The area of La Mancha, Spain

Spain has the largest area of land under the cultivation of vines in any country in Europe where three-quarters of the world's wine is made. La Mancha is the most prolific of Spanish wine growing areas being one of the oldest and most traditional wine areas of Spain in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula. Most of Spain is plateau and La Mancha's continental climate is responsible for its extreme temperatures in winter -15 degrees C and in summer 45 degrees C. Rainfall is scarce and with approximately 3000 hours of sunshine per annum the conditions make La Mancha special and congenial for the production of guaranteeing a rich harvest each autumn. La Mancha is from ancient times and is well known by the nobleman Don Quixote and the small hill is the scene of the battles from long ago. The plateau encompasses the provinces of Albacete, Cuenca, Cuidad Real and Toledo.