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Castilla-La Mancha in 99 wines

Ferran Centelles
Ferran Centelles
Wednesday 7 May 2025 • 15 min read
ungrafted Airén planted 1950

Obscure varieties, old vines and surprising fine wines coaxed from workhorse grapes. Above, ungrafted Airén vines planted in 1950 (image courtesy of Bodegas Verum). See also Castilla-La Mancha – looking back to go forward.

Here are the results of the blind tasting Castilla–La Mancha wines I did with Manchegan wine expert Joaquín Parra in late January. As the tasting was limited to 100 wines pre-selected by Parra, the success rate here is very high, as you will see. However, very sadly, one bottle was corked and no replacement bottle of that wine was available on the day of the...