About the wine

A short distance from Madrid, the rugged, weathered peaks of the Sierra de Gredos serve as a refreshingly cool retreat from the heat and hustle and bustle of the capital. Old hill towns and cottages characterize the tormented landscape of alpine meadows and boulders. Several DOs, especially Mentida and Viños de Madrid, are grouped around this rocky spine, which are best known for reliably producing inexpensive and simple country wines to quench the capital's thirst. But viticulture in Spain is ancient and stubborn, so the adventurous will also find vineyards in the most impossible places, including stone falls and natural amphitheaters high up in the most remote parts of the mountains.