Valdepeñas Designation of Origin
History: Wine and Valdepeñas have been walking hand in hand since time immemorial. The Valdepeñas Designation of Origin was officially granted in September 8 of 1932 and its subsequent regulations date from the years 1968, 1976 and 1994, that is to say, we find ourselves before a tried and true Designation of Origin and the second best known indication amongst the people of Spain.
Geography and soil: This area is located on the southern edge of the Castilian South Submeseta, being able to consider it as within the bounds of the Campo de Montiel regions on the east and Campo de Calatrava on the west. The southern part of the area of the designation comes face to face with the foothills of Sierra Morena, and to the east and west there are mountains that reach heights of 1000 metres. The most highly valued vineyards are found in Los Llanos to the west and in Las Aberturas to the north. The total area of vineyards amounts to 29,916 hectares.
The area is seated on a plateau that is surrounded by hills with an abundance of limy, sandy and gypsum bearing soil, with the clayey soil being reddish-yellow in colour, making it particularly favourable for the cultivation of quality vines.
Climate: The climate is continental and dry, with about 80% of clear dawning days and more than 2500 hours of sunlight. Maximum temperatures exceed 40º C and minimum temperatures can drop to -10º C and even less. The mean annual temperature stands at about 16º C. Rainfall is scarce, between 200 and 400 litres a year. The number of rainy days fluctuates between 60 and 70, with more intense rainfall in the summer that tends to be short-lasted and is normally of a stormy nature.
Varieties: The red wines that are protected under the Valdepeñas Designation are exclusively produced with the Tempranillo, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot grape varieties, with Tempranillo being the main grape that is grown, occupying more than 80% of the red grape varieties area. The white grape varieties authorized in the Valdepeñas Designation of Origin are: Airén, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Verdejo, Sauvignon Blanc and Small Grain Muscat.