The autonomous region in the north of Spain with the capital Santander is located between the Cantabrian Mountains and the Bay of Biscay and covers 5,321 km². It is surrounded by Asturias, Castile-León and the Basque Country and is part of "Green Spain". Unlike the other regions, viticulture has a long tradition here. This is mainly due to the deep, moist soil caused by frequent rainfall. Therefore, livestock breeding and agriculture with maize and potatoes are in the foreground here. The preferred alcoholic beverages are the cider known as "Sidar", as well as the marc brandy "Orujo lebaniego". The vineyards cover only about 100 hectares of vines. The main red wine varieties are Alfrocheiro, Hondarribi Beltza, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and the main white wine varieties are Hondarribi Zuri and Picapoll Blanco. There are two IGP areas (country wine) Costa de Cantabria and Líebana.
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Thomas Götz
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