Bodegas Altolandon

Bodegas Altolandon is a wine producer based in the Manchuela area of Castilla-La Mancha, in central-eastern Spain. The estate is associated with Landete, in the province of Cuenca, on the higher, cooler edge of the appellation. It works with both red and white varieties, and its wines are made from estate-grown fruit.

Manchuela lies between the Júcar and Cabriel river valleys, across parts of Albacete and Cuenca. The climate is continental, with hot summers, cold winters and large day-night temperature swings. Vineyards sit on a high plateau, and the soils are largely limestone and clay. The region is best known for Bobal, a dark-skinned red grape, though Garnacha, Monastrell and Tempranillo are also grown, along with white varieties such as Albillo. Higher sites tend to retain acidity and freshness, which matters particularly for whites in an otherwise warm part of Spain.

Chardonnay is the grape behind the 2015 Blanco in the range. It is an international variety rather than a traditional Manchuela one, and it shows how the plateau's elevation and cool nights can suit a white grape that needs acidity to stay balanced in a warm interior climate.