📍 Valencia (zone)

Valencia is a wine zone around the city of Valencia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. It belongs to the Valencia region of the same name and is part of the DO Valencia. Summers are hot and dry, winters mild, and the vineyards climb from the plain into hills inland, where nights are cooler. Next to the city lie the rice fields of Lake Albufera and orange groves.

The most famous wine of the zone is Moscatel de Valencia, a sweet wine from white Muscat grapes (Moscatel, or Muscat of Alexandria). It is golden, with scents of orange and honey, and is served with desserts. Among whites Merseguera and Verdil also grow and give dry, fresh wines.

Among red grapes, Mourvèdre, called Monastrell in Spain, takes the main place: it gives full wines with notes of blackberry and spice. Local grapes such as Mando grow alongside it, as does Planta Nova. Red, white, rosé, sweet and fortified wines are made.

For comparison with its neighbours: in the inland mountains lies the appellation Utiel-Requena, known for the Bobal grape, to the south Alicante, which also has a lot of Mourvèdre, and to the west La Mancha.