Although La Rioja or Ribera del Duero are the best-known wine regions internationally, in Spain there are many more to discover and explore; in Valencia we are lucky to enjoy an exceptional wine region, just 45 minutes by car from the city. For this reason, the vineyards have become a perfect destination to organize the Autumn Getaway of our community at Vortex Coworking. In this blog we will share our favorite wineries in the province of Valencia. But first, let’s read a little more about this wine region so close to us.
Requena – Utiel
The first discoveries of grape seeds in the area are Iberian, which confirms that viticulture was practiced in the Utiel-Requena region as early as the 5th and 4th centuries B. C. and probably, even before that period.
The region also has an important historical-artistic heritage centered on medieval architecture, with underground galleries, castles, wall enclosures and mudéjar (arabian influenced) neighborhoods. In addition, in the area you can also enjoy nature in its purest state, with two Protected Natural Parks in the area: Hoces del Cabriel and Chera.
The wine region has a homogeneous geographic identity with common climatic features. It forms a plateau of 45 kilometers in diameter, with an almost circular perimeter and more than 1,800 square kilometers, with an average altitude above sea level of 700 meters. The registered vineyard area exceeds 40,000 hectares. 80% of the plantations are of the Bobal variety, a grape almost exclusive to the region and increasingly valued. The climate presents features of continentality with temperatures that favor the cultivation of the vines: winters are cold and long; in spring there are some night frosts and the summer and autumn seasons are usually short.
Initially it was a region mainly of red and rosé wines, obtained from the red varieties, but in recent years, the cavas are acquiring a great prominence, for which the planting of white varieties is being expanded.
The denominations of the region are: D.O. Utiel-Requena, D.O. Cava, D.O. Valencia and several Pago wines. The main grapes are: Bobal, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir in red; in whites the Macabeo, Tardana or Planta Nova, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Now that you know a little more about the region, let’s move on to the winery recommendations:
Bodegas Murviedro
To start the day in the region, we recommend a visit to the city of Requena, where in addition to visiting the castle, you can visit the Murviedro Historic Winery, in the heart of the old town. A mysterious space in the subsoil where you can discover the history and origin of its caves, and its relationship with viticulture since the 6th century B.C. To end the visit, a Murviedro wine tasting is a must.
Any Fun Fact? Founded nothing more and nothing less than in 1927, almost 100 years!
Pago de Tharsys
They have excellent wines, but above all, it stands out for being a reference in the production of Valencian Cavas. In fact, its owner, Vicente Garcia, is considered the father of Valencian Cava. These are made with the most common varieties for this type of sparkling wine, such as Macabeo or Chardonnay, but they are also innovating and making cavas with the native grape variety of the area, such as Cava Pago de Tharsys Único , which is made 100% with the Bobal grape.
Any Fun Fact? The Night Harvest experience.
Bodega Nodus
The experience in this winery is very complete, with beautiful vineyards, various tastings, a restaurant and a hotel. Nodus has one of the most complete ranges of wines on the market, with a presence in the best wine lists and specialized stores, and includes both great wines and more affordable options for everyday use.
Any Fun Fact? Here we organized the first Vortex wine getaway, a complete success.
Bodegas Hispano – Suizas
Their ambition is to make Masterpieces; High-end wines but with reasonable prices. Hence, many of the names of the wines have the common denominator of being terms used in classical music. The space for events and experiences is cozy with spectacular views of the vineyards.
Any Fun Fact? Since 2022 they have produced the first white wine made with the Albariño grape within the DOP Valencia.
Bodegas Chozas Carrascal
Family winery since 1990 with a very careful design and diversity of experiences, which includes a wine spa experience. Red, rosé, white, cava and sweet wines. Proof of his taste for design is the recently opened Museum of Labels with a collection of 350,000 physical labels and 1,500,000 digital labels, thus representing more than 28,000 wineries.
Any Fun Fact? In addition to the Museum of Labels, they have the Olivar (Olive Tree), where the Cornicabra olive variety grows, from which the olive oil produced in the winery comes from.
Vilasira
Boutique hotel surrounded by vineyards, with a restaurant, a wine store with a good selection of regional wines, a swimming pool surrounded by Balinese beds and other magical corners where you can enjoy a getaway in nature… with a good glass of wine in hand.
Any Fun Fact? They organize events from time to time, such as the Wine Market, concerts or dinner with wine tasting, so take a look at the website to see what’s new.
All of the above is just a small teaser of what we can find in our region. If you want to take a look at one of our historical – wine getaways in a magical place that we cannot reveal, do not miss this video!
I hope that the recommendations above help you to understand better not only our beloved city Valencia, but the entire region that surrounds us.
We also have blogs on other topics with suggestions and recommendations for our coworkers; Feel free to take a look and see if there is anything else you might be interested in: