Wine Smarts

Wine Smarts

Traditionally much of Spain's everyday wine has come from Castile-La Mancha's Valdepeñas region, the largest vineyard in the world. Winemakers such as Adolfo Muñoz and Carlos Falcó (Marqués de Griñón) have been cultivating new grape varietals such as Syrah and Petit Verdot with the traditional Cencibel (Tempranillo) and cabernet sauvignon vines.

In Castile-León in the Duero Valley around Valladolid and Peñafiel, look for Vega Sicilia, Mauro, Pingus, Protos, Pesquera, Abadía Retuerta, and Pago de Carraovejas. The Rueda wine-growing region, around Medina del Campo southwest of Valladolid, produces fine whites with the Verdejo varietal. Cuenca's very sweet Castilian liqueur resolí, made from aquavit, coffee, vanilla, orange peel, and sugar, is often sold in bottles in the shape of Cuenca's Casas Colgadas (Hanging Houses). It competes with neighboring Chinchón's age-old, extremely sweet Anis del Mono liqueur, brewed from herbs and anise.