Uclés (DO) facts for kids
| Wine region | |
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| Official name | D.O. Uclés |
|---|---|
| Type | Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) |
| Year established | 2003 |
| Country | Spain |
| Size of planted vineyards | 1,700 hectares (4,201 acres) |
| No. of wineries | 5 |
| Wine produced | 32,564 hectolitres |
| Comments | Data for 2016 / 2017 |
Uclés is a special area in Spain where certain wines are made. It's called a Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP), which means "Protected Designation of Origin." This helps make sure the wines from Uclés are always of a high quality. The Uclés wine region is found in the Castile-La Mancha area of Spain. It's near the town of Uclés, stretching into parts of the Cuenca and Toledo provinces.
Contents
A Brief History
The Uclés wine region is quite new. In 2002, some local wine makers, called bodegueros, decided to work together. They wanted to make sure their wines were of the best quality. Because of their hard work, the Uclés area officially became a DOP in 2006. This was a big step for their wines!
Weather in Uclés
The Uclés region has what is called a continental climate. This means it has very hot and dry summers. The winters are cold. On average, about 500 millimeters of rain falls each year.
Types of Soil
The vineyards in Uclés have different kinds of soil. These soils are found in three main areas:
- Sierra de Altomira: This area has a rough landscape. The soil here contains a type of rock called dolomitic limestone.
- Western Zone: This part has rolling hills. The soil is made up of sediments, which are tiny bits of rock and dirt. It also includes flat areas near rivers.
- Eastern Zone: This area is a bit lower than the others. Its soil has deposits from a very old time period called the Tertiary period.
Overall, the soils in Uclés are quite varied. Most of them are sandy and deep. They are not very fertile, which means they don't have a lot of nutrients. However, they drain water well, which is good for the vines. This also allows air to reach the roots of the grapevines. Near the Riánsares and Bedija rivers, the soil is a little more fertile.
Grape Varieties
Many different types of grapes are grown in Uclés to make wine.
Red Grapes
The main red grape varieties allowed are:
White Grapes
The main white grape varieties allowed are:
- Verdejo
- Chardonnay
- Moscatel de Grano Menudo
- Sauvignon blanc
- Macabeo
Grape Yields
To make sure the wines are good quality, there are rules about how many grapes can be grown per area. This is called the "yield."
- For red wines, the amount of grapes allowed depends on how old the vines are and how they are planted.
- Vines that are less than 6 years old cannot be used to make wine with the Uclés DOP label. This helps ensure only grapes from mature, high-quality vines are used.
