Page 346 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

344  CENTR AL SP AIN

Wines of Central Spain

The wines of Central Spain originate in either the small,
high-quality regions of northwest Castilla y León or in the
vast wine-producing plains of La Mancha and Valdepeñas.
Ribera del Duero has become Spain’s most fashionable red
wine region, with its aromatic, rich yet fine reds made
from Tinto Fino grapes (the local name for Tempranillo)
and, more recently, lighter, fruity wines. Rueda makes
a good white wine, made from the Verdejo grape. La Harvesting Viura grapes at Rueda
Mancha and Valdepeñas both produce lots of simple
white wine, and reds which can be mellow and fruity.
Villafranca
del Bierzo Cacabelos León A67
Ponferrada
A231 A231
A66 CASTILLA Y LEÓN
A6
A52
Palencia Arlanzón
Benavente A1
Cigales
Aranda de Soria
Valladolid Duero
Toro makes the Zamora Toro N122
most powerful Duero Peñafiel Duero
and fiery of all A62 Rueda
red wines from A66
the ubiquitous Salamanca A6
Tempranillo grape. Segovia
A62 A50 A1 A2
Artesian well for irrigating vines in La Mancha Ciudad Ávila Tajo
Rodrigo MADRID Guadalajara
A66 Madrid
Key Facts about Wines of Central Spain
Méntrida Arganda
Location and del Duero wines and occasionally Plasencia Talavera A5 Colmenar de Oreja Cuenca
Climate surfaces as a single varietal, as Coria de la Reina Aranjuez A40
Ribera del Duero, at the estate of the Marquis of A66 Tajo
Rueda and Toro Griñón in Méntrida. Verdejo, Viura A5 Toledo A4 A3
are all high-lying areas with and Sauvignon Blanc are used EXTREMADURA
extreme climates – very hot for white Rueda. The white Airén CASTILLA-LA MANCHA
summer days com bined with grape predominates in the Cáceres Trujillo Alcázar de San Juan AP36
cool nights, and cold winters. vineyards of Valdepeñas and A31
The marked difference of temper- La Mancha. Ciudad Guadiana A4 Tormelloso
ature between day and night Real A43 A43 Júcar
helps to preserve the acidity in Good Producers Manzanares Albacete
A31
the grapes. Both La Mancha and Toro: Fariña (Gran A41 Valdepeñas Almansa
Valdepeñas are extremely hot Colegiata). Rueda: Puertollano
and dry areas. In recent years, Álvarez y Diez, Los Santa Cruz
droughts have caused a severe Curros, Marqués de de Mudela Hellín
shortage of grapes, though 2013 Riscal, Sanz. Ribera del Duero:
saw more rain and a better yield. Alejandro Fernández (Pesquera),
Boada, Hermanos Pérez Pascuas
Grape Varieties (Viña Pedrosa), Ismael Arroyo
The Tempranillo (Valsotillo), Vega Sicilia, Victor
grape – also known Balbás. Méntrida: Marqués de
as Tinto Fino, Tinto Griñón. La Mancha: Fermín
del Toro and Cencibel Ayuso Roig (Estola), Vinícola de Traditional earthenware tinaja, still
– produces nearly all the best red Castilla (Castillo de Alhambra). used for fermenting wine
wines of Central Spain. Cabernet Valdepeñas: Casa de la Viña,
Sauvignon is per mitted in some Félix Solís, Luis Megía (Marqués
regions; it is used in some Ribera de Gastañaga), Los Llanos. 0 kilometres 100
0 miles 50

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