La Mancha

The autonomous region of Castilla-La Mancha is located in central Spain, between Madrid to the north and Andalusia to the south. The Castilla la Mancha regional appellation, already recognized in 1932, was awarded the title of Denomination of Origin in 1973. With a vineyard area of almost 450,000 hectares, Castilla la Mancha alone produces half of all Spanish wines, even though there are only eight local DOs.

Located on the Meseta Central (central plateau) of the Iberian Peninsula, the Castilla la Mancha wine appellation encompasses 182 municipalities in the four provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Toledo. It does not therefore cover the entire administrative region. The vineyards enjoy an extreme continental climate, with wide temperature variations and variable rainfall, providing the right conditions for optimal vine development. These characteristics produce magnificent results, thanks in no small part to the work of Bodega Ercavio.

The white wines of theCastilla la Mancha appellation are made from Airén, Macabeu, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Red and rosé wines are made from Tempranillo, Grenache, Moravia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. In this important Castilla la Mancha production, a distinction must be made between young wines (jóvenes) and traditional wines (tradicionales), which can be all three colors, and the higher quality red wines Crienza (barrel-aged), Reserva (aged at least 12 months in oak and 24 months in bottle) and Gran Reserva (aged at least 24 months in oak and 36 months in bottle). The appellation also produces sparkling wines.