Cantabria

Cantabria (Cantabria) is a small region on the Northern coast of Spain, situated layer between the Cantabrian mountains and the Bay of Biscay. Together with its neighbours Asturias (to the West) and the Basque Country (to the East) – it forms part of the country, mentally called the Green Spain (Espana Verde).

Traditionally, the wine was not here an important part of culture because local soils are too fertile for the cultivation of high quality technical (wine) grapes. Thanks to these soils and the region’s economy originally relied on agriculture. Not on the vine and more potatoes, corn, olives and cattle.

Then a small amount of wine that is produced here, mainly highly acidic, low alcohol, sometimes white bluff, similar to the taste of the wine (txacoli) of the Basque Country.

The most appreciated drinks of the region – cider (sidra) and Aruch (orujo). The second is a distilled type of brandy only from grape pomace.

Today, however, in Cantabria there are two class appellation Vino de la Tierra:

• Liébana (Liebana VT)
• Costa de Cantabria (Costa de Cantabria VT)

Liébana is located in the Eastern corner of the region and is characterized by a special microclimate created by four valleys: more dry and much more Mediterranean than in other parts of the region. He does this part of Cantabria suitable for winemaking.

Costa de Cantabria, as you might guess from the name, runs along the coast.

In varietal Arsenal in the region a range of local and international varieties. Local first is ondarrabi Suri (Hondarrabi Zuri) and its colored version of ondarrabi of Belec (Hondarrabi Beltza). Among the other most noticeable place is occupied Pikul (local. Picapoll), albarin Tinto (Albarin Tinto aka Portuguese. Alfrocheiro Preto), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The landscape of Cantabria is quite diverse: from pure white beaches to lush green hills and majestic mountains with snow-capped peaks. From the mountains play a key role mighty Cantabrian Cordillera in the South (naturally separating Cantabria from Castilla and Leon) and notch Peaks of Europe to the West (beyond which lies the region of Asturias). It is not surprising, therefore, that the name of Cantabria, believed to be derived from the Celtic words cant (stone) and abr (region).

In addition to the green landscapes of Cantabria is also known for its cultural heritage, in particular, caves with rock paintings in the region the world’s highest concentration of drawings of the Paleolithic age inscribed on the world Heritage list.