Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
(
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
). It covers 54 municipalities and is divided into the three sub-zones ( Arganda,
Navalcarnero
Navalcarnero is a municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain, located about from Madrid.
Sights include the church of Inmaculada Concepción.
History
By the end of 1499 the city of Segovia founded the location of Navalcarnero, to put an en ...
, and San Martín), each of which produce different types of wine.
History
The
ancient Romans
The Roman people was the ethnicity and the body of Roman citizenship, Roman citizens
(; ) during the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. This concept underwent considerable changes throughout the long history of the Roman ...
likely introduced vines in the area as they did throughout the rest of the Iberian peninsula. However, the first documented evidence of wine production in the area dates from the 13th century. Legal documents indicate a dispute between some monks and a local feudal lord over the ownership of a vineyard.
Vinos de Madrid acquired its DO status in 1990.
Geography and Soils
The three sub-zones are all at an elevation of between 500 and 800 m above sea level. Arganda is the largest sub-zone, containing about 50% of the vines and comprising 26 municipalities. The soil here contains mainly clay and lime over a granite subsoil. To the southwest, close to the
Sierra de Gredos
The Sierra de Gredos is a mountain range in central Spain that spans the provinces of Ávila, Spain, Ávila, Salamanca, Spain, Salamanca, Cáceres, Spain, Cáceres, Madrid, and Toledo, Spain, Toledo. It is part of the much larger Sistema Central o ...
range, is the San Martín sub-zone, which contains 35% of the DOP's vines. Further to the southwest is the Navalcarnero sub-zone with 15% of the vines. Rich dark soils are more abundant in San Martín, while in Navalcarnero the soils lack carbonates, are low in nutrients, and lie over a clay subsoil.
Climate
The four sub-zones of Vinos de Madrid DOP all have long, hot summers and cold winters, typical of a continental climate. Temperatures widely varies over the course of the year, from as high as 40 °C in summer and as low as -2 °C in winter. Rainfall varies depending on the sub-zone, but in general it is sparse and falls mainly in spring and autumn. San Martin gets the most rainfall (650 mm/year) due to the influence of the mountains, while Navalcarnero gets just over 500 mm/year, and Arganda just 450 mm/year. The risk of hailstones exists every year till around April.
Authorised Grape Varieties
The authorised grape varieties are:
* Red:
Garnacha Tinta
Grenache (; ) or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Niels Lillelund: ''Rhône-Vinene'' p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. . It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry condit ...
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebano ...
,
Graciano
Graciano is a Spanish red wine grape that is grown primarily in Rioja. The vine produces a low yield that are normally harvested in late October. The wine produced is characterized by its deep red color, strong aroma and ability to age ...
,
Merlot
Merlot ( ) is a dark-blue-colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of , the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color ...
Petit Verdot
Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen it adds tannin, ...
, and
Syrah
Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse ...
* White:
Albillo Real
Albillo or Albillo Real is a white Spanish wine grape varietyAlbillo Real ,
Malvar
Malvar, officially the Municipality of Malvar (), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 64,379 people.
Etymology
The municipality was named after General Miguel Malvar ...
are recommended, and also authorised are
Airén
Airén is a variety of ''Vitis vinifera'', a white grape commonly used in winemaking. This grape is native to Spain where it represents almost a quarter of all grapes grown. As of 2017, Airén was estimated to be the world's fourth most grown wi ...
Parellada
Parellada () is a Spanish white grape variety of Catalan origin specially grown in Catalonia, Spain. With Macabeu and Xarel·lo, it is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wine Cava, which is primarily produced in ...
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc () is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the city of Bordeaux in France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an ind ...