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The D.O. Utiel-Requena is in the interior of the province of Valencia, close to the Mediterranean Sea and at an altitude of between 698 m to 900 m, creating conditions for superior grape cultivation.
The soils and the climate – influenced by the continental climate – make Utiel-Requena wines something special. Best among them are the reds and rosés made from the red Bobal variety which is a unique grape variety to this region. Its area of almost 40,000 hectares makes it the most extensive and homogeneous wine-growing area in the Valencian Community.
Grapes and Winemaking
The D.O. Utiel-Requena is a region of mostly red wines. In fact 94.27% of the wine-growing area is given over to red varieties. White varieties represent 5.73% of the vineyards of Utiel-Requena.
Bobal is the most widespread variety in Utiel-Requena and accounts for 80% of production. The climate and the soil requirements of this variety are perfectly met in the area and it shows all the signs of being a native strain. It is not widely cultivated in the rest of Spain and is still not very well known even though there are some vineyards in the South of France and in Cerdeña, Italy.
Bobal is especially well adapted to the production of refreshing rosés and carbonic maceration reds and has become the star variety of the Denomination of Origin of Utiel-Requena. As well as the Bobal the grape, varieties protected by the Denomination of Origin Utiel-Requena are:
- Reds: Bobal, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah (recently authorized).
- Whites: Macabeo, Merseguera, Planta Nova or Tardana, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc (recently authorized).
Featured Vineyards
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