The DO Manchuela was founded in 1997 by a group of winemakers and wineries from Manchuela, a territory located within the Castile La Mancha region, in order to regulate, promote and market the wine of the future appellation.
About 2.5 million hectoliters of wine are produced in La Manchuela per year, which represents almost 5.1% of the total wine production in Spain and 7.6% of the total in Castilla-La Mancha. Of the total cultivated area, 12,478.33 hectares, 19.3% is destined for white varieties, while 80.7% is destined for red varieties.
In white wine the Macabeo variety stands out, with 74% of the total white varieties.
In red wine the Bobal variety prevails, with 41% of the total of red varieties.
Almost 90% of the wine production of the Manchuela Designation of Origin goes to countries such as China, Germany, Japan, the United States or the Netherlands, among other countries in the world.
Special wines that make a difference. Wines from a land full of tradition that Juan Miguel Cebrián Jiménez, President of DO Manchuela, tells in this interview.
©Do Manchuela
Since the birth of DO Manchuela Wine, which goals have you achieved and which ones remain to be achieved?
Since the year 2000, when the Manchuela Designation of Origin began its journey, many goals have been achieved and many more have yet to be achieved.
For example, it was possible to bottle very high quality wines and thus obtain the added value by tying them to our area of origin, (which was not the case before as these wines were sold in bulk).
©Do Manchuela
It was possible to create a common brand image of DO Manchuela so that the consumer puts us in relation with quality Wines, Organic and sustainable for the environment.
The bottled wines have been obtained with the best value for money on the market.
©Do Manchuela
What are the peculiarities of the territory and its wines?
The Manchuela Designation of Origin is nestled between the valleys of the emblematic rivers Júcar and Cabriel, where the perfect characteristics for the vineyard converge in our land. Some particular climatic conditions that give the grapes an extraordinary evolution. Long hours of sunshine, low humidity and a unique continental and Mediterranean fusion that favor the ecological character of the wine thanks to our east wind, which cools the summer nights.
©Do Manchuela
Through which services / activities do you promote DO Manchuela wine?
Advertising and marketing are tools that go hand in hand to promote DO Manchuela wine.
We use all means that are within our reach. Both digital (RRSS, internet, virtual tastings, etc.) and conventional means of communication (specialized magazines, advertising on radio, TV, specialized guides, etc.).
We also participate in wine fairs (national and international) and product presentations in different points of sale, to the media, to distributors.
All means are valid to advertise our products and we combine them to get the best interaction with the final consumer from all of them.
©Do Manchuela
Could you briefly describe the areas of cultural and wine tourism interest in DO Manchuela?
Speaking of the Manchuela Wine Route is referring to an experience that many must live. Unforgettable lands, high quality wines, exquisite La Mancha recipes with Mediterranean touches and people of great human value become the ideal topic to immerse yourself in this life experience.
La Manchuela is a small terroir anchored in the lands of Castilla La Mancha. Cuenca and Albacete cover this region which has been marked by nature with the aim of offering high quality crops with unique flavors. For this reason, today, it holds Designations of Origin in various products, including wines. And so, the Manchuela Wine Route was born with the intention of showing the world the benefits of this noble city.
©Do Manchuela
The waters of the Júcar and Cabriel rivers converge and give respite to the growth and development of La Manchuela. A noble and fruitful region, which for decades marked the world of oenology in Spain and is now being revalued. The new proposal is to give life and development to the Manchuela Wine Route, taking as an essential environment the richness of the regions of Cuenca and Albacete, in Castilla La Mancha. With the intention of giving refuge to those who are eager to know the benefits of wine, the Manchuela Wine Route, of great tourist and oenological interest, enters the countryside to project traditions, cultures, as well as the value of people, who do not she is willing to put aside the tenacity and quality of her winemaking work as a premise. This route stands as one of the most promising proposals for tourists, but also for specialists in the world of wines.
©Do Manchuela
What are the goals set for the near future to increasingly spread its excellence both nationally and internationally?
Our main goal is to continue to maintain the highest quality in our wines and to convince the final consumer that drinking wines with Manchuela Designation of Origin is a safe bet for its high quality and for being an eco-sustainable product with producers and the environment.
Why is DO Manchuela wine so special?
The symbiosis between tradition and technology, together with our history, our land, the climate and of course our native vines, close the circle to obtain an extreme quality in a wine that does not leave indifferent.
