK market
• exports
• Fernando Muñoz Naranjo
• Foods and Wines from Spain
• Taste Spain
• Spanish gastronomy