Production areas, mountain viticulture and grape varieties

Production areas

Asturias The geographical area of the Cangasne PDO meets the requirements to qualify it as Mountain Viticulture by CERVIM (Center for Research, Study, Safeguarding, Coordination and Valorisation of Mountain Viticulture) an exclusivity that in the Spanish territory it only shares with, the DOP Ribeira Sacra, DOP Islas Canarias and DOP Priorat.

The grape production area for the production of wines protected by the Cangas Protected Designation of Origin, is made up of lands that, based on exclusively technical criteria, are considered especially suitable for the production of grapes with the necessary quality and that are located in the municipalities of: Allande, Cangas del Narcea, Degaña , Grandas de Salime, Ibias, Illano, Pesoz and some areas that belong to the municipality of Tineo.

Heroic viticulture

In production areas of Protected Designation of Origin Cangas Wines, landscape is rugged and mountainous. Settled on its slopes we find vineyards, on steep slopes which make their maintenance and cultivation so difficult, heroic. Visiting the area is like go back to the past: forests and ancient vineyards, traditional trades…. A mixture of tradition and development in viticulture results, in wine, getting a top quality raw material.

Asturias is part of the territory classified as Mountain Viticulture by CERVIM (Center for Research, Study, Safeguarding, Coordination and Valorisation of Mountain Viticulture) an exclusivity that only Cangas Wine, D. O. Ribeira Sacra and D.O. Priorat.

The high mountain vineyard is characterized by

• Cultivation of vines in mountain areas, altitude above 500 meters up from sea level.
• Cultivation on steep slopes, areas with more than 30% decline.
• Vineyards in small properties, in plots.
• Viñas en terrazas de cultivo.

The areas that sustain high mountain vineyards also have such characteristics that allow talk of “heroic viticulture”:

• Orography not allows mechanization.
• Plots of vineyards sometimes split and often organized in terraces.
• Farms with small acreage, whose agriculture is not the main economic income.
• Need high economic investment to modernize crops.
• Adverse weather condition.
• Grape varieties exclusive with enological productions emerging from the global models.
• The vineyards are located in geographic areas with high landscape beauty and tourist character.

Grape varieties

The most characteristic grapes, typical of the area and conformed for decades to its climate and soil, are the white Albarín, Albillo and Moscatel of small grain, in the case of the white varieties.

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Grape varieties

The most characteristic grapes, typical of the area and conformed for decades to its climate and soil, are the carrasquín, the verdejo negro, the mencía and the albarín negro in the case of the reds.

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Types of wines and characteristics. WHITE WINE

Varieties: albarín blanco, albillo, moscatel grano menudo, godello y blanca extra.

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Types of wines and characteristics. RED WINE

Varieties: carrasquín, verdejo negro, albarín negro y mencía.

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THE WINERIES

The Cangas Protected Designation of Origin and its Wineries

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Moderate alcohol consumption is recommended