D.O. Yecla

The DO area for red and white wines, named after the town of the same name, is located in the Spanish region of Murcia, which belongs to the Levant. Viticulture was already practised here by the Romans. It is divided into the sub-zones Yecla Campo Arriba with higher-lying vineyards and Yecla Campo Abajo with lower-lying vineyards. The vineyards cover 3,500 hectares of vines at 400 to 900 metres above sea level. On deep soils with limestone or clay with good water permeability and water storage capacity in the subsoil. The climate is continental, with Mediterranean influences, dry hot summers with extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night and cold winters. Red wine varieties are cultivated to over 90%. Monastrell dominates with 85% of the vineyard area, followed by Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cencibel (Tempranillo), Merlot, Tintorera (Alicante Henri Bouschet) and Syrah. The main white wine varieties are Merseguera, Airén, Macabeo, Malvasía (Síria) and Chardonnay. A special feature is that this area was largely spared from phylloxera in the 19th century; around 40% of the stock is still planted with ungrafted vines.