"Under the mountains" is the literal translation of the Somontano wine region, and that is literally true here. The shooting star among Spanish wine growing regions is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, in Aragon, at an altitude of about 350 to 650 metres, protected from damaging, cold north winds by the massive mountain range of the Spanish border mountains. Until the 1980s, the region was basically unknown, until a few producers such as Vinas del Vero or Enate made the region known overnight with remarkable wines. Since then, the number of producers has been growing steadily, and the area under vine has expanded from about 1,400 hectares in the past to about 4,800 hectares today. In the dry climate, with about 550 millimetres of rainfall per year, 85 percent of the grapes grown are reds, preferably from the Moristel (not related or identical to the Monastrell), Tempranillo and Garnacha varieties. 15 percent is distributed among white wines of the varieties Macabeo, Garnacha Blanca, the almost extinct variety Alcanon, as well as some Chardonnay, even Gewürztraminer and, of course, rosé. With the arrival of the new wineries, Somontano has also acquired a new image; the wines have a modern, contemporary style.
