Friday, March 26, 2021

Emergent Spanish wine regions: Jumilla

Jumilla is a 19,000 ha DO in Murcia, a small region on the coast of southeast Spain. Its specialty is wines made from the Monastrell variety (80% of the region's plantings).

Jumilla DO within the broader Murcia wine region. Red oval
highlights Jumilla color scheme (Source: vineyards.som)

The climate here is arid and continental with drought always a threat. When the rains do come, they are very heavy and pose a threat to blossoms and ripening grapes. An elevated central plateau (400 - 800 m elevation) moderates the heat somewhat.

The landscape is composed of wide valleys and plains with sandy or loamy soils prevalent. The volume of lime in the soil is a key aid in moisture retention.

Most grapes are planted on the mountain-enclosed plateau. Ninety-four percent of the grapes are organic.

Why Jumilla as an Emergent Region?
Jumilla has re-invented itself as a producer of modern, fruity red, white, and Rosé wines. Improved vineyard management, and outside investment in new equipment from industry heavyweights in other Spanish regions, have led to a remarkable increase in wine quality. The result is a new generation of "characterful" wines, some organic, and the majority red, in which the rediscovered Monastrell grape is showing promising results in the hands of skilled winemakers.

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The regions identified as emergent by Torres in his initial article are:

©Wine -- Mise en abyme

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