One of the Autonomous Communities with a tradition of wine is Castilla La Mancha. The area through which Don Quixote travelled on his adventures in Cervantes’ fiction is deeply rooted in wine. Within the different areas of the region, the La Manchuela Wine Route wants to be visible on 1 and 2 March at the Valladolid Fair.

La Manchuela is a region which extends across the south of the province of Cuenca and the north of the province of Albacete. It is a territory bathed by the rivers Júcar and Cabriel and which historically formed part of the Marquisate of Villena, which is why the territory has numerous castles and fortresses, privileged witnesses of other eras that marked the territory and its people.

It is a rural region, in which vine cultivation is the predominant crop, but other crops such as cereals, almonds and olives also stand out.

Source: Ruta del vino La Manchuela

A national example that many routes imitate

The La Manchuela Wine Route was certified as a Spanish Wine Route in 2019, thus forming part of the Spanish Wine Routes Product Club, a benchmark for wine tourism in our country, for its variety and tourist wealth, as well as for the quality and rigour of each and every one of the 36 destinations or routes that make up this select club.

On the La Manchuela Wine Route we can find tourist accommodation, restaurants, wine bars, active tourism companies, tourist offices and, of course, wineries. In each and every one of the municipalities that make up this region, there are real treasures to be found.

If we are talking about wine, in this region we are talking about the bobal grape, an autochthonous and predominant grape variety in the territory. All the wineries on the route are also under the Manchuela Designation of Origin. The result of this is the great quality of our wines and the care and affection with which the wineries treat their visitors.

The nature of the place is impressive thanks to the river treasures.

All the villages that make up this territory have something special, but there is no doubt that municipalities such as Alarcón, Alcalá del Júcar, Jorquera, Iniesta and Enguídanos stand out. The influence of the aforementioned rivers Júcar and Cabriel is also worth mentioning. In its gorges we can enjoy true natural paradises. The recently named Cabriel River Biosphere Reserve and the impressive Cabriel Gorges Nature Reserve are worthy of special mention. All these landscapes will delight the most adventurous and nature lovers.

Source: Ruta del vino La Manchuela

But that’s not all, if we talk about natural, historical and artistic heritage, we cannot forget to talk about the gastronomic heritage of the region. Typical and tasty dishes such as gazpachos manchegos, morteruelo, atascaburras and a long etcetera that will leave you wanting more.

With the intention of giving shelter to those who want to know the benefits of wine, the Manchuela Wine Route, of great tourist and oenological interest, goes into the countryside to project traditions, cultures, as well as the value of the people, who are not willing to leave aside the tenacity and quality of their wine work as a premise. This route is one of the most promising proposals for tourists, but also for specialists in the world of wine.