Types of wine in La Manchuela that we can find.

In the heart of La Mancha is the La Manchuela Region; Despite its location, the region looks completely different from the Llanos de la Mancha region. The Júcar River, crosses La Manchuela from west to east, creates amazing landscapes, contrasts between valley and plain, attracting travelers from all over the country. This privileged location gives rise to a wide variety of types of wine in La Manchuela.

DO La Manchuela

Olives, saffron, mushrooms and cereals have been cultivated here for a long time, here it is the cradle of aromatic and rich in flavor wine. The production area is located in the provinces of Cuenca and Albacete. The same name ‘Manchuela’ appeared only in the 1960s to obtain a designation of origin for wine. The Designation of Origin Manchuela It was finally established in 2000.

From generation to generation, local residents pass on the secrets of grape cultivation. Almost 12,000 hectares of land are occupied by La Manchuela. By comparison this is slightly less than the surface area of a country like Liechtenstein. Here, more than 20 grape varieties are grown that produce 2.5 million hectolitres of wine annually giving rise to numerous types of wine in La Manchuela. Almost every thirteenth bottle of wine produced in Castilla la Mancha is made in La Manchuela. Most of this wine is destined to countries such as Germany, the United States, the Netherlands, China and Japan. As they say in the Association Pro-Vinos Denomination of Origin Manchuela, "History, land, climate, tradition and technology and native varieties have produced a perfect symbiosis to give life in this unique territory to our motto, “wine of influence”.

Types of wine in La Manchuela.

Among the types of wine in La Manchuela, traditionally there are the whites, reds and rosés. Here a high quality wine is made, recognized every year with numerous prestigious awards. At the end of 2020, the winery Vega Tolosa received three new medals at the 2020 EcoRacimo Awards. It is an ‘officially recognised’ competition by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment and its development took place at the end of November 2020 in Córdoba. The main objectives of the international competition are, for example, to maintain and activate the production of high quality wines, valuing the environment and respect for nature.

The landscape of the region is conducive for the production of all types of wine in La Manchuela to reach the really high levels of quality. The vine is grown in vineyards located at an altitude of 600 to 1100 meters above sea level; Here the air is ecologically clean and the vines live in natural conditions, which is so appreciated by connoisseurs of good wine.

The grapes of different types of wine in La Manchuela shine under the rays of the generous sun of the south and give an amazing tenderness thanks to the fresh wind of the east of the Mediterranean Sea and a special humidity. The sun cares for the grapes from May to September, the most important months for ripening. The combination of all these conditions contributes to the formation of polyphenols (tannins and anthocyanins), making the region one of the best for growing red grapes. It's not by chance that almost 70% of the types of wine in La Manchuela are red.

Characteristics of the types of wines in La Manchuela.

• The saturation and intensity of the color of La Manchuela reds range from cherry red to cherry red with vibrant bluish and violet tones. The first notes are deeply fruity, reminiscent of wild red fruits: blackberries and raspberries. This wine is aromatic and persistent, enriched with tannins and acidity. Several scientific studies on the effect of tannins on the body maintain that the tannins in wine, unlike those in tea, resist cellular oxidation and, therefore, their aging. So, in a sense, wine with a high tannin content is healthier than tea.
• The white wines of La Manchuela have an attractive colour ranging from pale yellow to greenish. They are wines of intense fresh aroma, with tropical notes of banana, pineapple and mango. This wine is crystal clear and bright. It is remarkably refreshing in the heat, bringing the lightness of the Mediterranean breeze.
• The rosés of La Manchuela have a strawberry tone with a violet glow. Strawberries and raspberries feel like pronounced, bright and cheerful notes of a delicate taste that are felt in the mouth. The rosé wine goes well with the dishes of the Mediterranean diet, providing a playful touch to any meal.

Grape varieties of the types of wine in La Manchuela.

For the elaboration of the types of La Manchuela wine are used 8 white grape varieties and 18 red grape varieties.

• For example, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, which for most of the 20th century gave the most elaborate premium red wine in the world, until it was delivered by Merlot in the 1990s.
• Of course, Merlot is also used, the wine made with these grapes is characterized by its fineness and softness, while remaining aromatic and fleshy. It is very intense ruby color, of medium graduation and ages quickly without losing quality.
• Bobal gives a more acidic and less alcoholic wine than most types of wine in La Mancha. The Bobal grape is emblematic of the Manchuela Denomination of Origin. From this variety the wine is made Finca Los Halcones Limited Edition (2017) of Familia Vega Tolosa, which in January 2021 has obtained the GOLD inthe Mundus Vini Biofach International Organic Wine Grand Prix. This award has great international recognition and consists of an event organized by the German academy Mundus Vini GmbH. This bobal grape gives rise to a wine of intense dark cherry color, with garnet-violaceous trim, of good tannic load and moderate acidity.
• The Garnacha grape, which is also used to make some types of La Manchuela wines, is one of the oldest varieties in the world. According to some reports, it can be almost 3,000 years old. This grape is generally spicy, with a mild taste on the palate, and produces wines with a relatively high alcoholic strength.
• Another grape that we can find is monastrell, which is used to make red wines, tannic wines that can have a high alcohol content. Monastrell often has notes of earth and game, as well as aromas of soft red fruits.
• Tempranillo grapes, also called tempranilla, ripen several weeks earlier than most Spanish red grape varieties. This grape is made, for example, from ‘Hoya del Carmen’ wine, which combines fruitiness and has the colour of cherry and violet border with an intense aroma of red and violet fruits.

We can talk endlessly about the wines of La Manchuela. There is no doubt that whatever type of La Manchuela wine you choose, you will be accompanied by a sense of joy, and the bright sun of La Mancha will permeate you from beginning to end. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For the different types of wines in La Manchuela, One sip is worth a thousand books.