Central Spain: Tempranillo and Beyond

Central Spain is a distinctly homogeneous area, geographically speaking. The majority of its red wines are made entirely, or in large part, from Tempranillo, which is Spain’s single most esteemed variety and the grape that most often places the country among the world’s elite wine-growing regions. Central Spain’s white wines are fairly uniform in varietal makeup as well, with the Verdejo grape taking center stage. 

Tackling the complex subject of “Spanish wine” has never been easy given the vast number of regions that stretch from one side of the country to the other. In the interest of efficiency, we have divided the country into several macro regions: Northern Spain (mostly white wines with an Atlantic influence as well as some lighter, high-acid reds), Central Spain (more continental in climate and the home of the Tempranillo variety), and Mediterranean Spain (a bit more of a mixed bag, as this area includes brawny, high-octane wines with a distinctly southern twang as well as brighter, more elegant wines from Catalonia). Because of its sheer number of high quality wines, Rioja is covered separately. Sherry, another unique Spanish vinous treasure, will be the subject of a forthcoming article.

2015 Tempranillo in Pesquera de Duero, almost ready to go

Getting a Lay of the Land

Given its topography, very little Spanish vineyard land can be considered low-lying. The country is basically an elevated plateau. Except for some vineyards in Rías Baixas in the extreme northwest, all of the major grape-growing regions of the country are planted at elevations that ensure dry, windy conditions. That greatly diminishes the risk of rot, not to mention pest issues and, as a result, Spain benefits from having some of the oldest vineyards on earth. Much of this region is essentially a single big, sprawling vineyard broken up by villages and cities, as anybody who has driven west from Valencia to the Portuguese border can attest. In fact, this area, most of which is known as Castilla-La Mancha, is the most heavily planted wine region in the world, comprising nearly 1.2 million acres of vines. About 50% of Spain’s grapes are grown here, which means just over 16% of all the grapes grown in Europe. You won’t be reading about the wines (or the distilled spirits that are based on them) that come from most of these sites and, believe me, that’s a good thing.

Central Spain: The Mother Lode of Tempranillo