The big daddy of them all is aptly named D.O. La Mancha, the largest single wine region in the world. Its gargantuan dimensions spread into four different provinces, allowing for not only lots of wine, but a great deal of variety too. The most widespread grape is still a white variety called Airén. It has never been highly regarded but when given a little pampering (and some modern technology) this tiny fruit can produce very tasty and crisp light white wine. But the future of La Mancha's fame resides in its reds. Year after year the number of high quality reds rises and the prices are still a steal. Winemakers employ mostly Tempranillo (often called Cencibel in these parts, so don't be confused by the word on the label), but increased blending with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot is also becoming fashionable. Critics are still heralding the imminent coming of age of this region but what most fail to realize is that it has already arrived! La Mancha reds are here and now and they are going for a price that will give the competition a run for its money.

 

You can't talk about Castilla-La Mancha without giving special mention to a Spanish classic, D.O. Valdepeñas. Situated in the south of La Mancha, Valdepeñas for decades enjoyed a long-standing marriage with the average wine consumer in Madrid. Its false reds "aloques" (wine made from a mix of mostly white grapes with a few reds) were the standard in the capital and highly appreciated by some. But Valdepeñas fell out of style as the demand for true quality rose and the region has had quite an uphill battle ever since. Now its "real" reds, made mostly from Tempranillo, offer very good quality for the price of a beach ball.

 

In addition to these two, Castilla-La Mancha is home to several quiet regions with varied traditions and success so far. All, however, have something to offer and generally at very competitive prices. For a different kind of wine, try the delicious reds of D.O. Almansa (Albacete). Many are made from Monastrell but the ones with Garnacha Tintorera just may yet be the most exciting to watch for in the future. Once an enormous bulk wine selling powerhouse, a number of wineries from D.O. Manchuela (Albacete) are also standing out for some excellent creations recently. It’s a young region, but moving quickly. The wines of D.O. Méntrida (Toledo) were once very popular in Madrid in centuries past, but their unrefined nature and often defective elaboration have made them suffer commercially in modern times. Méntrida is still a region waiting to awake, but the potential is there, and there are signs that it is finally heading in the right direction. Then there's D.O. Mondéjar (Guadalajara), an extremely local region capable of making some very nice everyday wine, especially reds.
The most recent arrival is the curious D.O. Ribera del Júcar (Cuenca/Albacete border). This region is unique in that an independent panel decides which wines will be marketed under the region’s label. It is a way of guaranteeing quality while at the same time avoiding detrimental conflicts of interest between winemakers and the regulating board.

 

Madrid as a province used to belong to Castilla-La Mancha when it was called New Castile, but now it is its own Comunidad Autónoma. People kind of look at you funny when they hear about the wines from D.O. Vinos de Madrid. They think you are joking, because as urban sprawl gobbles up more and more land, they can’t imagine where and how this land would be suitable for viniculture. But contrary to popular opinion, this region has an old tradition in the practice and a number of very good (when not excellent and daring) wines on the market. And it’s only getting better by the year, as new cutting-edge wineries set up shop.

Castilla-La Mancha is also home to some of Spain's first private wine regions. A wholly new concept regarding Spanish wine. They are called vinos de pago, and they are single estate wineries with their own rules and regulations. So far there are two and they are both based in this land: D.O. Dominio de Valdepusa and D.O. Finca Elez. The wines are more select, as can be the prices, but they are no doubt some the best Castilla-La Mancha has to offer.

Though there are several minor regions (Vinos de la Tierra) in the La Mancha, the one worth mentioning is V.T. de Castilla. Normally these regions are merely small contenders trying to make it to the big time, but in this case we are referring to a kind of overlapping region. V.T. de Castilla encompasses all of Castilla-La Mancha. The looser regulations allow wineries to work with greater freedom and thus produce some very interesting wines. In fact, a number of wineries which also belong to the traditional D.O.’s will also have a label or two marketed under this designation. Many of the most recommendable wines from La Mancha can be found here.

Great things are coming out of Castilla-La Mancha, so run and get hold of a copy of Don Quixote and toast to it with a fine bottle of Manchego wine.

Feature written by Brian Murdock, author of the book "Let's Open a Bottle". You can contact Brian at murflo@eresmas.net