Spain - Castilla Y Mancha & Other

Question 1

Where is Castilla-La Mancha located and whats the climate?

Answer 1

A large autonomous community to the S and SE of Madrid.
Totally landlocked and located on the southern part of Spains meseta, giving an extreme continental climate.

Question 2

La Mancha DO: size, climate, topography, water availability?

Answer 2

158,000ha, making it the largest DO in Spain and largest PDO in Europe.
On the large, relatively flat meseta at 500-700m altitude.
Continental with extremes, up to 45°c in summer and -20 in winter.
Rainfall is low, 300-400mm. Limestone and chalk soils help with water retention, but drip irrigation is common, with an estimated 40% of vineyards being irrigated.

Question 3

What is the typical training in La Mancha DO?

Answer 3

Planting densities are low, sometimes as low as 1000 per ha for bush vines without irrigation.
Irrigated, trellised vineyards are planted at 3000 per ha.

Question 4

What are key varieties in La Mancha DO? And use cases?

Answer 4

Airén has the largest plantings at 90,000ha. Fermented in steel to make low intensity, medium acidity white wines for early consumption. Much of its production is transported south for distillation into Brandy de Jerez.
The most planted black variety is Cencibel (Tempranillo), made most often into a fruity style with short contact in oak, though wines with ageing requirements can be found.

Question 5

What is the breakdown of wine business in La Mancha?

Answer 5

15,000 growers, 250 wineries.
Co-operatives make up the majority of production:
Virginia de Las Viñas in Tomelloso is not only the largest co-operative in La Mancha but in all of Spain, with 2000 members farming 20,000ha.

Question 6

What is the breakdown of exports from La Mancha?

Answer 6

All wine is largely produced in bulk or bottled.
40% exported.
For bottled wine, exports to the Chinese Market has grown rapidly in recent years, and in 2016 it became the largest export market.
The next largest are Germany, Russia and the Netherlands.

Question 7

Valdepeñas DO: Location, climate and wine style?

Answer 7

To the south of La Mancha.
Similar continental climate with hot dry summers.
Red wines from Cencibel with ripe red fruit, soft tannins, medium acidity and spice from oak.
Good quality and inexpensive to mid, with some premium examples.

Question 8

What is Castilla-La Manchas relation with Vino de Pago?

Answer 8

It’s home to 9 of Spains 18.
The first in Spain, and perhaps the most well known in the region, is the Dominio de Valdepusa, producing wines from Cab Sauv, Syrah and Petit Verdot.

Question 9

What is the key VT of Castilla-La Mancha? What’s key to know?

Answer 9

This Vino de la Tierra covers a vast area, encompassing both La Mancha DO and Valdepeñas DO, as well as some others, which cover around half of its area.
Climate and soils are similar to these two DOs.
A wide range of varieties are permitted.
Inexpensive to mid.

Question 10

Where is the Basque country located? Which DOs are found here?

Answer 10

Also known as Euskadi or País Vasco.
Stretches along the north coast of Spain.
Key vineyard area is split in two by the Cantabrian cordillera. In the south of the Basque country are the sheltered vineyards of Rioja Alavesa, in the North, around Bilbao and San Sebastian, are the 3 DOs that make Txakoli.

Question 11

What is the typical climate for the northern DOs of the Basque country, what varieties are found here?

Answer 11

Unsheletered from the Atlantic, the Txakoli DOs have a moderate maritime climate.
Rainfall is 1600mm, meaning canopy ventilation is a key concern to avoid fungal disease.
The main white variety is Hondarrabi Zuri.

Question 12

What is key winemaking and styles for Txakoli?

Answer 12

Hondarrabi Zuri is fermented in steel and bottled for release a few months later.
High acidity, medium (-) body, low alcohol and fresh apple, pear and lemon, sometimes with a slight spritz.
Some producers make wines with more complexity and texture through lees, old oak (or small proportion of new) or bottle ageing.
Vast majority is white. Also rosado, red, sweet and sparkling is made.

Question 13

Where is the Sierra de Gredos located? What are key DOs?

Answer 13

The mountain range to the west of Madrid. It doesn’t have its own DO and instead may label as Vinos de Madrid DO, Mentrida DO (within Castilla-La Mancha), Cebreros DO OR Castilla y León VT.

Question 14

What key style of wine is produced in Sierra de Gredos? How does the climate affect this?

Answer 14

Used to produce high volume, inexpensive wines until recently, but a number of producers have set up focusing on quality.
Wines are mostly from old vine Garnacha, grown at 600-1200m.
Continental but with a cooling influence from altitude. Diurnal range helps retain acidity and fresh fruit.
The style is noticeably different from many made in Aragon: lighter tannin, medium (+) acidity and fresh strawberry and cherry. Given the sunny, warm days, alcohol can be high.
Many wines are made in a low intervention way: ambient yeasts and low sulfur.
Good to very good and mid to premium.

Question 15

What white wines come from Sierra de Gredos?

Answer 15

Made from Albillo Real.
Full bodied with citrus and floral notes, and medium to (+) acidity.
Fermentation temperatures vary, some are fermented or matured in oak, others on their skins.

Question 16

What wine have the islands become better known for?

Answer 16

Both the Balearic and Canary have become recognised as a source of high quality wines from local grapes, although still better known as a tourist destination.

Question 17

Where are the Balearic islands located, and what wine styles are found here?

Answer 17

Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera are located 95km from the E coast of Spain.
Mallorca has 2 DOs, with a number of VTs spread amongst the other islands.
Key local varieties are Manto Negro (light coloured, high alcohol, red fruit) and Callet (medium to (+) acidity, medium alcohol, red fruit).
Momastrell, Tempranillo and Malvasia are also found, alongside Cab, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay.
Blends are common.

Question 18

Where are the Canary Islands located? What’s the general climate and topography?

Answer 18

Off the coast of Morocco, 500km south of Madeira at a latitude of 28°N, meaning there’s tropical influence on the climate, with hot and humid conditions in the growing season.
Many of the islands are mountainous and vineyards can be found up to 1500m: cooler days and diurnal range.
Topography is rugged, mechanisation is impossible.
The range of altitudes and aspects mean a wide range of varieties are found, without any need for grafting as phylloxera is not present.

Question 19

How many DOs are there on the Canary Islands? Which varieties are found here?

Answer 19

Each island has its own, and Tenerife has 5.
The most common are Listan Negro, Malvasia and Listan Blanco (Palomino), though a wide range of Iberian grapes are grown and field blends are common.
Listan Negro is light to medium bodied, medium tannins and flavours of raspberry and plum. Carbonic maceration is often used to make fruity, early drinking wines, but some undergo traditional fermentation and may be aged in oak.

Question 20

Where can you find distinctive viticulture on the Canary Islands?

Answer 20

In the Valle de Orotava DO (Tenerife). Several vines are twisted together to form long ropes, trained on low wires and grown up and down the hillsides.

Question 21

What is distinctive about Lanzarote?

Answer 21

The growing conditions differ to the other Canary Islands.
The topography is relatively flat, and the land is covered with a layer of dark volcanic Ash.
Growers plant vines in craters dug into the Ash and partially surrounded by stone walls to protect rhe cines from winds and capture any available moisture. This all leads to very low density plantings and low yields.
Malvasia is the dominant variety and made in dry and sweet styles.