In 1999 the Parliament of Castilla-La Mancha approved the Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla Geographical Indication for the wines that are produced with grapes from this autonomous community. The goal behind the initiative is to facilitate its identification for consumers that are in search of different wines to those of the designation of origin and table wines. This new indication has been welcomely embraced by the wine industry.
Approval of the Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla indication has been the wine industry’s great wager on finding an instrument that would boost and promote the possibilities of the wineries in that pertaining to commercialization of the wines that are produced in Castilla-La Mancha to a maximum. The Law on which this indication is based allows using the same for all the wines that have been fully obtained with wines produced within the territory of the Region. The idea of starting up this indication was initially a surprise in the agricultural world, as it meant breaking with the established conventions. For the first time ever Castilla-La Mancha took the initiative in the revolution that the world of wine in Spain is undergoing, creating a regional wine, a product that can compete under equal conditions on the international markets, as its possibilities of adapting to the tastes of the consumers are immense.
The result of approving this emblem has been the possibility of a strategic ability to access the markets for the tremendous amount of wine that is produced in Castilla-La Mancha -approximately 10 million hectolitres- that is not included in any of the Designations of Origin, the same being commercialized as common table wine. In view of the great possibilities that have opened up for the industry, the main wine producing groups of Spain have made a series of important investments in the acquisition of wineries or vineyards to include the Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla in their productions.
Acceptance of the specification Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla to identify this geographical indication was the result of a process of consensus with the different agricultural organizations, wineries and cooperatives, the same in view of the fact that they could not identify them with the Castilla-La Mancha indication as it coincided in part with the already existing designation of origin.
Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla are wines that are not included in the exclusive Designations of Origin, although in no way does this mean that their quality is lacking. Apart from the fact that a good number of them could actually aspire to this distinction, as most of these wines are from areas with a great wine producing tradition.
In the case of the consumer, these wines represent an excellent way of enjoying good wines at reasonable prices and, in turn, they can have all sorts of information about the wines that the regulation would normally not offer for modest table wines; said information would be the Indication of the Geographical area of Origin, the varieties of grapes that are used and the year in which they were produced (harvest or vintage year). Also, strict traceability controls are ensured in its production.
Varieties
Standing out among the red wine grapes used are the Bobal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Grenache, Merlot, Monastrell, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Tempranillo, Cencibel or Jacivera varieties, which are complemented with the Coloraíllo, Frasco, Grenache Tintorera, Bitter Moravia, Sweet Moravia or Crujidera, Negral or Tinto Basto and Tinto Velasco varieties
The main white wine grape varieties that are used are Airén, Albillo, Chardonnay, Macabeo or Viura, Malvar and Sauvignon Blanc, complemented with the Merseguera or Meseguera, Small Grain Muscat, Pardillo or Marisancho, Pedro Ximénez and Torrontés grape varieties.