Calatayud
Calatayud is a wine region in northeastern Spain; it is a sub-region of Aragon; Formerly home to bulk wine producers, it has become a territory sought out by more quality-oriented vintners.
This is a warm Continental climate, and summers are quite hot and dry. In keeping with that, most vineyards are sited at high elevations, as much as 2500 feet above sea level. Soils are rocky, with deposits of limestone.
Garnacha (Grenache) is the leading grape here by far, representing almost 85% of total plantings. The best wines are deeply fruity, with moderate tannins and peppery spice; many are from vineyards that are 40-60 years old and produce small quantity, but have intense depth of fruit. At prices in the mid-teens to low $20s, these are remarkable values.
Other red varieties planted in Calatayud include Tempranillo and Mazuelo, white leading whites include Viura, Malvasia and Chardonnay. Rosés made from Garnacha are also well known wines from Calatayud.
Pair the Garnacha wines with lamb or pork, the whites with shellfish and lighter poultry and the rosés with poultry, salads and tapas.