The Merseguera variety is grown for whites, but three quarters of the vineyards are reserved for the red varieties of Monastrell and Garnacha Tintorera, grapes that permit the making of gutsy, dry and smooth wines.

The geographical nature of the area makes these lands ideal for the cultivation of the most important grape for this D. O.: the Monastrell grape, that makes up more than 80% of the vineyards. This is a noble, austere and hardy variety, with small bunches, dark in colour and very rich in sugar, which produce reds with an

intense ruby colour. Other varieties are Tempranillo, Garnacha Tintorera, Garnacha, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot in reds. The white wines are produced from Airén, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Moscatel de grano menudo, Pedro Ximénez and Malvasía.

The Airén variety continues to be in the majority, although Tempranillo is the variety that has shown the most increase and has now surpassed 18,300 hectares and it is forecasted that with the impressive restructuring of wine growing in

the region, this figure will continue to rise in coming years. Other varieties have been planted in recent years, and are becoming more and more extended in the D.O.: Whites: Macabeo or

Viura, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay; Reds: Tempranillo, Garnacha and Moravia (localised in some districts of Albacete and Cuenca) with a consolidate presence; and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, which are becoming more and

more extended.

Although the native grape, Bobal, occupies 70% of the area of vineyards, there are new plantations of important varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Merlot, and Syrah. Likewise, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc no complement the Albillo and Verdejo grapes for the white wines.

The main variety in Méntrida is Garnacha, which is grown in 80% of the vineyards. The rest of the area is occupied by other varieties approved under the new regulations of the Control Board, such as Tempranillo, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, as well as a small proportion of white grapes, such as Albillo, Macabeo,

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

We can find reds, with  Cencibel and Cabernet-Sauvignon as the principal grape varieties, and   Macabeo, Malvar and Torrontés for whites. 

The grape varieties grown in this Designation are all reds: Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Bobal. Of these, 42% are more than 20 years old. Also, the average age of the vineyards ensures a good relation between the yield and quality of the grape. With these grapes, three types of wine are produced: Young wine, traditional wine and crianza.

The following grape varieties are accepted, all reds: Tempranillo, Garnacha tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.

The red wines produced in the Valdepeñas Designation of Origin are made exclusively from grapes of the varieties Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot, the principal being Tempranillo, which

occupies more than 80% of the area of red varieties.