Our production area possesses some unique features, spanning across eight municipalities, thus favoring our vineyards’ development and the Designation of Origin Almansa’s future wines. The grapes’ quality may differ from one area to another, so some homogeneous environmental criteria (climate, soil, altitude) need to be fundamentally justified in our DO’s municipalities.
558 square miles across eight municipalities
The production area was established in 2013 and it encompasses 558 square miles (18 500 acres of which are vineyards) in the municipalities of Almansa, Bonete, Alpera, Corral Rubio, Higueruela, Hoya Gonzalo, Pétrola and Villar de Chinchilla (the latter a hamlet dependent from Chinchilla de Montearagón). These municipalities are not the same as in 1966, when the Designation of Origin started (Caudete was also included back then).
Garnacha tintorera, the most appreciated variety in our DO, covers 60% of our production area, along with Monastrell, and Verdejo for white wines. Regarding municipalities, almost 50% of DO Almansa’s surface belongs to Alpera (7400 acres), followed by Almansa (3700 acres) and Higueruela (2500 acres).
Exceptional features
Back in 2013, when our DO’s borders were defined, some virtues and common characteristics had to be outlined in order to accomplish that no significant differences between wines were to be observed. Most of the vineyards are located on plains, although some vineyards might be found on hillsides.
Our geographical location in the Iberian Peninsula guarantees altitude (between 2300 and 3000 ft, except for Higueruela), which ensures topographical homogeneity in the production area.
Climate is distinctive in our region as well, creating the conditions for our vineyards’ similar development and growing. We enjoy a continentalized, semi‑arid, Mediterranean climate, where the annual average oscillates between 11ºC and 15ºC (max. up to 40ºC, min. down to ‑10ºC), precipitation amounts to 400-500 mm per annum, and a 4-5-month dry season. Orography is also conventional, with an approximate 10% slope in the production area.
Regarding soil, ours is mostly limestone, shallow and almost organic matter free. The three kinds of soil do not differ, so our production zone is homogeneous. Therefore, highly aromatic, intense and colored wines can be obtained.
- Inceptisol: found in the far east of our DO. Non‑evolved soils, eroded and sometimes not productive.
- Entisol: found in the mid-zone. Shallow and non‑evolved soils.
- Aridisol: found in the west. Very common in arid regions, rich in soluble sodium and with low water resources.
The Designation of Origin Almansa’s production area exhibits perfect conditions and similar features caused by environmental peculiarities, but always keeping a common identity which assures unique, high quality, world‑renowned wines.
