Valencia (DO)

Valencia is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) (Denominació d'Origen in Valencian) for wines located in the province of Valencia (Valencian Community) and is divided into two separate zones and four sub-zones each one of which produces a different type of wine.HistoryGrape growing and wine production has been present in this area for thousands of years as attested by several archaeological finds, including Neolithic tombs containing remains of grapes.The wine from Sagunto was mentioned in texts by Juvenal and Marcial in the 2nd century BC. In the 13th century the valencian citizen Arnau de Vilanova wrote one of the first treatises on Spanish wine.Sub-zonesValentinoThe Valentino sub-zone, located to the northwest, is the largest one and its vineyards slope gently upwards from the coastal plain towards the interior of the province. This sub-zone is in turn divided in three geographically distinct areas: Cheste and Marquesado at a height of 175 m above sea level with brown and reddish lime bearing soils.Campos de Liria at a height of 275 m above sea level, where the soils are similar to the ones at lower altitudes.Serranía at a height of 550 m above sea level, with brown lime bearing soils over consolidated subsoils.