Located in the northern half of the Central Iberian plateau, Castilla y León is the largest of Spain's 17 administrative regions, covering about one-fifth of the country's total area. It extends about 350 kilometres (220 miles) from central Spain to the northern coast. Just as wide, it connects the Rioja wine region to the Portuguese border. Red wines reign supreme in Castilla y León, and the Tempranillo grape is undoubtedly the king.
It is known here by various synonyms, including Tinta del Pais, Tinto de Toro and Tinto Fino. It is the source of all the best wines in the region, with the exception of Bierzo, which makes good use of Mencia. The other grape varieties are the French varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. The white wines of Castilla y Léon are much less numerous than the reds, but hardly less prestigious.
It is a Spanish variety, in Galicia to be precise, with its cradle in the Rias Baixas area, around Pontevedra and up to Orense. It would be a close relative of the Loureiro. Widely cultivated in Portugal, ... in France, it is registered in the Official Catalogue of wine grape varieties, list A1.
white wines from the region of Castille-et-Léon go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, shellfish or vegetarian such as recipes of pasta "carbonara" à la française, seafood, chorizo and chicken paella from patou or nanie's diced ham quiche.
On the nose in the region of Castille-et-Léon often reveals types of flavors of microbio, fennel or white peach and sometimes also flavors of stone, grass or honey. In the mouth in the region of Castille-et-Léon is a with a nice freshness.
A ‘Goliath’ 27-litre bottle of Sine Qua Non’s highly prized The Inaugural Syrah from the 2003 vintage provided the centrepiece for a charity event organised by The Legacy Cellar Foundation. Robert M. Parker Jr, the famous wine critic who retired from The Wine Advocate in 2019, donated the ‘unicorn’ bottle in order to help raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is marking its 60th anniversary. Held at a private residence in Bel Air on 14 May, 60 guests paid ...
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Find Matt Walls’ 22 top-value northern Rhône whites below, and look out for his top 52 northern Rhône reds under £30 which will be published on 11th October. The northern Rhône produces just 5% of the total volume made in the broader Rhône Valley growing area. As demand for these wines increases, it’s not surprising to see prices ticking up. But it’s still possible to find some excellent wines retailing under £30 a bottle in the UK. Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for 22 great val ...
