Arlanza is one of the newest areas of Spain to be upgraded to DO status, having received the appellation only in 2007. This small but fertile area is part of the historic Castilla y Leon autonomous community and wine production here is thought to date back to the 7th Century.
Phylloxera tore through the region in the late 1800s, but the vines were replanted using American rootstocks and the wine industry quickly recovered. Later, the area was largely abandoned during the exodus from the countryside to the cities in the second half of the 20th Century, but its accession to DO status has rejuvenated the zone and promoted modernization.
Arlanza derives its name from the Arlanza River, which flows through the region. Overall growing conditions are similar to the rest of Castilla y Leon, with a continental climate of hot, dry summers and cold winters.
Since Arlanza is one of the latest regions in Spain to acquire DO status, the local Consejo Regulador (wine authority) has set specific quality standards, with maximum permitted yields from the vines. Albillo and Viura are Arlanza's white-wine varieties, while Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo), Garnacha (Grenache) and Mencia are the principal reds.
