Valencia (94)

Revolution of Winemaking in Valencia

Wine - particularly red wine made from the Bobal grape - from Valencia was considered a second-rate mass product until the 1990s. Bold, curious, and with an unbiased view of the region’s potential, ambitious winemakers set out at the turn of the millennium to restore the old wine region to its former glory.

The Wine Styles of Valencia

Wine from this region is typically powerful and full-bodied, with good structure and relatively high alcohol content. Thanks to long, warm sunny days and proximity to the Mediterranean, many grape varieties thrive here. The wide range of different wines is also attributed to the topographical and climatic conditions in the individual winemaking areas. Wine is predominantly produced in Valencia in the three major DOPs Utiel-Requena, Valencia, and Alicante, as well as in the IGPs (Indicación Geográfica Protegida) Castelló and El Terrerazo.

Valencia DO

Known as the "Pearl of the Levante," the Valencia wine-growing area is located on the Spanish east coast. Among the visionary wine producers in the region is the Belgian-Spanish Yves Laurijssens. Together with his cellar master Vicente Ramon Torres, he established the Bodega de Moya and devoted himself (not only, but especially) to the 90-year-old Bobal vines in his vineyards located up to 950 meters above sea level. The labels of his wine creations testify to Laurijssens' dedication to Valencia and wine: some red wines are named after the women of the family (Maria Bobal DO, an expressive cuvée with Merlot, carries the name of one of his daughters), and the temperamental white Diego Merseguera Chardonnay bears the name of his son. Here, in the mountainous hinterland of the metropolis, the new treasures of the region emerge: fruity-fresh white wines and rosé wines, as well as full-bodied, velvety red wines. The coastal Ribera del Júcar DO, known for its powerful yet elegant red wines, also belongs to Valencia.

Utiel-Requena DO and Alicante DO

The two towns of Utiel and Requena form the center of the homonymous growing area west of Valencia DO. Characteristic of this region are light yet characterful red and white wines, including the single-varietal Pago De Los Balagueses Chardonnay from Bodegas Vegalfaro.

From the DO Alicante, the southernmost wine-growing area of Valencia, besides the famous sweet wine from Moscatel, mainly fruity red wines and rosés are produced.

Climate and Soils of the Region

Along the coasts of the province of Valencia, a Mediterranean climate prevails, sometimes very hot or sultry, with periods of rainfall. Vineyards are mostly found in the higher, cooler, and drier zones of the hinterland. A variety of grape varieties thrive on the barren, calcareous clay and sandy soils.

The Most Widely Planted Grape Varieties of the Levante

For red wine, the following are officially allowed in Valencia (among others):

- Monastrell

- Bobal

- Tempranillo

- Garnacha Tinta

- Garnache

- Forcallat Tinta

- Cabernet Sauvignon

- Merlot

- Pinot Noir

- Syrah

The main white grape varieties:

- Merseguera

- Moscatel Romano (Muscat of Alexandria)

- Macabeo,

- Malvasía

- Planta Fina

- Pedro Ximénez

- Tortosina

- Verdil (autochthonous)

- Chardonnay

- Sauvignon Blanc

- Sémillon

Things to Know About the Valencia Wine Region

Why is the Bobal - one of the most important grape varieties in Valencia - hardly known to us?

The Bobal long had a rather dubious reputation in professional circles as a main ingredient of low-quality, mass-produced red wine from Valencia. The grape matures late, is heat-resistant, and thrives in large quantities on practically any soil. It is only in the last 15 years that reduced yields and careful vinification have brought it redemption. High-quality Bobal wines, such as the Justina Bobal DO (a cuvée with Shiraz) from Bodega de Moya, delight with full-bodiedness and balanced acidity.

How did winemaking come to Valencia?

Excavations in the area of Utiel-Requena uncovered evidence of a 2,700-year-old winemaking culture. In the eighth century BC, Phoenician settlers began to cultivate wine in what is now the province of Valencia; around 600 BC, the Greeks also discovered the region for viticulture. Wine from Valencia is mentioned in a satire by the Roman poet Juvenal (first century AD).

Why is the area around Valencia called Levante?

In Spanish, "Levante" as a direction of the sunrise also means "East" and refers to the hinterland and the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The Levante wine region extends from Valencia to Alicante and has by far the largest density of vineyards in Spain.

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