Utiel-Requena

Located to the west of Valencia city, Utiel-Requena is the largest sub-region with the broader Valencia zone on Spain’s east coast. This region is marked by the heat, its flat and dry vineyards sitting atop a plateau 70 kilometers inland from the coast, at roughly 700 meters above sea level. As one might expect, the majority of production is focussed on Bobal, the native red wine variety, which seems to thrive in these often testing conditions. That is, not to keep down sugar levels, but actually ripen. Historically, the red wines have often been weedy and underripe, leading to the prevalence of rose. The traditional style involves fermenting Bobal and the spent skins, in an attempt to bolster the body and colour. Plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo have expanded since the turn of the century.

Utiel-Requena is perhaps best known as the other region in which the production of Cava is authorised. Typically within the south-eastern half of the region, Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada are grown to great effect.