Spanien

According to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, vineyards are found in all of Spain’s autonomous communities. The cultivation of wine grapes is subject to a permit system for planting and replanting. The annual national approval for new plantings may be no more than 1% of the previously planted area of vines.

The autonomous community Castilla y León is located in north-central Spain and covers 92,226 km². Around 96% of its territory is considered rural. The region is a high plateau: 98% of the area lies above 600 metres, 32% above 1,000 metres in altitude.

The climate is characterised by long, cold winters, dry and hot summers, strong seasonal contrasts and a general water deficit. For wine indications in Castilla y León, among others Tempranillo, Verdejo, Mencía, Prieto Picudo, Albillo Mayor, Garnacha Tinta, Godello and Macabeo are approved.

The protected regional wine designation covers white, rosé and red wines as well as still wines, liqueur wines, quality sparkling wines, sparkling wines with natural effervescence and wines made from overripe grapes. The red wines are associated with balanced ripeness under a harsh continental climate, high temperatures towards the end of the ripening period and distinct day-night differences. Also documented are oxidative ageing in traditional liqueur wines, the traditional production of quality sparkling wines and the madreo method for sparkling wines with natural effervescence, in which fresh grapes are added to the fermenting must. The specification applies to the territory of the autonomous community and sets maximum yields of 16,000 kilograms of grapes and 120 hectolitres of wine per hectare.