Valles de Benavente

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The relief is shaped by the combination of the Sedimentary Basin of the Northern Meseta and the Palaeozoic basement that outcrops to the west of the Iberian Peninsula, with peneplains flanked to the north by a mountain range derived from the Cantabrian Cordillera.
• The topography ranges from gently undulating terrain with soft slopes, typical of the Tierra de Campos, to clay plains with medium to minimal runoff and very slow internal drainage.
• The most representative soils are calcareous brown soils of sandy loam texture, with a pH between 7 and 8, a depth of 50 to 60 cm, and low fertility levels, well suited to the vine owing to their drainage and aeration.
• The climate is continental, extreme, and arid, with annual rainfall of between 350 and 550 mm, very cold winters with prolonged frosts and persistent fog, and short, dry, hot summers.
• The diurnal temperature range is marked, as the drop in night-time temperatures moderates the heat experienced during the day, in an area where summer aridity is slightly eased by the seasonal storms typical of the region.

• In the town of Benavente, a Royal Privilege granted by King Alfonso XI, dated 10 September 1338, makes mention of the large area of vineyards under cultivation and of the economic importance of winemaking.
• In León, a technique known as madreo is practised, which is not used in the PDO Valles de Benavente, making the wines of the two areas entirely distinct from one another.

• Wines made from the Prieto Picudo variety show a light spritz, with an aromatic profile of red fruits, silky textures, and soft, sweet tannins.
• These wines have an actual alcoholic strength of between 13 and 14 degrees, an acidity of between 4.8 and 5.2 g/l in rosés and 5.4–5.8 g/l in reds, and a maximum residual sugar of 6 grams per litre.

• In an area with relatively low rainfall, the soils allow rainwater to penetrate readily, meeting the vine's water needs, which, together with the climate and altitude, lends the wines colour, freshness, and aromas characteristic of the zone.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the specification (pliego de condiciones).

All appellations in Spain

Sources

• National pliego de condiciones (PDF)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-ES-A0646
• Official trade body site — Consejo Regulador VC Valles de Benavente