D.O. Somontano

The DO area is located in the province of Huesca in the Spanish region of Aragon. It was classified in 1984. The name Somontano means "under the mountains" and indicates that the area is in the foothills of the Pyrenees near the French border. In the Middle Ages, monasteries established viticulture here. By the end of the 19th century, a peak was reached with a multiple vineyard area compared to today. A good portion of the wines was exported to South America. The Bordeaux-born Lalanne family was appointed as the court supplier to the Spanish King Alfonso XIII (1886-1941). However, the phylloxera disaster put an end to this and led to a decline in viticulture. In the early 1980s, a revival took place.

Climate

The climate is nearly ideal for viticulture, with cold winters and hot summers, relatively abundant rainfall, plenty of sunshine during the day, and cool nights. In late spring and autumn, there are abrupt temperature changes. The average annual temperature is 11 degrees Celsius.

Vineyards & Producers

The vineyards cover around 4,000 hectares of vineyard area between 350 and 650 meters above sea level on mainly dark limestone soils with good drainage. They are primarily located around Barbastro in 43 municipalities. The red wine varieties cultivated include Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Moristel, Parraleta, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, as well as the white wine varieties Viura (Macabeo), Garnacha Blanca, Alcañón, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer. From these, the traditional Jovenes (young wines) are produced. There are 29 wineries, including Blecua, Dalcamp, ENATE (largest producer), Fábregas, Guelbenzu, Lalanne, Otto Bestue, Pirineos, Viñas del Vero.

Image: Bodega ENATE