Wine tourism in D.O. Manchuela
La Manchuela is a region of La Mancha located between the plain of La Mancha and the Serranía de Cuenca. At present, the cultivation area extends to more than 9,000 hectares, of which approximately half correspond to each of the provinces of Albacete and Cuenca. There are close to 1,000 wine growers who carry out their work in this land, combining their great know-how with advanced technology, which yields an unequalled result in the form of a singular wine. For this reason, the region of La Manchuela is sometimes referred to as “the Mesopotamia of La Mancha”, in allusion to the historic land bathed by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
A unique area for unique wines
The Manchuela Designation of Origin (D.O.) began its journey in the year 2000, a project initiated by winemakers of the region located between Cuenca and Albacete with a potential surface of 72,000 hectares of vineyard and some 70 municipalities that committed to quality and differentiated wines. D.O. Manchuela is one of the nine wine designations of origin present in Castilla-La Mancha.
Framed between the valleys of the Júcar and Cabriel rivers, La Manchuela benefits from very particular edaphoclimatic conditions (the relationship of the soil with the plants).
All this, together with the traditional cultivation systems of Manchuela with moderate productions, gives us an ideal framework to guarantee the personality and extraordinary quality of its wines
The land and the climate
From the point of view of geomorphology, the numerous and peculiar sedimentary and erosive formations related to the geology of both rivers stand out. Very characteristic are the singular gorges that they have carved on the sedimentary platform over time.
Zones
The vineyards lie between 600 and 1,000 metres of altitude above sea level, with clay soils on a calcareous base and scarce rainfall.
Microclimates
Particular climatic conditions give the grape an extraordinary evolution.
Long hours of sunshine, scarcity of humidity and a singular continental and Mediterranean fusion favour the ecological character of the wine thanks to our solano wind, which cools the summer nights.
The peculiarity of the summer nights is decisive, since the fresh and humid winds coming from the Mediterranean generate a unique influence.
The solano wind causes the thermal differential during the grape's ripening period to be quite high.
Red grape variety: Bobal grape, emblem of the Manchuela Designation of Origin, of dark blue colour, medium size, with a spherical berry of medium-large thickness. It gives rise to a wine of intense dark cherry colour, with a garnet-violet rim, of good tannic load and moderate acidity.
Type of Wine: It is very interesting for the production of an unmistakable rosé, very fruity and of fresh flavour. With the oldest and most carefully cultivated vineyards an excellent crianza and a magnificent reserva are created.
White grape variety: Macabeo grape, very well established in our area. The berry is golden yellow in colour, medium to large in size and with a thin skin and white pulp.
Type of Wine: It produces a pale and fruity wine, fresh, of good acidity and with fine and elegant aromas.
VARIETIES OF WINES D.O. MANCHUELA
In the Manchuela Designation of Origin a wine of great quality is produced, recognised each year with numerous prestigious national and international awards.
White wine:Of attractive pale yellow with greenish tones; clean and crystalline. On the nose it presents great intensity and freshness, with pleasant hints of tropical fruits of banana, pineapple and mango. On the palate it is balanced, acidic and cheerful, with a good persistence that caresses the palate.
Rosé wine:It has a lovely fresh strawberry pink colour with violet flashes. On the nose the primary aromas of good intensity predominate, standing out those of red fruits such as strawberry and raspberry, which express themselves again on the palate with cheerful, lively, balanced and elegant notes.
Red wine:Its colour intensity, depending on the origin, ranges between cherry and morello red with very vivid bluish and violet tones. It possesses intense primary aromas of a fruity character, mainly red wild fruits, blackberries and raspberries. Its passage across the palate is long, persistent and ample in flavours, with great strength in tannins and acidity.
Experiences to enjoy in D.O. Manchuela
Discover this wine-growing region located between the plain of La Mancha and the Serranía de Cuenca.
