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VALDEPEÑAS
 The DO Valdepeñas wine region is situated in the province of Ciudad Real in the south of Castile-La Mancha (Spain) and covers an area of 30,000 hectares.
It is almost completely surrounded by another DO (La Mancha) but is an independent DO due to its long history of producing a distinct style of wine known aloque or clarete which is made by mixing white and red grapes.
The climate is extreme continental (very hot summers and cold winters) and can be classified as semi-arid. Temperatures can reach 40°C in summer and drop to -10°C in winter. Droughts in summer are frequent, as are frosts in winter. Rainfall is sparse and generally falls in spring and autumn often in the form of violent storms. The risk of hailstones and strong winds is significant in spring.
The DO is located on a plateau surrounded by hills and whose soil has high lime content, over a subsoil of calcium carbonate, with good moisture retaining properties. The topsoil is not deep and quite pebbly, dark red in color with a high lime content, which often forms hard crusty layers which have to be broken to help the roots penetrate. The soil is poor in organic matter.
Vine varieties
Red: Cencibel (Tempranillo), Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon.
White: Aíren and Macabeo. |