Hardly anyone knows this white wine variety, and yet until a few years ago it was the most widely grown grape variety in the world, before it was pushed into second place by Cabernet Sauvignon - the Airen. Curiously, it has achieved this position despite - unlike its immediate rival - being grown exclusively in Spain, where it covers an area of an incredible 280,000 hectares in the highlands of Castilla-La Mancha. It is vigorous and very productive with its large bunches of medium-sized berries. It ripens late, but is fairly resistant to the high heat in the highlands, as well as to a variety of vine diseases, although rot plays almost no role in the dry climate. The Airen also copes well with the barren soils that prevail there. Your wine is rather light to medium-weight and the fruit is quite neutral and unexpressive. A lot of Airen can therefore be found in very inexpensive wines or EU blends. Only a handful of producers like Pesqeuera or Felix Solis are able to get more out of it. A large part of the harvest is therefore used in the Spanish brandy industry, where the reserved character is more of an advantage.
This grape variety is also known by the name of:
Aiden, Blanc Du Zerhoun, Blancon, Burra Blanca, El Biodh, Colgadera, El Biod, Forcellat Bianca, Forcallat Blanca, Forcallat Blanco, Forcallada, Forcallat, Lairen, Laeren Del Rey, Mantuo Laeren, Manchega, Forcellat Blanca, Historisch Datilera, Layren, Valdepenera Blanca, Valdepenero, Valdepenas, Zerhouni
