A third of all Spanish wine is made near Valencia. Most wine is exported. In the past, the quality sometimes left much to be desired. That has changed in recent years. In addition to large bulk producers, young winemakers are now active. For example, very nice red wines are made in Valencia from the Bobal grape.
There are several wine regions in the Valencia region - divided into the provinces of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante. There are three protected designations of origin (Denominación de Origen) in the Valencia region: Alicante, Utiel-Requena and Valencia. The Utiel-Requena region appeals most to the imagination. Especially because of the Cava that is produced there.
The Valencia wine region is a special one. Especially when we look at the climate and the effect it has on the grapes. It is too warm for some grapes, causing the grape to become too ripe early and therefore too sweet. In the higher areas it takes more effort for grapes to ripen properly, which usually results in fresher, smoother wines. Fortunately, there are also real gems to discover. The best wine from Valencia is usually red or sparkling. The region is also known for its sweet dessert wine made from moscatel grapes. Rosé from Valencia can be quiet, but there is also very fine rosé Cava.
In addition to Cava, there is also very good red wine from Valencia, made from the Bobal grape. The Bobal is an autochthonous grape and therefore originally comes from this region. An important characteristic of this blue-black grape is that the Bobal is resistant to weather conditions, for example the bright sun. The bob ball can take a beating! It also grows relatively quickly. This results in complex, robust wines, especially if the grape is grown at high altitude.
Bobal wines can sometimes be a bit boring and therefore perhaps not that well known, but there are definitely many exceptions to that rule. The acidity of a wine made from Bobal is somewhat higher than, for example, a Monastrell. The alcohol percentage of wines from the Bobal grape is rarely higher than 13%. A tasty Bobal is characterized by an intense, dark red color. The scent features blackberries, cherries and plums. A Bobal is especially powerful, lively and full.
Cava is a protected name for sparkling wine. In Spain there are 159 designated areas for the production of Cava, most of them in Catalonia. In the Valencia wine region, Requena is the only municipality where Cava is allowed to be made. The location of Requena - inland, about 70 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, on hills of about 700 to 900 meters - is perfect for the production of Cava. The winters are cold and long and the summers warm and dry, the ideal conditions for the growth of the Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo grapes, among others. These are the three grape varieties from which Cava is made.
Today, young Valencian winemakers combine their innovative ideas with the extensive experience of traditional bodegas. For example, the collaboration between Bruno Marciano, a young sommelier, and his good friend and vinologist David Sampedro Gil. These men had the dream of producing an ecological wine using only indigenous grape varieties. A traditional winemaker like Rafael Cañizares from Bodegas Volver has also been influenced by the fresh wind blowing through the Valencian vineyards. He makes the hip and surprising Madame Bobalú wine. This red wine consists of 100% the Bobal grape. Bodega Mustiguillo, led by Toni Sarrión, makes wine through a fusion of traditional wine culture and the most modern techniques.
Are you in Valencia and would you like a nice wine? There are plenty of great wine bars in Valencia. Our favorite is Vinos Enópata from wine fanatic Juan Ferrer Espinosa. Juan is a true enthusiast. He always looks for the really special wines, the gems.
If you are a wine lover in the Valencia region, a visit to a bodega should not be missed. The nicest bodegas, with the best wines, can be found in the Utiel-Requena wine region. Bodega Aranleon is highly recommended. The bodega pays extra attention to responsible entrepreneurship and is completely environmentally friendly. For example, thanks to handy gadgets, no air conditioning is required. The bodega also collaborates with non-profit organizations and even makes their wine labels in Braille! We currently have two wines from Valencia in our range. You can view all our wines from Valencia here.
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