Bierzo (DO)

42°33′N 6°35′W / 42.550°N 6.583°W / 42.550; -6.583

Bierzo DOP
Wine region
Bierzo DOP in the province of León in the region of Castile and León
Official nameC.R.D.O. Bierzo
TypeDenominación de Origen Protegida (DOP)
Year established1989
CountrySpain
Size of planted vineyards2,854 hectares (7,052 acres)
No. of wineries70[1]
Wine produced40,729 hectolitres
CommentsData for 2016 / 2017

Bierzo is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) for wines located in the northwest of the province of León (Castile and León, Spain) and covers about 3,000 km2. It borders on the provinces of Ourense, Lugo and Asturias in the north and in the south on areas of La Montaña, la Cabrera and La Meseta, in Léon. The area consists of numerous small valleys in the mountainous part (Alto Bierzo) and of a wide, flat plain (Bajo Bierzo). The DO covers 23 municipalities including the largest town of the area, Ponferrada (population about 70,000).

The Bierzo cultivation area is located in the tectonic basin of the Bercian part of the Sil River valley.

The wines of this designation of origin are made exclusively with authorized grape varieties. Among the reds, Mencía stands out, and among the whites, Doña Blanca and Godello are prominent. Additionally, three experimental varieties are included, although they are pending the corresponding authorization from the Junta of Castilla y León. Currently, this designation is among those with the greatest international projection in Spain.

  1. ^ "C.R.D.O. Bierzo". crdobierzo.es. Retrieved 20 December 2019.