The Meseta
Almost two-thirds of all Spain’s vineyards are on these arid, lifted plains. Until just a few years ago, wine mavens worldwide agreed that nothing of quality was made here. But 
how wrong we all were. Spain’s first three DO Pagos, Dominio de Valdepusa, Finca Élez, and Guijoso, are found in this area, and now there are a total of eight. Why here? The northern portion of the Meseta pitches its arid plateau to the edges of the Meseta Central and the Sistema Ibérico; the vineyards might be hot and dry, but they often lie at high altitudes, and nighttime temperatures can be mild as a result. Old and secretly venerated vines have probably been used for decades to enrich the blends from other, better-known areas that may best remain nameless.
But revolutionary forces are only now forming. For the moment, Airén remains the most widely planted grape at over 70% of the vineyards. Within the larger region is an absurdly unmanageable large DO, La Mancha, and nearly half of the vineyards of the DO aren’t allowed to use the DO on their label. Confused? Don’t be; it speaks well of the DO rules that merely being from an area doesn’t guarantee a producer the DO status. Many improvements are happening in this region, but more are needed.
As with the other larger viticultural delineations we've outlined here, this vast region (almost 150,000 square miles) offers only a shorthand view of the geography, climate, morphology, and culture that influences the wines made within it. Indeed, as with the other six categories this website uses to organize the 70–plus DOs of Spain, the canvas is being painted with an absurdly large brush. The Meseta itself is divided by the Cordillera Central (both the Meseta Central and the Sistema Ibérico) into the north and the south, and politically Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid, and Extremadura are all very different places, though they are lumped together here. Our apologies for this, but the famous Cervantes description of the Meseta, "nine months of winter and three months of inferno" (Is that hell or just hellish heat?), is apt throughout many of the vineyards. Still these vineyards don't suffer from moisture pressures, sun is never in short supply, and a few rivers (the Tajo and the Guadiana, principally) offer sufficient water for agricultural vocations.
The wines of the VT or VdlT appellation known as Vino de la Tierra de Castilla are built upon both new plantings and existing vineyards and
take advantage of the more liberal EU policy towards drip irrigation. Perhaps it's useful to think of this as the Midi of Spain, and as with France’s Midi, a focus upon varietals is fueling a turnabout in which these wines may become some of the most familiar Spanish wines to Americans. But which varieties? Bordeaux varieties don't have much purpose here, though there are a few bottlings, and Tempranillo doesn't flourish, though it is widely grown as Cencibel. Growers will insist that Cencibel is different from Tempranillo, a thicker-skinned clone of the grape that elicits differently colored wines. Grapes such as Garnacha, Bobal, and Monastrell are probably more at home in this heat.
But big, perhaps too big, remains a theme: if the Meseta is too large to encapsulate in a few paragraphs, so too DOs like La Mancha or even Ribera del Guadiana resist their own snapshot portraits. Think of these descriptions below as thumbnails on your computer's desktop, lacking richness of detail but offering a simple image for quick recognition.
DO Almansa
This relatively large region (about 18,000 acres—large by most world standards) but one that has only a handful of producers. Like the rest of the Meseta, this is elevated property (nearly 2,500 feet) and enjoys fairly uniform soils of limestone and clay, though the Mediterranean's influence is felt here a bit more than in the rest of the DOs. Some consider it part of the Levante, and though its winters are less harsh than its neighbors on the tabletop, its climate and morphology share more in common with the rest of the Meseta.
For further information, visit DO Almansa Website. (Only available in Spanish)
DO La Mancha
With almost 450,000 acres of vineyard, this isn't quite the largest demarcated wine region in the world; the U.S. might own that title with its ridiculously large Ohio River Valley. Perhaps Australia deserves possession of the crown with its so-called Southeastern Australian wine region, on a line almost randomly drawn across a swath of that continent. At least the Spanish can show that La Mancha has a common identity of sorts, a relatively limited number of grapes and mutual challenges among its many growers. Though grape producers are not all in the same business, about three–quarters are growing Airén for brandy production. A few of them are now making crisp, pleasant little white wines out of that quiet little grape, and though only about five percent of the region's production is bottled at this time, there are some large wine companies jumping in. Though the EU overlords make no secret of their intention to reduce Airén's acreage, the grape just might find a new life as something other than grist for Spanish brandy's mill.
For further information, visit DO La Mancha Website.
DO Manchuela
Although Airén has featured here in the past, the DO's first move upon receiving its new status in 2000 was to bar Airén grapes from its officially demarcated wines. That leaves red grapes as the primary source of wine: Bobal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cencibel, Garnacha, Merlot, Monastrell, and Syrah. The traditional grapes often are used for doble pasta wines, which are similar to Italian governo or ripasso wines where the lees and pomace are reused in a second batch of wine to intensify the character and richness of the finished wine. But those are wines of another era; more modern wines, it is hoped, will find international markets. The DO has promised new planting rights to its vitivinicultors; consequently, the size of this DO is expected to double or triple in the next decade.
For further information, visit DO Manchuela Website.
DO Méntrida
Separated from the beautiful city of Toledo by the Tajo River, Méntrida is a vast, flat and sandy expanse crowded with Garnacha, with a few other vines such as Tempranillo, Albillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Madrid is just to the northeast; the reds and rosados have a ready market there.
For further information, visit DO Méntrida Website.
DO Mondéjar
This much smaller DO is comprised of chalky hills alternating with sandy clay valleys, reaching into the elevated foothills of the Sistema Iberíco. A few vineyards can be found at elevations of nearly 3,000 feet, but the region is still a work in progress and one with a strong potential.
For further information, visit Wines from Spain Website.
DO Ribera del Guadiana
A big chunk of Spain that covers much of the larger area known as Extremadura, this sprawling DO is more or less bounded in the north by the River Guadiana, though the "banks" of the river account for only a small portion of that expanse. Calcareous clay and sands provide a solid if dry underpinning for the cacophonous mix of vines: Alarije, Alicante, Bobal, Borba, Cayetana Blanca, Cigüente,
Eva, Garnacha, Graciano, Malvar, Mazuelo, Mencía, Monastrell, Montua, Moscatel, Pardina, Parelleda, Pedro Ximénez, Perruno, Tempranillo, Verdejo, and Viura, as well as such international varieties as Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapegrowing and winemaking have flourished here since Roman times, and the city of Mérida includes an amphitheatre, an aqueduct, bridges, a circus, and a hippodrome from those long–gone imperialists. The Roman presence is still evoked in the ancient wine called pitarra in which the fermentation must is a raucous mix of grapes, skins, stems, and even stalks.
For further information, visit DO Ribera del Guadiana Website.
DO Ribera del Júcar
The DO comprises over 20,000 acres of vines carved from out of the eastern zone of DO La Mancha, much of it along or at least near the banks of the Júcar River. Riverbed soils offer ideal drainage in spots, with classic calcareous clay soils throughout most of the vineyards that wind along as a plateau at around 1,800 feet in elevation. The altitude helps mitigate the summer's extreme temperatures, as does the river's proximity, but winters can still be quite cold. Cencibel and Bobal are the most widely planted grapes; Muscat à Petits Grains (Moscatel) is the dominant white grape.
For further information, visit DO Ribera del Júcar Website.
DO Uclés
Almost equidistant between the towns of Toledo and Cuenca, this small DO is another one carved out from the larger La Mancha DO. The vineyards total less than 5,000 acres, though the region itself is far larger. The Sierra de Altomira runs down its center separating the lower western portion (up to 2,600 feet high) from the much higher eastern region (as high as nearly 4,000 feet); most of the vineyards top out at 2,600 feet. Uclés is among the more extreme climates on the Meseta; a range of temperatures from almost 0°F in the winter to nearly 110°F in the summer is typical.
For further information, visit Wines from Spain Website.
DO Valdepeñas
The DO offers nearly 70,000 acres of Garnacha, Cencibel, Airén, and Macabeo that have a centuries–long legacy of international popularity, as well as a yoyo-ing qualitative and value perception. The "valley of the stones" is as stony as advertised, along with chalk, clay, mountains, and hills at the point where the Meseta meets the Mediterranean vineyard region. If it seems too warm for Tempranillo (Cencibel), that never seemed to discourage the Rioja wineries who once came shopping here, at least until the modern era. As with the rest of the Meseta, the heat of summer (over 100°F is not unusual) tells only part of the story; winters see snows and temperatures as low as 10°F, despite the proximity to the Spain's southern coast.
For further information, visit DO Valdepeñas Website.
DO Vinos de Madrid
Once the alluvial plains around the bustling city of Madrid contained enough grapevines to drown the city's thirst, but all that bustle has pushed the vineyards farther and farther away. The carafes and porróns of the city's bodegas have been filled with Valdepeñas and Rioja wines for over a century, instead of the local fare, but DO Pagos such as Guijoso, Valdepusa, and Finca Élez are bringing luster to vineyards that traditionally have been ignored. Clay and chalk tossed together over granite offer a worthy foundation for the vines, but any drinker looking for quality has seen only feast or famine since the DO's creation in 1990. It would be reasonable to expect the DO's consistency to change for the better soon.
For further information, visit DO Vinos de Madrid Website.
Pago Calzadilla
Located on top of a hillside at Huete just outside the DO La Mancha, the estate was launched in 1980 by a husband and wife team from Madrid, both returning to their familial roots. They grow Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot.
Pago Campo de la Guardia
If you’re driving due south on the A-4 from Madrid, you'll eventually run into one of the estates owned by the Familie Martúe who, like Falcó, own wineries in other parts of the country. Their vineyards, some planted as early as 1989, include Temparnillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, and Malbec.
Pago Casa del Blanco
Just north of the DO Valdepeñas in the town of Manzanares, Casa del Blanco has been growing grapes since 1854. Today the estate wines are bottled as "QuiXote Wines," and the producers talk about the unique terrain with higher antioxidant and lithium compounds (they note that lithium is "used in antidepressive medicine"). The fact that they own more than 350 acres of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Garnacha, Airén, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Moscatel (Muscat à Petits Grains) might be enough to lift most spirits. And living next door to Membrilla, the town that gives the world one of the most delightful jellies known to man, can't hurt either.
Pago Dehesa del Carrizal
World–traveling Cabernet Sauvignon enthusiast Marcial Gómez Sequeira decided in 1987 to give the grape a try on his hillside estate in the Montes de Toledo ranges. As with several of these estates, the road led to Carlos Falcó, who was the initial producer of the wines. Now the estate grows Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot, and Chardonnay as well.
Pago Dominio de Valdepusa
Some in the wine industry regard Carlos Falcó (Marqués de Griñón, owner of Dominio de Valdepusa and other estates) as an upstart, a cardsharp who has outplayed some of the older hands in the game. There's no doubt that the DO Pago law has benefited Falcó's ambitions and that Falcó was instrumental in the law's passage. But the proof (or lack thereof) will always be in the wines. Valdepusa's wines are exceptional. Upstart? Well, yes, the winery wasn’t built until1989, but some of the Cabernet vines were planted in 1974, and the estate has been in the family since the thirteenth century. Early Chardonnay plantings were replaced by Petit Verdot, joining Syrah, Graciano, and the expanded Cabernet vines at this pretty, traditional–styled estate along the Tajo River.
Pago Finca Élez
Along with Dominio de Valdepusa, this was the first of the DO Pagos to receive official approval. Élez’s vineyards, planted at over 3,500 feet in elevation, include Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah over 85 acres. The elevation affords milder summers and winters than regions around it, but also sees some of the most extreme daytime/nighttime variations of any winery on the Meseta. Founder, actor, and director Manuel Manzaneque first planted these vines on sandy limestone, marl, and clay in 1992, and he and his children continue the legacy today.
Pago Florentino
North of Ciudad Real, Florentino Arzuaga built this estate, not for wine but for world–class olive oil production. The family already owned a grand estate in Ribera del Duero, but the little town of Malagón in La Mancha was the site of their vineyard, called Finca La Solana. Tempranillo, Syrah, and Petit Verdot were planted ii 1997, and the first wines were produced in 2002. Up until now the wines have been comprised only of Tempranillo.
Pago Guijoso
Just a few miles east of Élez and at a barely lower elevation (3,000 feet), Guijoso offers modern wines from popular international varieties (Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, and Chardonnay) with only small amounts of Tempranillo. This DO Pago earns its name from the smooth river rocks found in the vineyards which are called guijos.” The River Pinilla begins nearby and eventually pours into the Laguna Blanca, which is part of the headwaters of the River Guadiana. The estate includes a massive army of solar panels, and these supply the power not only for the estate but for the neighboring town of El Bonillo, population 4,000.
The wines of the VT or VdlT appellation known as Vino de la Tierra de Castilla are built upon both new plantings and existing vineyards and take advantage of the more liberal EU policy towards drip irrigation. Perhaps it's useful to think of this as the Midi of Spain, and as with France’s Midi, a focus upon varietals is fueling a turnabout in which these wines may become some of the most familiar Spanish wines to Americans. But which varieties? Bordeaux varieties don't have much purpose here, though there are a few bottlings, and Tempranillo doesn't flourish, though it is widely grown as Cencibel. Growers will insist that Cencibel is different from Tempranillo, a thicker-skinned clone of the grape that elicits differently colored wines. Grapes such as Garnacha, Bobal, and Monastrell are probably more at home in this heat.
