Free case of Castilla-La Mancha wine just for you

Claim your free case of wine from the UK’s fastest growing wine club: Wine52. Claim today and get a case of three carefully selected wines from the beautiful Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain.

Transport yourself to the heart of Spanish winemaking excellence with a FREE case of wine from Wine52. Cover just £9.95 and receive three exquisite wines from the finest wineries in the renowned Castilla-La Mancha region.

Wine52 is a wine discovery club which showcases a new region every month. From velvety reds to crisp whites, focusing on native grape varieties from iconic regions they ensure that there's a perfect pour for every occasion and palate preference.

The wine you’ll receive is their stunning Castilla-La Mancha case featuring an exquisite selection of wines which are a perfect reflection of the region’s diverse terroir and rich winemaking history.

Wine52’s Spanish Splash – Castilla-La Mancha

Castilla-La Mancha is a large region, in fact the largest wine-producing region in the World, just South-East of Madrid and subject to an extreme continental climate, meaning very hot Summers (+45 Celsius) and very cold Winters (-20 Celsius). The region has some impressive winemaking pedigree as it can boast 18 of Spain’s Vinos de Pago, small wine estates that have seriously high reputations in the wine world. It also houses many regional wines that cover Spanish grapes and international varieties alike with relative freedom in winemaking and blending.

In this case, these are the wines you’ll be discovering, giving you the perfect opportunity to explore and find out how Spanish Sauvignon is beyond the confines of Marlborough and France, or how their Merlot compares to Chile and France. Plus, there’s a Chardonnay and Spanish classic Tempranillo to get stuck into as well.

Mejunje Sauvignon by Bodegas Lozano

The first wine of the case I went for was the Mejunje Sauvignon by Bodegas Lozano who are champions of environmental conservation and biodiversity in the vineyard. This practice is growing vastly in popularity all over the world’s wine regions as climate change becomes ever more threatening to wine production. For a deep dive into how Bordeaux are achieving this, read here.

On first sniff, this wine is much more reserved than your usual Sauvignon Blanc. I wasn’t hit in the face with unpleasant overindulgence in tropical fruits and box tree (the smell of which is otherwise associated with a cat relieving itself), but rather presented with a well held together bouquet. Lemon, tangerine, grapefruit and lime lend a gentle citrus edge with green apple and gooseberry adding some vivacious twang. It also has a herbaceous element with green bell pepper and notes of fresh cut grass.

On the palate the wine comes even more alive. Gooseberry is stronger but not at risk of overbearing the palate. The herbaceous notes come out in equal strength helping to temper this and give the wine a rounded feel. The finish isn’t particularly long but what there is of it culminates into a green apple and lime fusion and leaves your mouth watering for more.

Hola Chardonnay by Bodegas Latue

The next white is an old classic Chardonnay made organically. This is fruit driven and tropical with sweet notes. Think dried mango, dried pineapple, peach and tangerine as your main flavours on the nose.

On the palate this aromatic burst continues with the same sweet nature of the fruits. As if they had been dried, diced and served as a healthy snack! One note that did strike me as different was a foam banana flavour right at the tail end of the sip, which then mellows and coats the rest of your mouth. This makes the finish especially enticing. All in all, the sweet nature of the fruit is well balanced by a high acidity making this very Summer suitable.

Lustroso Tempranillo by Bodegas Latue

Tempranillo is known in Castilla as Cencibel (rather unsensibly this is one of many names for Tempranillo in Spain) and is almost certainly the main grape you have tasted before if you’ve ever had Spanish red. So it was only fitting to include it in this case.

On the nose it has oodles of jammy red fruit with blackberry jam, plum and ripe cherry pouring out. A little hint of violet and then some smoky nuance suggests this wine has seen oak, even if only for a short while.

On tasting the jammy fruit remains but takes a bit more of a backseat. Darker flavours like blueberry and chocolate begin to emerge, and more prominently the longer you have it open too. A nice streak of wild herbs entertains the middle of the palate whilst the finish mellows into sweeter dark fruits. One thing this one does exceptionally well is show off the deft balance between punchy tannin and acidity. Overall, a good wine to introduce people into the approachability of Tempranillo rather than kicking off with a Gran Reserva Rioja. If you’re a fan of “The Guv’nor”, then this will be right up your street.

¡area! ¡adiole! by El Progresso

El Progresso is Spain’s oldest wine cooperative with uninterrupted trading since 1917. They have the pedigree alright! But that counts for nothing if the wine is no good, so, how was it?

The nose reveals an initially jammy layer which is quickly overshadowed by darker fruits and herbal tones. It’s like blackberry jam and ripe raspberry meets violet and rosemary. The fruits are mainly on the red side of the spectrum and very ripe indeed, I suspect thanks to the hot, sunny conditions of Castilla.

The palate is full bodied with great depth and richness that is supported by smooth, easy-sipping tannin. The ripe fruits and herbal nature work together beautifully too. The herbal nature perhaps becomes a little more medicinal in nature but combined with the ripe fruits character this weaves together very well. The finish has decent length and makes me think it’ll be an excellent match for your BBQ.

Wine52’s Gaucho Extravaganza

As with every month, my latest installment of Wine52 arrived, sporting 4 wines from San Juan in Argentina. It lies in the shadow of the Andes just North of Mendoza, the region that likely single-handedly brought you a love for Malbec. The Andes meltwater provides excellent irrigation for the vineyards although climate change has caused this to become more of a concern and growers are having to use water more sustainably. The common practice is to dig channels in the vineyards and literally flood them with water! Some form of irrigation is particularly important here as the climate is best described as a semi-desert.

The region is perhaps best known for altitude these days, with vineyards going up to around 2000m above sea level. In recent years more and more producers have been exploring higher plantings and as a result the wines’ reputations have risen. Yes, inexpensive grapes are still mass produced on the valley floors, but that isn’t the wine you’ll be tasting in this case. The most planted grape is actually Syrah (not Malbec), followed by Malbec and then Bonarda, which is generally consumed by the locals. Those in the know are waiting for the Malbec bubble to burst so these other wines can start to enter the limelight.

As for white grapes, the one I was half-expecting but still excited to see was Torrontes. This is a bit of a hidden gem and thoroughly deserving of kicking Pinot Grigio out of your fridge for good. It is light and refreshing to a greater degree than most Pinots, but it packs much more of a flavour punch, and a much more interesting one too. The two key things it has are rose water/Turkish delight and lychee and they taste great in a wine. So, how was the case?

The San Juan Four

Mysterio Torrontes

The one I was most excited about had to come first. To many, Torrontes is probably a bit of a mysterio being rarely seen in wine stores or overlooked if so. But, as I’ve said, it’ll help turn your head from Pinot Grigio on to better, more interesting and flavourful pastures. And this wine does just that.

Rose and Lychee intermingle giving a bright, perfumed lead on the palate. As these mellow, white flowers, citrus, ripe nectarine and jasmine come into focus. A nice medium-full body gives a sense of richness on the tongue whilst the good level of acidity and saline aftertaste make it perfect for a hot Summer’s day.

Hijo del Sol petit Verdot

Petit Verdot is another grape you don’t see too often, at least on its own, but it is one that thrives in warm climates and can make some spicy, high tannin wines. It is often a small but highly prized component of top Bordeaux’s and becoming all the more crucial there thanks to global warming. Read about how Bordeaux is fighting climate change here. I’ll admit I’ve not tried many single varietal Petit Verdot wines, but this is one of the best I’ve come across.

A complex layer greets you from the off with cherry, plum and dark fruits which intermingle with earthy, leathery undertones. The garrigue (aka dried herbs) of the French wildlands, violet and tobacco are also well interwoven creating a lovely, varied wine that punches well above its price point.

La Luna Descansa Malbec

No better way to finish Argentina than with their classic, Malbec. I normally avoid Malbec unless ordering at dinner for a number of people to share because it is so popular, but, for me, Malbecs have become a little stale and unexciting. Still, it wouldn’t be a great exploration on Wine52s part if they went to Argentina without getting a Malbec. So, how was it?

The nose was a pleasant surprise with more varied fruits and good intensity. Black plum, red, sour cherry, violet, dried herbs and a smidge of graphite. On the palate, it has a smooth, luscious texture which you’d expect from a good Malbec. The fruits came across a bit more delicately than on the nose but still nice and intense. Additional notes of chocolate combined well with the hefty, but smooth tannin. And on the finish a relishing blackcurrant jam flavour lingers nicely.