The DO area of La Mancha in Spain is part of the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha (see there for its history). It comprises 182 municipalities in the four provinces of Albacete (19,036 ha), Ciudad Real (74,264 ha), Cuenca (31,249 ha) and Toledo (27,933 ha). The DO area of Valdepeñas, which is enclosed on three sides, is an enclave on the southern edge. The area used to be known primarily as a producer of mass-produced white wines for quick consumption. After the DO classification in 1976, great efforts were made to improve quality standards and, following EU entry in 1986, a third of the vineyards were grubbed up. In 2020, "La Mancha Excellent" was introduced as the highest quality level.
The extreme, continental climate is characterised by large temperature fluctuations and highly variable rainfall throughout the year with an average of 300 to 400 mm annually. Summers are often extremely hot (up to 45 °Celsius) and dry, which is why fungal diseases such as powdery mildew are almost unknown. There are regular frosts in winter. For the most part, calcareous, nutrient-poor and often stony and gravelly clay soils with limestone and chalk veins in the subsoil predominate. The relatively flat land rises steadily from 480 metres in the north to 700 metres above sea level in the south.
The area under vines totals 152,482 hectares with 70% white wine grapes and 30% red wine grapes. The white wine variety Airén, which is also used to a large extent for the production of spirits, dominates with more than three quarters of the area. This is followed by the red wine varieties Tempranillo (here Cencibel), Macabeo (here Viura) and Syrah. The grape variety index 2022:
Grape variety |
Colour |
Synonyms |
Hectare |
Airén | white | Burra Blanca, Manchega, Valdepeñas | 88.161 |
Tempranillo | red | Cencibel | 29.161 |
Macabeo | red | Viura | 7.848 |
Syrah | red | - | 3.816 |
Verdejo | white | Albillo de Nava | 3.508 |
Garnacha Tinta | red | Grenache Noir | 3.470 |
Cabernet Sauvignon | red | - | 3.294 |
Sauvignon Blanc | white | - | 2.170 |
Chardonnay | white | - | 1.976 |
Alicante Henri Bouschet | red | Garnacha Tintorera | 1.826 |
Merlot | red | - | 1.390 |
Muscat Blanc (Yellow Muscat) | white | Moscatel de Grano Menudo | 1.202 |
Bobal | red | Tinto de Requena | 963 |
Monastrell | red | Mataró | 659 |
Petit Verdot | red | - | 633 |
Marufo | red | Crujidera, Moravia Dulce | 641 |
Pedro Ximénez | white | PX, Ximénez | 314 |
Muscat d'Alexandrie | white | Moscatel de Alejandría | 230 |
Graciano | red | Monastrell Menudo | 214 |
Parellada | white | Montònero | 185 |
Viognier | white | - | 129 |
Cabernet Franc | red | - | 111 |
Riesling | white | - | 57 |
Gewürztraminer | white | - | 23 |
Cot | red | Malbec | 19 |
Mencía | red | Jaén, Jaén Tinto | 2 |
Alarije | white | Aris, Torrontés | 2 |
Pinot Noir | red | - | 1 |
The "La Mancha" designation of origin has been protected since 1932, and the wine was classified as a DO in 1976. The "Consejo Regulador D.O. La Mancha" is responsible for the promotion, advertising, quality assurance and control through wine tasting. La Mancha". There are the following wine qualities and types:
There are around 20,000 winegrowers (often only producing grapes) and around 280 bodegas. Around 200 wineries bottle their wines, 120 market them abroad and around 130 produce wines in barrels.
Logos: La Mancha Wines
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