AN INTRODUCTION TO GRANDES PAGOS DE ESPAÑA
GREEN SPAIN REGION
EBRO RIVER VALLEY REGION
CATALONIA REGION
MEDITERRANEAN REGION
MESETA CENTRAL REGION
SOUTH REGION
ISLANDS REGION
Welcome to The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España. This study guide is a companion to the classes and includes key background information on GPE and Spain. To organize the course, we have divided Spain into eight regions according to similar historical, geographical and cultural characteristics. There is an introduction to each region that will enhance understanding of the elements of terroir covered in the classes, and is best read before attending.
The guide will be updated periodically with current information.
GRANDES PAGOS – A TERROIR MISSION
Founded in 2000, Grandes Pagos de España is a non-profit association of 34 prestigious wineries dedicated to single-estate production across Spain. Membership in Grandes Pagos is based on rigorous selection criteria for viticulture and winemaking excellence on the level of a pago, a delineated vineyard parcel that is the ultimate terroir designation in Spain. Grandes Pagos de España aims to defend the unique, terroir-driven personality of single-estate wines, to uphold and promote the ethos of Spanish winemaking, and to make wines of excellence in harmony with the soil, nature and climate of each vineyard. Just launched, The Terroir Workshop by Grandes Pagos de España (currently available in the U.S. and Mexico) explores Spanish terroir in the context of history, science, geography, language and people.
KEYPILLARS
1. To make and promote pago wines of the highest quality, made with distinct personality and respectfortheirterroiroforigin
2. Todefendthecultureandqualityofpagowinesthroughouttheworld
3. TopreserveanddevelopthebesttraditionsofSpanishvineyardsandwinemaking
4. Toadvancethescientificandtechnicaldevelopmentofwinemakingandcultivationtechniques
5. Topromoteconstantinterchangebetweenmemberstoadvanceviticultureandwinemaking
HISTORY- INSERT TIMELINE
Grandes Pagos de Castilla is founded by five estates
Collaboration with Spanish government to add single estate wines (Vino de Pago) to national wine law
Grandes Pagos de España is renamed and expands beyond Castilla with 12 member estates
Grandes Pagos has grown to 34 wineries TODAY
OUR MEMBER WINERIES
HISTORY
HISTORY- INSERT TIMELINE
At the turn of the 21st Century, a group of five producers of single-estate wines came together with a shared vision and mission for the future of Spanish winemaking. The establishment of Grandes Pagos de Castilla in 2000 laid the foundation for a new association of winemakers dedicated to high-quality, single-estate wine production. By 2004, the group had grown beyond Castilla to 12 estates known as Grandes Pagos de España. The exponential growth in the years since is a testimony to the collective value of preserving terroir and single vineyard origins in modern winemaking: As of 2024, Grandes Pagos de España includes 34 wineries.
THE GRANDS CRUS OF SPAIN
Criteria for Admission to Grandes Pagos de España
To be eligible for GPE membership, wines must come from an exceptional estate and single vineyard, have a track record of industry recognition for at least five years, and receive the highest ratings from established wine critics and competitions. New members must pass a rigorous inspection and quality testing process. Existing members are subject to annual blind tasting evaluations conducted by an independent External Expert Tasting Committee (CCEC). These evaluations ensure quality continually meets the GPE’ standards of membership, which can be revoked if a winerynolongermeetsthecriteria.
ESPAÑA
DENOMINACIONES DE ORIGEN
Vino de Pago vs. Grandes Pagos de España (GPE)
VinodePago isawineclassificationestablishedin2003bythe Spanishgovernmenttorecognizeselectestateswithspecialsoil structure. The Vino de Pago legal requirements are based primarily on soil composition. In contrast, GPE membership requires a track record of the highest quality as defined by benchmarks like style, balance, terroir reflection and outstanding winery values. Not all Vino de Pago wineries are GPE members (and vice versa), however, the two designations have a close relationship; many of the GPE founding members advocatedforthenationallegislationthatledtothecreationof theVinodePagodesignation.
OBJECTIVES
Excellence
In keeping with Grandes Pagos de España's maxim of maintaining the highest level of quality, personality and uniqueness of its member wines, an External Committee of Expert Tasters is entrusted with the continuous evaluation of all the wines of the associated wineries, which must be submitted at least onceayearoreverytimethereisachangeofvintage.
This is done by means of a blind tasting, requiring a minimumscoreof16pointsonascaleof20.
Education
Grandes Pagos de España offers an extensive educational program to certify knowledge of Spanish terroir. GPE has forged relationships with leading sommelier and trade organizations, to support an expansive educational focus including Spanish terroir, history, culture and gastronomy supported by two levels of custom coursework for professionals.. GPE has just launched The Terroir Workshop to support globaleducationfortradeandconsumers.
Exchange of Knowledge
GPE membership builds community engagement and collaboration through a “network of knowledge” to exchange ideas. Exclusively for members, the program includes regular regional tastings, wine region immersion trips, winemaker collaboration, expert seminars and discussions on technical subjects, global exportsandmarketing.
Sustainability
GPE is committed to sustainability and environmental preservation. Many GPE estates are located in specially protected natural areas: 26 of the 34 member wineries practice organic viticulture (13 are certified), and three wineries practice biodynamic viticulture (two are certified). GPE provides resources and guidelines to reinforceresponsibleenvironmentalpractices.
ABOUT SPAIN
GEOGRAPHY
SpainisborderedtothewestbyPortugalandtothenortheast by France. From France, it is separated only by the small principality of Andorra and by the impressive Pyrenees Mountains. Spain’s only other land border is in Gibraltar to the south,anenclaveunderBritishrulethatbelongedtoSpainuntil 1713, until ceded to Great Britain after the War of the Spanish Succession. On all other borders, the Spanish mainland is surroundedbywater:theAtlanticOceantothenorthwestand southwest; the Mediterranean Sea to the east and southeast; and the Bay of Biscay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, to the north. Other parts of Spain include The Canary (Canarias) Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, near the northwestern African mainland; the Balearic (Baleares) Islands in the Mediterranean; and Ceuta and Melilla, two small provinces in northern MoroccothathavebeenSpanishdomainsforcenturies.
Spainisarelativelysmalllandmass(similarintotalsurfacearea to the state of Texas) but its unique geography and climatic situationallowforconsiderableregionaldiversityinlandscape, culture,historyandevenlanguage.Forteachingpurposes,GPE groups Spain into 8 regions with common traits, as follows: Green Spain, Meseta North, Ebro River Valley, Catalonia, Mediterranean,MesetaCentral,SouthandTheIslands.
CLIMATE
Spain is characterized by three distinct climate zones: maritime, continental and mountainous, defined by a range of humid, semi-arid and arid conditions. Overall, climate conditions are complex supporting a wide range of wine varietiesandstyles.Proximitytocounteringinfluencesfromthe Atlantic Ocean and North Africa expose winegrowers to both maritime and sub-Saharan influences. The northern Pyrenees and Cantabrian mountain ranges play an important role in the Spanish climate, holding the warm, dry subtropical airstream from Africa over Spain during the summer months and blockingmoisturefromreachingtheinterior.
THE DO SYSTEM
InadditiontoVinodePago,Spainhasmanywinedesignations basedonsharedcriteriasuchasgeography,climateinfluences, style and cultural ties. These include the well-known Denominación de Origen (DO) classification, primarily delineated by geographic boundaries but which also includes Cava,theméthodetraditionelleforsparklingwinesapprovedin variouspartsofSpain.GPEisaninclusiveorganizationwithno requirementforotherclassificationamongtheirwineriesapart frommeetingtheorganization’sstrictcriteriaformembership.
SPANISH WINE CLASSIFICATION
Denominación de Origen or DO is the equivalent of the European Union classification Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP)createdin2016.Eithertermmaybeusedlegally(andinterchangeably)onSpanishwinelabels,thougheventuallyDOP willbeusedexclusively.
DENOMINACIÓN DE ORIGEN (DO)
DOP
Vinos de Pago: The highest category for single-estate wines. Grapes must be cultivated exclusively from the pago.
Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) or (DOQ in Catalan): wines at high levels of quality with a minimum of 10 years as a DO. Subject to stricter regulations than DO, there are two in Spain: DOCa Rioja and DOQ Priorat.
Denominación de Origen (DO): Quality wines from a delimited production area and with production standards certified and overseen by a local Regulatory Council (Consejo Regulador).
Vinos de Calidad con DO (VC): Wines from a geographic area seeking full DO status
IGP
Vino de la Tierra (VdT): IndicaciónGeográficaProtegida(IGP)isthetermcreatedbytheEuropean Union,equivalenttotheSpanishVinodelaTierra(VdT).Bothtermscanbelegallyusedonwine labels.Thesewinesarehighquality,butregulationsarelessstringentthanaDO.Atleast85%ofthe productionmustcomefromtheprotectedzone,withupto15%fromotherareas.
VINO (De Mesa)
VinoTinto,VinoBlancoorVinorosado:ThisistheformerVinodeMesa,ortablewinecategory. Winescanbesourcedfromanygeographicarea.
ABOUT SPAIN (Continued)
GENERAL HISTORY
Due to its geographical location, Spain has a rich, often complex history with many overlapping cultural influences. FromtheRoman,GermanicandMoorishoccupationstothe Christian reconquista — to the Spanish Civil War and the dictatorshipofFranciscoFrancointoitsprosperousmodern era — Spain has been the site for some of history’s most dynamic fusions of culture, language and religion. The legacy of Spanish winemaking, equally fascinating, has followedthistrajectorythroughoutthecenturies.
Early Days
Prehistoric traces of human occupation in Spain have been recorded as far back as 780,000 years, with the appearance of modern humans (H. sapiens) by 35,000 BCE. While there is evidence of grape cultivation between 4000-3000 BC, Spanish wine history was more formally established by 1100 BC when the Phoenicians founded the southwestern trading post of Cádiz. During classical antiquity, wine-growing culture took hold under successive colonizations by Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans. The native Iberian people trace their ancestry to the Spanish Ibero, the prehistoric people of southern and eastern Spain. Waves of migrating Celtic peoples from the 8th to 6th century BC also settled in northern and central Spain, with strongtiestoGalicia.Celt-Iberiancultureandlanguagewas defeated by Rome after 200 BC, who established Latin cultureasthedominantforce.
Roman Spain
The Roman conquest of Iberia began in 218 BC, which led to RomandominationoftheIberianPeninsula(calledHispania)for more than 600 years. Under Roman occupation, Hispania developed a more centralized infrastructure and public works, suchasaroadsystem,aqueducts,theaters,bathsandthebasis ofacommonlanguage.RemnantsofRomaninfluencecanstill be found in Spain today, such as the aqueduct of Segovia. Under Roman rule, Spanish wine was widely exported and traded throughout the empire, with two principal wine-producingregionsinmodern-dayTarragonatothenorth andAndalucíainthesouth.
Visigothic Spain
Throughout the 5th century, Roman rule began to destabilize as Germanic tribes crossed the Pyrenees. By 410 AD, the Visigoths,SueviandtheVandalshadgainedsignificantcontrol across the Peninsula. In 542 AD, Visigoth rulers established Toledo as the capital of their kingdom. The Visigoths were Christians who tolerated wine, but little is known about the viticultureofthisera.
Moorish Spain
In 711 AD, Spanish history took a significant turn when the Moors conquered the Peninsula from North Africa. For more than 700 years after, the Moors held the chief power over Al-Andalus, the name given to Muslim territory. Southern Spanish cities like Córdoba, Sevilla and Granada were the epicenters of Moorish influence, where the greatest concentrationofMoorishartandarchitecturecanstillbefound today. During this period, wine consumption was discouraged under Moorish law. However, in practice, many caliphs and emirs were known to own vineyards and drink wine, and wine productionandtradecontinuedwithnon-Muslimneighbors.
Christian Reconquista & Catholic Spain
The Reconquista (or Reconquest), in medieval Spain and Portugal,referstoaseriesofcampaignsbyChristiankingdoms to recapture territory from the Moors. As Christian influence gradually rose across Spain through the Late Middle Ages, the widespread exportation and consumption of wine resumed, with Bilbao to the north as a booming trading port. The reconquista of Spain lasted for more than seven centuries before the 1492 marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella united the territories of Aragón and Castile, laying the foundation of a modern Spanish nation. The two monarchs completed the reconquistaandlaunchedtheSpanishInquisitiontopersecute, exile or convert Muslim and Jewish citizens. Ferdinand and Isabella also funded the voyage of Christopher Columbus to “discover”theAmericas,whichledtothecreationofaSpanish empireoverseas—andanewglobalexportmarketforwine.
The Rise & Fall of the Spanish Empire
ThediscoveryoftheAmericasusheredinagoldeneraof colonialexpansionandglobalpowerforSpain.Aspartof thecolonizationofindigenousterritoriesintheAmericas, conquistadors such as Cortés and Pizarro also brought EuropeanvinestotheNewWorld,asourceofnewfound wealth. The Spanish Empire continued to flourish under thereignofPhillipII(1556-98),whichestablishedMadrid as the new capital of Spain. In 1588, Phillip II launched the Spanish Armada with the intention of overthrowing Queen Elizabeth I’s Protestant rule in England. The Spanish navy lost badly, which marked the beginning decline of Spain’s financial prosperity. In debt, Spain grew more dependent on income from its colonies, including wine exports, but the emergence of growing wineindustriesintheNewWorldlowereddemand.Philip IIIandsucceedingmonarchsissueddecreesorderingthe uprooting of New World vineyards, which halted wine productioninthecolonies.
Spain’s financial decline was exacerbated by involvement in other international conflicts over the following centuries — such as the Thirty Years War, Franco-Spanish Wars and World War I — and ongoing domestic conflict between regions across Spain. As a result,theprogressofSpanishwinemakingfellbehind.In the mid-1800s, a phylloxera outbreak decimated other Europeanvineyards(includingwinemakingpowerhouses likeFrance)butmostlysparedSpain,whichusheredinan era of innovation and cross-cultural learning with Bordeaux, Champagne and other regions for Spanish winemaking. The phylloxera outbreak reached Spain in thelate1800s,resultinginconsiderablevineyardlosses, but somewhat contained by the emergence of treatment options such as rootstock grafting over the same time period. Despite political conflicts, some of Spain’s most historic wine estates were founded in this era. The end of the 19th century also saw the rise of Spain's sparkling wine industry with Codorniú’s developmentofCavainCatalonia.
Spanish Civil War & General Franco
In 1936, a military coup d’etat against the Second Spanish Republic signaled the start of the Spanish Civil War. Led by the fascist General Francisco Franco, Nationalist forces eventually defeated the Republicans and assumed governmental control in 1939. The chaos of the Spanish Civil War decimated vineyards and wineries throughout the country. World War II caused furtherdeclineinSpanishwineexports.Francoremained in power in Spain until 1975, and his dictatorship significantly delayed the country’s post-war development, notably in rural areas known for their viticulturalproduction.
Modern Spain
FollowingFranco’sdeath,JuanCarlosIwascrownedKing of Spain in 1975, and the shift to a constitutional monarchy led to the creation of the modern Spain’s constitution in 1979. Spain is divided into 19 autonomías or independent states (examples include Castilla y León, Andalucía and Catalonia), and further divided into 50 provinces to oversee state-level and provincial administrative affairs. The national capital of Spain is in Madrid and the current President is Pedro Sánchez Pérez-CastejónfromtheSocialistParty.
Spain entered what is now the European Union in 1986, allowingforneweconomicopportunitiesforwinemakers andarenewedemphasisonqualitywineproduction.With Spanish borders open, winemakers were able to travel and study worldwide. New investment in viticulture and technologyalsofacilitatedqualitygrowth.Throughoutthe 1990s, the Spanish agricultural ministry oversaw the creation of multiple new DOs, allowing regional authorities under the Consejo Regulador system to implement standards including allowed varieties, yields, aging,irrigationandstyles.Bytheturnofthe21stcentury, the prevalence of premium wines began to outpace that ofgenericSpanishbulkwines.
Today, Spain is a global wine leader with the most vineyard surface of any wine-producing country and a reputation for a quality, terroir-driven culture epitomized by classifications such as Vino de Pago. With its vibrant culture, art and history, Spain is also an emerging destination for enotourism with significant investment in local tasting rooms, lodging, hospitality and transportationnetworkstohostwinelovers.
MESETA NORTH REGION
HISTORY
MESETA NORTH REGION
Thegreatnorthern plateau of Spain encompasses all nineprovincesofCastilla y León and 13 DOs, includingRiberadel Duero, Bierzo,RuedaandToro.
Winemaking has existed in Meseta North for 2,500 years, as recorded by an early Roman mosaic of Bacchus unearthed in Burgos, one of the four main provinces of Ribera del Duero. Wine flourished under the Romans, with cultivation tracing the path of settlements throughout the Duero River Valley. Meseta North is home to many beautiful towns and monuments,includingÁvilawithitsimpressivetown walls and cathedral; Segovia, home to a Roman aqueduct and the castle which inspired Disney’s Magic Kingdom; the university town of Salamanca, one of the oldest in Europe; and the royal city of Valladolid,aroyalcapitalofQueenIsabellaandKing Ferdinand, los reyes católicos who defeated the Moors in 1492 and funded the voyages of Christopher Columbus to conquer the New World. By the 13th century, wine production gained momentum to support the northern pilgrim trail knownastheCaminodeSantiago.Monksandvines lived in harmony for generations. In the late 19th century, phylloxera forced replanting throughout northernSpain,followedbyalongperiodofpolitical unrestmarkedbytheSpanishCivilWar,WorldWars and the economic isolation of the Franco years. Sparsely populated, Meseta North took longer to recoverthanotherareasofSpain.Therestorationof themonarchyandconstitutionaldemocracyin1975 launched a new quality era in modern Spanish winemaking, driven further by Spain’s entry to the European Union in 1986. Local winemaking gained considerable momentum in the mid-1980’s as global wine critics like Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate lauded the considerable quality of Ribera delDueroandotherareasfavoredbyproximitytothe DueroRiver.
MESETA NORTH REGION
TERROIR
GEOGRAPHY: Landscape and Elevation
The landscape consists mainly of plateaux (or meseta), low-lying hills with the westward flow of the Duero River as a defining feature. The highest elevations are in DO Ribera del Duero, where plantings back up to the Iberian Mountains, with vines reaching up to 2,600 feet along a 70-mile stretch of the Duero River. Many vineyards are planted on rolling hills, with many exposures surrounded by rocks, pine trees, thyme and woodland scrub. The prevalence of vineyard planting on hillside slopes allows for favorable resultsinacidityandstructure.
SOILS
Vineyards found at higher elevation have looser, easilyworkedsoil,whilevineyardsclosertotheriver have higher clay content. Limestone and iron content are relatively high in Ribera del Duero. Rueda vineyards are planted on flat plateaux and low-lyinghillswithmoresandyandchalksoils,and gravel.AsimilarmixiscommontoToro,withmore gravel to the west and fine sand and clay to the east.
CLIMATE
The Cantabrian Mountains block cooler, wet maritime climate to the north, keeping warm air over the Meseta. The climate is extreme, with hot, drysummersandcoldwinters.Littlerainfallsinthe summer,requiringgrowerstoadapttheirviticulture toovercomedrought.Dripirrigationallowsforclose monitoring and control. Frost can occur towards the end of harvest and late spring, requiring constantmonitoringtoprotectyields.
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
TheMesetaNorth’srichhistoryattheheartofCastillay León influences its culture and life today. The ancient Camino de Santiago has always bustled with pilgrims from around the world headed to Galicia. Cervantes wrote the first chapter of Don Quixote in Valladolid in 1603, inspired by the rolling terrain of the region, cementing the Castilian dialect as the benchmark of the Spanish language. In 1933, Hemingway hiked over the Guadarrama Mountains near Segovia, inspiring the location of For Whom the Bell Tolls. He later enjoyed the famed roast suckling pig (or cochinillo asado) at MesóndeCándidoatthebaseoftheRomanaqueduct. The restaurant still displays the menu with his autograph. Founded in the 13th century, the University of Salamanca is one of the oldest in the world, a place of learning that helped map the New World as part of the voyage of Columbus. The students enrolled in Salamanca and at many other universities in Castilla y León bring vibrant ideas and activities to the region, inspiring poetry, creative writing and ideas festivals throughouttheyear.
Wine has long accompanied other stellar ingredients and dishes from the region. Among the lengthy list of products from legumes to cheese that have an IGP or DO classification is the well-known jamón de Guijuelo, an Iberian ham that owes its delicate profile to the distinct nature of Meseta North. The long, cold dry winters and mountain winds at 3,300 feet mean that lesssaltisneededtocurethehams,whilehotsummers help infuse the flavorful, marbled fat with a sweet profile. Tapas bars abound in many cities and towns to showcase local wines and ingredients in tasty bites. However, bigger dishes like stews with local legumes (knownascaldos)andbraiseddishesarefavoriteshere to face the cold winters. Slow-roasted, wood-fired meats such as baby lamb (lechazo) are also a delicacy bred from the Churra, Castellana y Ojalada breed of sheep. On any given weekend, the asadores (or grillmasters) of the region are hard at work to roast succulent meals for visitors from Madrid and nearby cities.
KEY DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN
DO Ribera del Duero isthelargestinMesetaNorth, greatly defined by the Duero River and the complexity of 32 different soil types and many microclimates spanning the provinces of Valladolid, Burgos, Segovia and Soria. Conditions vary greatly, including higher elevations and diurnal temperature shifts that balance power and elegance in the wines. The red Tinta del País (the local name for Tempranillo)isthedominantvarietyaccountingfora minimum of 75% with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, GarnachaandMerlotalsopermitted.Thewhitegrape Albillo is permitted in red blends, and as of 2020, regulationschangedtoallowmonovarietalbottlingof Albillo. Producers strictly control yields, especially with younger vines and in areas with more vigor; prized parcels include older (40+ years of vine age) massal selections planted in goblet form and dry-farmed to produce bold, age-worthy wines. Recent trends include gentle extraction and balancedbarrelagingthatshowcasefruitoveroak.
DO Bierzo Bierzo is located in the northwest of the province of León, and borders both Galicia and Asturias. This location between the Sierra de los Ancares mountains and the plateau shelters the region from the extremes of the Atlantic and continental climates. The terraced vineyards range from 1,500 to 3,200 feet above sea level (450 to 1,000 m) planted on steep slopes of the Sil river, as well as flatter hilly areas. Over 75% of the vines are the red Mencía variety, followed by Garnacha Tintorera.Growninslate,quartziteandgranitesoilsat higher elevations, Mencía delivers fruit-forward, balanced wines with earthy notes that have become increasingly popular. Soil at lower elevations are alluvial with clay and pebbles. Rosados must include at least 70% of the approved red varieties. White wines are made with Godello and Doña Blanca, with smallamountsofPalominooftenblendedin.
DO Toro
emerged with a vibrant, modern style. The bold, rusticredsmadefromTintadeToro,thelocal Tempranillo, are evolving into more balanced, polished wines. Located in the western end of the Duero River Valley and downriver from Ribera del Duero, growing conditions are harsh with little rainfallinthegrowingseason,hotsummersandcold winters. Soils are a diverse mix of sands, gravels, clays, limestone and rounded stones and pebbles. Phylloxeranevertookholdinthesandysoils,leaving Torowithalegacyofoldvines.Parcelsofungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines produce concentrated, balanced fruit in even the most challenging years. Winemakers carefully time the harvest to moderate ripeness, using gentler extraction and less new oak to allow the freshness and fruit to come through. Rosadosaremadewiththesaignéemethod.Whites are made with Verdejo, Malvasía Castellana, MoscateldeGranoMenudoandAlbilloReal.
DO Rueda The local Verdejo grape has made DO Rueda one of Spain’s best-known regions for white wine.Firstintroducedinthe11thcentury,Verdejofell out of favor until the 1970s when efforts to make high-quality, dry white wines led to DO status in 1980. Just east of DO Toro, the Rueda territory includesmunicipalitiesintheprovincesofValladolid, ÁvilaandSegovia.Vineyardsareplantedat2,300to 2,850 feet with a continental climate. The diurnal temperature shifts support even ripening and development of Verdejo’s characteristic aromas of herbs, spice and fruit. The alluvial and diluvial stony soils are loose and well drained. Sauvignon Blanc also thrives here, and Viura, Palomino Fino, Chardonnay and Viognier are permitted to blend. The Gran Vino classification must contain at least 85% Verdejo. Several wineries have discovered the aging potential of Verdejo, creating a whole new style.Redandrosadowinesarealsopermitted,with Tempranilloastheprincipalredgrape.
Other Areas
establishedDOsintheDueroRiverValleyhaveproven to be singular terroirs and often have VdT designations. GPE member Abadía Retuerta has produced wines that have long exemplified the potential of single-estate vineyards. Abadía Retuerta recently petitioned to be recognized under Spain’s Vino de Pago designation, and now bottles wine with theDOPAbadíaRetuertalabel.
DO Cigales
DO Tierra de León
DO Bierzo
DO Arlanza
DO Ribera del Duero
DO Valtiendas (VC)
5,000 acres (2,000 ha)
3,500 acres (1,415 ha)
5,800 acres (2,350 ha)
1,110 acres (450 ha)
61,700 acres (25,000 ha)
210 acres (85 ha)
2,296-2,624 ft. (700-800 m)
2,296-2,624 ft. (700-800 m)
1,500-3,200 ft. (450-1000 m)
2,624-3,937 ft. (800-1,200 m)
2,362-3,600 ft. (720-1,100 m)
3,018 ft. (920 m)
Continental with Atlantic influence
Continental
Continental with Atlantic influence
Continental
Continental
Continental
DO Rueda
32,500 acres (13,150 ha)
DO Sierra de Salamanca (VC)
740 acres (300 ha)
DO Arribes
667 acres (270 ha)
DO Tierra del Vino de Zamora
2,000 acres (800 ha)
DO Valles de Benavente (VC)
980 acres (400 ha)
2,296-2,854 ft. (700-870 m)
1,312-3,200 ft. (400-1,000 m)
360-2,690 ft. (110-820 m)
2,296-2,953 ft. (700-900 m)
2,296-2,526 ft. (700-770m)
Continental
Humid Mediterranean
Mediterranean with Atlantic influence, Continental on the plains
Dry Continental
Dry Continental
DO Toro
13,942 acres (5,642 ha)
2,000-2,800 ft. (600-750 m)
Continental
DOP Cebreros (VC)
1,235 acres (500 ha)
2,296-3,600ft. (700-1100 m)
Mediterranean-continental
Soil types Key Reds Key Whites
Sand and limestone on clay and loam subsoil
Tempranillo, Garnacha Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Garnacha Tintorera
Verdejo, Albillo, Sauvignon Blanc Garnacha Blanca, Viura
Wine Styles
Traditionally known for rosados. Increased red production; white, sparkling styles permitted.
Terraced alluvial soils
Terraced slate, quartzite and granite at higher elevations. Alluvial materials, clay and pebbles
Plains and valleys, more clay in the north and
Prieto Picudo, Mencía
Albarín, Verdejo, Godello
32 different types
Calcareous-clay soils, with river stones
alluvial and diluvial stony soils
Terraces along the Alagón River with zones of granitic soils and slates
Steep slopes along the river are composed of primarily granites and slates.
Mencía, Garnacha Tintorera
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mencia, Cabernet Sauvignon
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Godello, Doña Blanca, Palomino
Native red Prieto Picudo produces fresh, aromatic wines with good aging potential.
Primarily known for Mencía; fresh, balanced reds.
Albillo, Viura
Albillo
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon Albillo
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon
Rufete, Tempranillo, Garnacha
Juan García, Rufete, Bruñal, Tempranillo
Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc, Viura
Viura, Moscatel Grano Menudo, Palomino
Doña Blanca, Verdejo, Albillo
Mainly reds, some rosados. Reds must be at least 80% Tempranillo.
Tinto Fino local variant of Tempranillo. Blends up to 25% other grapes permitted. Albillo permitted for whites.
Located along Duratón River in Segovia. High-altitude Tempranillo has more acidity than Ribera del Duero.
85% vineyards planted to Verdejo. Red and rosados permitted. Tempranillo is main red grape.
Located in southern Salamanca. Native Rufete variety makes crisp, fruit-forward reds.
Native Juan García grape produces aromatic, crip reds. Whites, rosados permitted.
Varied, but primarily alluvial on clay
Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha
Brown limestone and sandy loam
River stones deliver rich, ripe wines. Elsewhere, the sandier soils, some with limestone, can deliver a lighter style.
Malvasía, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Verdejo, Albillo
Mencía,Tempranillo, Prieto Picudo Verdejo, Malvasía
Mainly reds from Tempranillo. Whites, clarete and rosados are also permitted.
Originally known for lightly sparkling rosados. Rising red production; whites permitted.
Tinta de Toro, Garnacha
Granite-based soil Garnacha
Malvasia, Verdejo, Albillo Real
Tinta de Toro local variant of Tempranillo. Bold, rustic reds becoming more balanced.
Albillo Real
Established in 2019. Known for old-vine Garnacha grown at high altitude.
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