The highlands of Madrid around the Spanish capital of the same name were once an important wine-growing region. The cultivation of vines is mentioned in documents in the 13th century, and until the great phylloxera catastrophe at the end of the 19th century, it also enjoyed some importance. After that, the region fell into oblivion and was simply not noticed in the shadow of such well-known Spanish regions as Rioja or Ribera del Duero. The production from the approximately 11,000 hectares of vineyards is quite popular in the vibrant metropolis of Madrid, but due to this demand alone it hardly gets out of the vicinity of the capital. In recent years however, there has been some movement in the austere, very dry region with high day/night differences and large temperature differences between summer and winter. In addition to a few long-established producers and cooperatives, young ambitious winemakers are increasingly rediscovering the region and its potential for age worthy wines. Most of the vineyards are located in the south of Madrid, where mainly white wine from Airén and Malvar is produced, but also some red wine from the Spanish noble variety Tempranillo. In addition, there are still parcels of Garnacha vines, some of which are quite old, from which dedicated oenologists are now producing extremely remarkable wines that have the ageing potential to stand up to the established growths from Spain's top regions.
