Guijoso
Encyclopedia
El Guijoso is one of only nine Denominaciones de Origen de Pago existing in Spain
as of 2009. This is the highest category on the quality scale of Spanish wines and means that in addition to having a proven track record of consistent quality, the wines have to be both produced from estate-grown grapes and also have to be processed and aged in a winery (bodega) located on the estate.
The winery and vineyards are in the El Guijoso estate, located in the municipality of El Bonillo
, in the province of Albacete
(Castile-La Mancha
, Spain) and acquired its status in April 2005. It is very close to the Lagunas de Ruidera
, an area of wetlands and natural reserve, and is the source of the river Pinilla.
The whole estate is about 3,000 ha in area. About half this area is cultivated and the other half is low mountain scrubland used for hunting. There are installations on the estate for livestock, olives, vines and the winery.
and Sauvignon Blanc
. The main red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon
, Merlot
, Tempranillo
and Syrah.
The vines are planted on trellises (en espaldera) and have a drip irrigation system.
As required by the legislation, the grapes used in making the estate wine must be grown on the estate itself.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as of 2009. This is the highest category on the quality scale of Spanish wines and means that in addition to having a proven track record of consistent quality, the wines have to be both produced from estate-grown grapes and also have to be processed and aged in a winery (bodega) located on the estate.
The winery and vineyards are in the El Guijoso estate, located in the municipality of El Bonillo
El Bonillo
El Bonillo is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 3,280....
, in the province of Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....
(Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. Castile-La Mancha is bordered by Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is one of the most sparsely populated of Spain's autonomous communities...
, Spain) and acquired its status in April 2005. It is very close to the Lagunas de Ruidera
Lagunas de Ruidera
The Lagunas de Ruidera are a group of small lakes in the Campo de Montiel, between Albacete Province, and Ciudad Real Province, Spain. Most of the lakes are interconnected and their total water amount may reach 23,06 Hm³, which is considerable by the standards of other lakes in the Iberian...
, an area of wetlands and natural reserve, and is the source of the river Pinilla.
The whole estate is about 3,000 ha in area. About half this area is cultivated and the other half is low mountain scrubland used for hunting. There are installations on the estate for livestock, olives, vines and the winery.
History
The first vines were planted in 1985, and the first wine released to the market was in 1990 with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The winery (bodega) was inaugurated in 1993.Vineyards
At a height of about 1,000 m above sea level, the vineyards cover an area of 72 ha. The main white varieties planted are ChardonnayChardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
. The main red varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Tempranillo
Tempranillo
Tempranillo is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. It is the main grape used in Rioja, and is often referred to as Spain's "noble grape". Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano , a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks...
and Syrah.
The vines are planted on trellises (en espaldera) and have a drip irrigation system.
As required by the legislation, the grapes used in making the estate wine must be grown on the estate itself.