In the middle of Spain, just south of Madrid, you will find the largest continuous wine region in the world, which produces half of the Spanish totals. On top of that, La Mancha is one of the oldest wine regions, and well worth a couple of days outing if you’re on a trip to the Spanish capital which is “just around the corner”. Within the region, there are a number of cities and villages, with Toledo probably the most famous, but Alcazar de San Juan, Pedro Muñoz and Socuéllamos are also well worth a visit when driving through the countryside. 

If you see a few battered windmills, you might think back to Don Quijote’s fictional adventures in the area, which is located on a plateau between Madrid and Andalusia. Having little rain and moderately hot summers, the area produces fully ripened grapes. For the reds, you will find Cencibel is the main grape, accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnaca, Merlot and Moravia. White wines from La Mancha contain Airén, Macabeo and Pardilla according to regional standards.