Castilla y Leon is the modern wine miracle of Spain. Barely known in the mid-1900s, it now produces an astonishing variety of red and white wines. That fact often astounds visitors due to the region’s notoriously arid and hot climate; the plains of Old Castile, stretching north from Segovia to the ancient kingdom of Leon, is hardly the most verdant landscape, certainly when compared to the bucolic splendor of Galicia and Asturias. And yet, Castilla y Leon gave birth to one of Europe’s greatest dry whites: Rueda. How is this possible?
The region has a few tricks – and surprises – up its sleeve. Elevation is one of the key quality factors: the finest vineyards are planted at altitudes of up to 850 meters above sea level. As a result, it can be above 35 degrees during the day in summer but drop to below 15 at night. They call this diurnal temperature variation, and it is responsible for the lively acidity and remarkable freshness that defines the best wines of this expansive vineyard. Yet the human factor is just as important: Castilla y Leon is fortunate to host some of Spain’s most capable winemakers, not least Peter Sisseck (owner of Pingus) and the consistently brilliant Isaac Fernandez of Bodegas Arrocal. These dangerously talented people have transformed what the region can offer via a combination of raw talent, innovation, and a natural Savoir-faire.
Today, the former playground of El Cid positively brims with a wide variety of styles, ranging from the unctuous reds of Ribera del Duero to the saline delights of Verdejo. Let’s discover it.
Enchanting Segovia: History, charm, and architectural wonders in one frame
Every corner of this vast landscape has a story to tell. There are clues and remnants everywhere: the greatest concentration of Spain’s majestic castles are found in Castilla y Leon (Castillo translates as castle in Spanish). The Romans inhabited it for many centuries, a civilization that regarded winegrowing as being of the utmost importance to the social and cultural life of their domains. Yet the Western Roman Empire, increasingly decadent and mismanaged, collapsed into anarchy in the 5th century. This left Castilla y Leon at the mercy of the Visigoths, a tribe from northern Europe who greatly coveted the mineral and agricultural riches of the Iberian Peninsula. However, they were politically disorganized, and Spain was conquered by the Moors in 711.
Castilla Y Leon remained under Muslim control for over three centuries: a strategically valuable piece of real estate in the kingdom of “Al Andalus.” Many scientific advances have been attributed to the Moors, not least the introduction of new medicines and the astrolabe, a tool navigators and astronomers use to determine the time of day. In addition, Moorish irrigation techniques, such as the water wheel, revolutionized agriculture in the arid landscape of north-central Spain, encouraging the proliferation of exotics crops like oranges. Unfortunately, the tee-total Arab and Berber rulers cared little for the vine unless it was used to produce alcohol for medicinal purposes.
However, the kingdom of Castilla Y Leon was one of the main driving forces of the reconquest. In the 10th and 11th centuries, many fierce battles took place in the region; villages and towns were fortified as protection against one side or the other. By the 1200s, the Moors had retreated to Andalucia. But the seminal moment in the reconquest occurred in the late 15th century after the two largest kingdoms in developing Christian Spain – Castile and Aragon – were united.
The marriage of Isabel of Castile and Fernando of Aragon in 1469 created one of Europe’s most powerful ‘states,’ responsible for defeating the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada in 1492. With the addition of Navarra in 1512, Spain was whole again. Interestingly, Fernando and Isabel prohibited building new castles after the reunification, wary of potential rivals to the crown. As a result, many existing ones were converted from military to domestic use.
The wealth created by wool exports peaked in the 16th century, financing many artistic and architectural treasures that can be seen today in the cities of Castilla y Leon. Indeed, Burgos is endowed with a spectacular Gothic Cathedral; Segovia’s aqueduct is the largest Roman structure in Spain, and its Alcazar is the country’s most photographed castle – the stuff of fairy tales!
Yet Castilla y Leon did not enter the fine wine sphere until the end of the 20th century. Then, in Ribera del Duero, the arrival of Dane Peter Sisseck shook the region out of its inertia; Robert Parker rated his seminal icon wine, Pingus, as one of Spain’s greatest in the 1990s. A decade earlier, Alejandro Fernandez’s powerful and concentrated Pesquera was no less enthusiastically received by the international wine community. Meanwhile, the Alvarez family purchased Vega Sicilia in 1982, returning this ancient estate to its former glory. Finally, white wines are an equally important part of this story: Marques de Riscal transformed Rueda’s reputation in the 1970s, producing a new crisp, dry white style that took Europe by storm. Since then, several exciting regions have become prominent, including Toro, Cigales, and Bierzo.
Winemaking and regional classifications
Vega Sicilia Unico: A timeless masterpiece of winemaking
Where to start? Producers use Tempranillo grapes in the fashionable Ribera del Duero DO (modest amounts of other varieties are permitted in the blend) to make Spain’s most voluptuous and concentrated red. Grown on a mixture of limestone and loamy soils, Tempranillo produces a style of wine that is distinct from the classical Rioja package of soft fruit intertwined with vanilla; winemakers in Castilla y Leon usually subject their grapes to a lengthy extraction, with maturation in French barrique providing heft and structure. The result is a wine deep in color and rich in flavor, with enough tannin to satisfy any Bordeaux lover. But, thanks to the appellation’s famously cool nights (spring frosts can occur in May in Ribera del Duero!), all the best wines boast a lively acidity and bracing freshness. This is vital: it offsets the alcohol and richness of hot climate Tempranillo. Vega Sicilia, Pingus, and Pesquera, three of Spain’s most iconic labels, are made here. Yet there is no paucity of up-and-coming growers who jealously guard their parcels of old bush vines.
Likewise, winegrowers in Toro stake their reputation on the quality of their centenarian plantings of Tempranillo: gnarly old bush vines that deliver minuscule yields, especially when cultivated on the clay soils of the zone. But small berries equal massive flavor: Toro can be a beast of a wine, defined by brooding dark fruit and grippy tannins. However, the DO was not always held in high esteem by critics and sommeliers. In the 1900s, Toro was associated with rustic wines that could curl hairs, replete with harsh tannin. As ever, a surge of investment from outsiders – including the Alvarez family and LVMH – turned things around. As a result, the best wines are not usually blended.
It’s a similar story in the vineyards of Rueda, located to the southeast. Abuelos (grandparents) of Spanish Millennials would associate the region with ‘Dorado de Rueda,’ a dry liqueur wine showcasing nutty, oxidative flavors due to the prolonged barrel aging regime. But, of course, the demand for such wines is paltry today, while aromatic dry whites sell like fresh tapas. Rioja bodega Marques de Riscal started the trend in the 1970s, investing heavily in new facilities, vineyards, and techniques. The native Verdejo grape is now fermented in stainless steel to produce a worthy alternative to Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. It is occasionally mixed with Sauvignon Blanc and aged in wood to beef up the complexity and mouthfeel.
Such an occurrence would be considered sacrilegious in Bierzo, a trendy northwestern Castilla y Leon enclave. Mencia reigns supreme in this part of the world, a grape that shares certain parallels with Pinot Noir. Indeed, like the signature red grape of Burgundy, Mencia is usually (but not always) subject to a gentle maceration, producing a very elegant red with supple tannins and lovely freshness. If any oak is used, they will go light on the amount of new barrique – or avoid it altogether. But, as ever, terroir is king in Bierzo: the top climats flank the banks of the River Sil, planted at higher elevations. It is also a pioneering force in terroir classification, while Ribera del Duero has yet to dip its toes in the Burgundy water.
Meanwhile, the small DO of Cigales, just north of Ribera del Duero, has much to offer. It is another beacon of investment and progress, with raw talent, old Tempranillo bush vines, rocky soils, and high-elevation sites. If you like unctuous and ripe reds with plenty of stuffing, you’ll love Cigales.
Castilla y Leon cannot be explored in a day. Or a month, come to think of it: the region occupies a vast geographical area to the northwest of Madrid. Covering the northern part of Central Spain’s enormous tableland, this central plateau encompasses various sights and landscapes. Granted, the wheat fields and plains appear to go on forever, but there are also mountains, gorges, forests, and lakes to be explored. But most important (at least from an economic perspective) are the vineyards of Castilla y Leon’s premier wine zones. The various appellations are separated by large distances, encompassing the northwest tip of Castilla y Leon, the banks of the Duero River stretching east of Valladolid, and the plains that flank Zamora in the midwest. So expect a multitude of soils, vineyard elevations, and aspects.
This makes generalizations about terroir in Castilla y Leon a near-impossible task. The only unifying factor is the climate: most regions enjoy very dry, hot summers and cold winters. In July and August, rainfall is almost nonexistent in northwest Spain. But the ‘dirt’ varies enormously, from the calcareous and loamy soils of Ribera del Duero to the red clay of Toro. The area’s most important appellations – Ribera del Duero, Rueda, and Toro – all benefit from diurnal temperature variation due to the abundance of high-altitude sites. This refers to a marked difference in temperature between day and night that helps preserve the grapes’ acidity. Without the benefits of altitude, producing fresh and balanced wines in the dry landscape of Old Castile would be very difficult indeed.
Facts & Figures
Key wine styles
Robust, concentrated red wines; aromatic whites; a small volume of fortified sweet wines
Appellation structure
The key DOs (appellations) are: Ribera de Duero, Toro, Rueda, Bierzo, and Cigales
Hectares under vine
Approximately 48,000
Average annual production
Approximate number of producers
24657
The lowdown
Castilla y Leon wrote the book on rejuvenation. More than any other Spanish region, it has surpassed expectations in developing a quality-focused – and innovative- wine industry in a relatively short time. Claro que si: the plains of Old Castile are brimming with robust reds, aromatic whites, oak-aged Verdejo, and silky Mencia wines. The only niche that Castilla y Leon has yet to conquer is the traditional method sparkling wine. But, in this parched landscape, that’s probably a good thing. Castilla y Leon is one of Europe’s driest areas, with irrigation necessary in almost every DO. Not the ideal environment to craft fresh fizz.
Indeed, the climate is at the forefront of debates about the future of wine growing in Castilla y Leon. It is becoming hotter; Spain is experiencing a terrible drought, which can lead to hydric stress, exhausted vines, and pitiful yields. Moreover, with limited water supplies, growers may find that vital moisture is denied to their crops, as the more serious human need takes precedence over agriculture.
Fortunately, producers are not entirely helpless in the fight against global warming. Good canopy management is essential: plants must not be aggressively pruned to ensure enough vegetation can shield the berries from excessive UV light. However, it is important to get the balance right, as too much growth will mean ever scarcer moisture available for the vine’s berry metabolism.
Soil health is another key factor: growers in northern Italy roll green manure between the vine rows to maintain as much moisture as possible in the subsoil. And, if all else fails, producers can dose their vineyards with a good dollop of ‘sunblock.’ Spraying the vine canopies with a chalk solution known as kaolin is increasingly practiced in regions worldwide, protecting the leaves and berries from excessive sunlight and heat. Just another example of how the wine industry has pioneered sustainable science for the benefit of winegrowers everywhere. In Ribera del Duero, embracing such innovation is no longer optional. It is now an essential part of the growing calendar.
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The restaurants of Castilla y Leon are a rich source of gastronomic pleasure. They stake their reputation on diversity: although the meseta is widely associated with roast suckling pig and milk-fed lamb, the finest restaurants will plate up specialties from every Spanish region, along with superb fish that can be on the table within a day of being caught. Game, such as wild boar and partridge, is plentiful throughout Castilla y Leon, as are spicy sausages and mouthwatering tapas – Valladolid is your best bet. There are several excellent Michelin-starred venues in northwestern Spain, although many chefs maintain a homely, robust cooking tradition with various rich roasts and stews. Heaven in winter, hell in summer.
Abadia Retuerta, one of Ribera del Duero's premier wineries. Discover the rich history and exquisite wines crafted with passion. Plan your visit today! Read more
Discover Pingus Winery, a visionary establishment in Ribera del Duero renowned for producing exceptional wines of unparalleled excellence. Plan your trip today! Read more
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With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.
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