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If you wanted to describe the D.O. Vinos de Madrid today, you could do so as follows: down-to-earth, authentic, fresh, terroir-driven, often natural, courageous, and on the rise—driven by young, ambitious winemakers.
The D.O. Vinos de Madrid is a very diverse wine-growing region with mountains and plateaus, featuring different wine styles and a variety of grape varieties, including interesting white wines from indigenous varieties such as Malvar and Albillo.
The vineyards are located in four subzones around the capital Madrid:
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Particular attention has been drawn to the region with the New-Wave Garnachas from the Sierra de Gredos. There is talk of a Gredo style, which stands for nature-friendly, minimal-invasive vinification and produces particularly elegant, fresh, fruity, and mineral wines that noticeably reflect the high altitudes.
Also worth mentioning are the Claretes, which are currently experiencing a renaissance. These are rosé wines made from the co-fermentation of white and red grapes. In the 19th century, before the arrival of the phylloxera, the Madrid region had 60,000 hectares of vineyard area and supplied the city of Madrid with red and white wines and these rosés, called Claretes.
Currently, around 6,000 hectares of vineyards are cultivated in Madrid and vinified by 40 wineries. In relation, this would correspond to about half of the Swiss vineyard area or a wine region like Franconia or Mosel.
Madrid is still relatively unknown and that is exactly why it is exciting—an underdog with a good price-performance ratio, driving innovation without the pressure of tradition and having a fresh image among sommeliers and wine journalists.
Diversity through four subzones creates a wide stylistic range from fruity entry-level wines to complex natural wines. Old vines and indigenous varieties, which are almost exclusively found here, provide rarities and wines with unique characteristics.