Pedro Ballesteros Torres, in a 2/2/18 Decanter article on Spanish wine trends, wrote about newly emergent wine regions, areas propelled by the aggregated effects of:
- Developments in viticulture and oenology
- Climate change
- A resurgence of the perennial value of indigenous varieties
- A market eager to reward niche identities.
Utiel-Requena, named after two neighboring towns, is one of the largest DOs in Valencia. Its 34,000 ha of vines, 6000 wine families, and 100 wineries are distributed among nine towns and are the main economic drivers in the region.
The DO is located on a high plateau (elevation between 900 and 600 m) 70 km inland from the Valencia coast. The climate is Mediterranean with continental influences and significant diurnal temperature variation. The region averages 450 mm of rain per year.
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| Source: wineandvineresearch.com |
The main variety in the DO is the indigenous Bobal which, at 23, 712 ha, occupies 72% of the planted vineyard area; and 53% of those vines were planted in excess of 40 years ago. Planting density ranges between 1600 and 400 vines/ha. "The name is derived from bovale, or bull, as the irregular cone-shaped bunches are supposed to resemble a bull's head."
The highest level of the Spanish appellation system is Vino de Pago and El Terrarazo, a vineyard in this DO, attained this status in 2010.
El Terrarazo
El Terrerazo is one of 19 Vino de Pagos in Spain and the first in the Communidad Valenciana. El Terrarazo was granted Vino de Pago status -- the highest level in the Spanish appellation system -- in 2010.
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| Spanish wine appellation system (Source:https://www.winescholarguild.org/) |
Vino de Pago requirements are as follows:
- The site must be a single vineyard
- The vineyard must be owned by the estate producing the wine
- The vineyard must fall within a registered DO
- The vineyard must demonstrate unique characteristics that make it worthy of accessing that status
The characteristics of El Terrerazo are as follows:
- 800 m elevation
- Dolomite limestone with a chalky/sandy texture
- 100% Bobal
- Vines dating back to 1945 and 1970
- Non-irrigatedf Gobelet system
- Traditional viticulture; ground maintained with an alternating vegetable.
There are a number of reasons for the rising stock of the region:
- A new generation of winemakers
- In the early 2000s, Bobal was known for its "toothsome, juicy rosés." Since then, "serious attention to viticulture and subtle approaches to winemaking and blending to manage tannins has created wines with strong international appeal"(Decanter). "Production is much less aggressive, using macro- and micro-oxygenation, longer maturation periods, larger oak barrels, and a revival of tinajas (traditional clay jars for fermenting and ageing wine)." (imbibe.com)
- "Quality is prioritized over quantity, often employing sustainable, organic, and strictly rainfed viticulture, protrvtion of old vines, better canopy management, and close monitoring of phenolic maturation." (imbibe.com)
- "With the pressure of adapting to climate change, the demand for less interventionist viticulture, and the trend for fresher, crisper wines, Utiel-Requena with Bobal in its armory is guaranteed to keep making history" (Decanter).
- Wineries such as Bodega Mustiguillo, Dominio de la Vega, and Vina Memorias are pursuing the production of high-quality, terroir-driven wines. The co-operative Grupo Coviñas (which represents 3000 farmers covering 41% of DO land) "has become a very modern, quality-driven winery." (imbibe.com).
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The regions identified as emergent by Torres in his initial article are:
©Wine -- Mise en abyme
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