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
