Wine from Valdepenas

Located in Ciudad Real, which is a province in Castile-La Mancha, Valdepenas is a wine region that is surrounded by La Mancha, which is an independent region with a very long history as far as wine making is concerned.  Known for mixing red and white grapes, the most well-loved vineyards are located in Los Llanos in the western part of the region, and Las Aberturas which is located in the north or Valdepenas. There are 29,600 hectares of vines in the region.

The continental climate in the region is quite extreme with cold winters and very hot summers. Classified as semi-arid the temperatures can reach up to 104° in the summer and are considered semi-arid. During the winter it is not unusual for the mercury to drop to 14°. Drought is not unusual during the warmer months, while frosts can occur during the late spring and early fall.

The region is located on top of a plateau, and surrounded by lush hills. The soil in Valdepenas has a high lime content, and is on top of a subsoil of calcium carbonate meaning good moisture retaining properties. The soil is poor in organic matter, and very pebbly. It is shallow and dark red in color with a high lime content, which often forms hard crusty layers that have to be broken up to help the roots penetrate.