The Comunitat Valenciana and Murcia wine regions

The southeastern Mediterranean area, offers great options for fruit-forward wine fans. The 2 most worth noting are Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre), a rich, mouth-coating red, and Bobal, a blueberry-juice-like daily drinking red.

Mediterranean climate is found along from the north-east in Cataluña, all the way south along the coast of the Comunitat Valenciana and Murcia. This climate brings moderately cold winters, warm, dry summers, and a scarce amount of rain that usually accumulates during spring and autumn. While it is true that those rains can be heavy downpours (known as “Gota Fría” – Cold Drop) or even hail, the almost-perfect conditions during the rest of the year make up for that. 

The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain. It is the fourth most populous Spanish autonomous community after Andalusia, Catalonia and the Community of Madrid with more than five million inhabitants. Its homonymous capital Valencia is the third largest city and metropolitan area in Spain.

There are 3 DOPs : Valencia, Utiel Requena and Alicante.

I/ Communitat Valenciana:

DO Valencia

DO Valencia is a non-contiguous appellation, occupying the hinterlands beyond Valencia’s capital city. 

The coastal vineyards have a Mediterranean climate but the majority which are further inland have a mild continental climate (long, hot dry summers and cold winters). Maximum temperature in summer can reach over 40°C and in winter drop to -5°C.

The subsoils vary from fluvial type at low altitudes, to brown lime bearing at the higher altitudes, and sandy type at the intermediate altitudes. Some areas are classified as arid or semi-arid.

The wine from Sagunto was already mentioned in texts by Juvenal and Marcial in the 2nd century BC. In the 13th century the valencian citizen Arnau de Vilanova wrote one of the first treatises on Spanish wine.

In modern history, bulk wine has been the focal point and cooperatives still handle 85% of total production today. The most planted grape is Moscatel de Alejandría, which has its own subzone centred on the historic production of sweet fortified Liqueur wines, called locally Mistela de Moscatel.

The DO has been gradually finding an alternative model thanks to a growing group of local innovative winemakers. More importance is being placed on older vines of indigenous varieties planted at higher altitudes, which range from 250m to an impressive 1,100m. There is growing excitement about the wines being produced from black grapes such as Monastrell, as well as late-ripening white grapes such as Merseguera.

Valencia DOP (1932) covers some 13,000 hectares for a production around 65 million litres. It is divided into 4 sub-zones, each of which produces a different type of wine.

  - The Valentino sub-zone, located to the northwest, is the largest one and its vineyards slope gently upwards from the coastal plain towards the interior of the province. The diversity of soil and climate that this area provides a great variety of wines, Merseguera, Macabeo, Tintoreta, Tempranillo, Caberbet Sauvignon.

  - The Alto Turia sub-zone is located to the west of Valentino at a height of between 700m and 1,100m above sea level and is characterised by its sandy soils. Almost all the cultivated varieties are white, among which Merseguera and Macabeo stand out.

  - The Moscatel sub-zone is located at the western boundary of the city of Valencia and the vineyards rise from sea level to an altitude of 100 m. With a warm and sunny climate, influenced by the breeze from the Mediterranean Sea, which makes it possible to obtain from the Moscatel Romano or Alexandria variety the most representative wine in the history of the Valencia Denomination of Origin, the Mistela de Moscatel.

  - The Clariano sub-zone is to the south, further away from the other 3 sub-zones and close to the towns of Xàtiva and Gandia. Close to the sea white grapes dominates, while Monastrell, Tintoreta, Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon reign over the interior.

The aging times for wines in the Valencia DOP are shorter than in other Spanish wine producing regions due to the climatic conditions where the extreme daily temperature variations up to 30C accelerate the ageing process. Thus crianza wines only have to remain in oak for a minimum of 3 months, Reserva for 6 months and Gran Reserva for 9 months.

Photo: Stefi Panchesco.

DO Utiel Requena

Utiel Requena is a Spanish DOP (1932) for wines located in the province of Valencia. It takes its name from the 2 neighbouring towns of Utiel and Requena. It is located in the transition zone between the Mediterranean coast and high plateau of Central Spain. The centre of the DO is roughly an hour inland from the coast and sits on a high windswept plateau at 600-900m. This altitude results in lower temperatures and a wider diurnal range, which allows grapes to retain higher levels of acidity and fresh fruit flavours, especially for those grown in the highest subzones.

The whole area slopes down slightly from northwest to southeast. The vineyards are located between 2 rivers: the Turia and the Cabriel. The soils are dark in colour with a high lime content, permeable and poor in organic matter.

The climate is not only continental (long hot, dry summers and cold winters) but one of the most severe of all the Spanish grape growing regions. Frosts and hailstones are frequent in winter and drought common in summer. Temperatures can reach a maximum of 40°C in summer and drop to a minimum of -10°C in winter. Rainfall is sparse, about 450 mm per year and the vines receive about 2,800 hours of sunlight per year.

The vineyard is approx. 34,000 ha for a production of 33 million litres.

The DO’s star grape is the indigenous, thick-skinned, black variety Bobal, which represents 70% of plantings, over half of which are at least 40 years old. 

The presence of Bobal in Utiel-Requena was documented in the 15th century in "Espill o llibre de les dones” by Jaume Roig. The name derives from the Latin bovale, in reference to the shape of a bull’s head. Bobal is the second most planted red grape variety in Spain with 60,000 hectares. 

The vine is very vigorous and highly productive, it adapts well to all types of vine formation but is most commonly grown as a low bush (en vaso) and less often on trellises (en espaldera). The shoots often completely cover the ground thus helping to conserve moisture during the hot summers. It is perfectly adapted to the local climate and so is resistant to extremes of weather and diseases.

The grape was used mostly for bulk wine production in the past due to its deep colour and large yields. Since the 2000’s however, an upsurge of talent and investment have been reshaping the region’s reputation, thanks in part to the large stock of old vine material, much of which is dry-farmed. These wines continue to have deep colour intensity, but the previous rusticity has been replaced by refreshingly high acidity that brings a wonderful brightness to the ripe red and black fruits. Blending Bobal with less-structured varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Merlot may be done to produce an earlier drinking wine.

As for white grapes, a mix of local and international varieties are authorized. Rosé wines have always played an important role within the DO, benefiting from Bobal’s ability to retain high levels of crisp acidity. 

Photo: Alfonso Calza

DO Alicante

Moving south from Utiel Requena you reach the province of Alicante.

Alicante has a long history of grape growing and wine production, which was probably introduced by the ancient Romans. The Golden Age of Alicante wines was during the 16th and 17th centuries, when they were imported to northern Europe by English, Swedish and Flemish merchants.

The eponymous DO is over 10,000 ha for a production around 15 million litres and separated in 2 distinct sub-zones divided between east and west:

- Along the eastern coast you find La Marina, a subzone known for its perfumed sweet white wines made from Moscatel de Alejandría. The soils are loamy and sandy, extremely porous and permeable, with good drainage and poor water retention. The climate is Mediterranean, maximum temperatures in summer are around 30°C and the average minimum in winter is around 13°C, with occasional frost. The Moscatel grape variety is predominant. The wines are pale and clear, with a characteristic aroma of white flowers,  orange blossom, jasmine, lily. They are light and persistent with a lovely acidity. Other popular whites are made from Merseguera, more structured and Mediterranean.

 - The drier, more extreme climate that extends along the banks of the River Vinalopó in the southern area of the province, is home to Monastrell, which accounts for 75% of total DO vineyard plantings. The climate is semi continental with highs in summer around 35ºC and lows in winter around 5ºC, with frequent frost. The red wines made here are always intense, powerful, with ripe fruit and toasted hints of wood. Medium to high depth of colour, with aromas of blackberries, plums and cherries. Intense in the nose and in the mouth. With great body, touches of Mediterranean forest and a hint of mineral.

Monastrell, this thick-skinned black variety native to the Levante, was destined for bulk wine production during much of its modern history. However, a new generation of winemakers today are taking advantage of the wide availability of old vine material, to produce full-bodied, concentrated wines, which are increasingly complex. 

The town of Monòver was internationally renowned in the 16th century for its Fondillón wine, a traditional red wine made from overripe Monastrell grapes, produced today by only a few dedicated wineries. Late-harvested Monastrell is allowed to dehydrate on the vine, accumulating high-enough sugar levels that fermentation stops naturally without fortification, leaving a wine with notable residual sugar. These wines were traditionally aged in a Sherry-like solera system, although static oak ageing is also used today. The wine must reach an average age of at least 10 years old prior to bottling, during which the large oak casks and warm ambient temperatures impart a strong rancio (i.e. oxidized) character. It can either be vintage-dated or come from a solera. Classic pairings include blue cheese, as well as chocolate-based desserts.

The region of Murcia is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Mediterranean coast. The region is 11,000 km² in area and had a population of 1,5 million as of 2020. About a third of its population lives in the capital, Murcia, and a seventh in the second city, Cartagena.

There are 3 DOPS : Yecla, Jumilla, and Bullas.

II/ MURCIA:

DO Jumilla

Named after the principal town, Jumilla is a Spanish DOP (1966) for wines that extends over 22,000 ha in the north of the regions of Murcia and southeast of Albacete. It is one of Spain's leading wine region.

During the outbreak of the phylloxera plague in the 19th century the region surprisingly escaped contamination and so entered a period of economic expansion as wine merchants from France came in great numbers to buy wine. For this reason the vines were never regrafted onto resistant American rootstock as was the case in the rest of Europe.

However, the phylloxera unexpectedly struck in 1989, devastating the vineyards and reducing production by 60% over the next 5 years. Replanting and grafting was slow and expensive but allowed the region to adopt the most modern methods of grape growing and wine making.

Jumilla DOP is characterised by wide valleys and plateaux in the presence of mountains. It is a transition zone between the Mediterranean coastal area and the high central plateau of Castile-La Mancha, and the altitude of the vineyards varies between 400 and 800 m.

As such, the region’s hot climate combines both Mediterranean and continental influences. Of all the Mediterranean regions listed here, Jumilla experiences perhaps the hottest and driest growing season of all.

Vineyards are located further inland away from the cooling coastal breezes, and summer temperatures regularly reach 40°C, matched by an annual rainfall as low as 300mm. While some relief is provided by elevations of up to 800m, the hot arid atmosphere makes the late-ripening, drought-resistant Monastrell the best performing grape for the region, which represents over 80% of DO plantings. Bush-vine training and low planting densities further help to decrease hydric stress while protecting grape bunches from sunburn. 

The wines, whether varietal or blends driven by Monastrell, are typically full-bodied and deep coloured, with notes of ripe black fruits and high levels of tannin that need to be managed carefully to avoid astringency. Carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration have been used in recent years in order to produce more approachable wines when young.

White is dominated by Airén, which has good resistance to drought. The majority of rosé wines are obtained from the Monastrell variety through short maceration in contact with the skins. They have pink, raspberry and cherry tonalities in purple shades. They have fruity, elegant fresh aromas. 

The success of Jumilla’s wines of late has also reflected positively on neighbouring DO Yecla, whose Monastrell wines show increasing promise.

DO Yecla

Yecla is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (1975) for wines located around the town of Yecla in the northernmost corner of the region of Murcia (Spain) and is surrounded by other DOPs: Jumilla to the southwest, Almansa to the north and Alicante to the east. 

Findings from archaeological excavations in the area have confirmed that grape growing and wine production has been practiced in this area for over 2000 years and was probably introduced by the ancient Romans.

The 4,800 hectares vineyards covered by Yecla DOP are located in a transition zone between the Mediterranean and the central upland plateaux known as La Mancha, at altitudes ranging from 400 to 800 metres above sea level. The soil is lime bearing, and the subsoil is thick with a high carbonate content. The topsoil is sandy, poor in organic matter, deep with good permeability.

The area is notable for its extensive use of the red Monastrell grape variety, and it is traditionally known as the home of Monastrell in Spain. Monastrell is the fourth most planted red grape variety in Spain. The international market makes up 92% of the DOP's wine sales, about 10 million bottles, making it the Spanish wine DOP with the highest proportion of international exports.

Interestingly enough, Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) seem to perform well here too and make for great blending grapes with Monastrell. In Jumilla, Bodega El Nidoputs out a consistently high-rated Monastrell-Cabernet blends.

DO Bullas

Bullas is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (1994) for wines located in the region of Murcia and covers the territories of 8 different municipalities, including Caravaca de la Cruz, Moratalla and Bullas itself. 

The town of Bullas has existed since the times of the ancient Romans and grew during the centuries of Moorish dominion of the Iberian Peninsula. After its reconquest by Christian forces in the 13th century its prosperity increased due to agriculture and wine production.

Bullas is located halfway between the city of Murcia, the regional capital, and the mountains in the west that form the frontier with Andalusia. The landscape is rugged and slopes upwards from south to north. It comprises numerous small valleys with individual microclimates.

The soils on the slopes are brown and so hard that they have to be broken mechanically before vines can be planted. They are lime bearing and have a top crust, poor in organic matter, and have good drainage.

The 1,800 hectares DOP is divided into 3 sub-zones, each one of which has a distinct identity and produces characteristic wines.

1) The Northwest sub-zone is the most important one in terms of area (52%), number of wineries and quality of the wine. It is located in the foothills of the mountains at altitudes between 500 and 800 m above sea level. It includes the municipalities of Caravaca de la Cruz, Moratalla and part of Lorca. The main grape varieties used in this sub-zone are Monastrell and Tempranillo.

2) The Central sub-zone covers 40% of the DOP, is at an altitude of between 500 and 600 m above sea level and includes the municipalities of Mula, Bullas and Cehegín.

3) The Northeast sub-zone, the smallest of the three, covering only 8% of the DOP includes the municipalities of Calasparra, Ricote, Bullas and Mula.

The region used to produce wine in bulk until the 1980s when private wineries began to invest in the equipment and technology required for the production of bottled and labelled quality wine. It acquired official DO status in 1994. Annual production is around 2 million bottles.

The region is renowned for its young reds and rosés made from the Monastrell grape variety.

We hope that you enjoyed reading this blog and learned a thing or 2 about Spanish wines. If you would like to browse our selection of wines from these beautiful regions, please head over to: https://magnumopuswines.com/collections/jumilla

¡Salud!