“Wines of Valencia – a personal look at the world of wine from the Comunitat Valenciana” recently made the switch to the Senlin Hosting Club.
My name is John Maher. The aim of this website is to provide guidance, information and random thoughts on the wines (and some other aspects) of the city and region of Valencia.
It has its origins in my own difficulties in finding useful information about the excellent and endlessly varied wine that I found myself trying delightedly when I moved to the city in April 2006.
There has been a remarkable surge in the quality of wine throughout Spain. Previously little-known areas like Priorat in Catalonia have produced superstars with prices to match. The region of Valencia (encompassing the three Denominaciones de Origen Alicante, Utiel-Requena and Valencia – plus Vins de la Terra de Castellón and Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo – as well as producing Cava and independent Vinos de Mesa) had until recently concentrated on the bulk export of wine.
The ongoing transformation in the quality of wines has been extraordinary, but received little attention locally, nationally or internationally. Only one in three bottles of wine opened in Valencia is from the region, with consumers still in thrall to Rioja and Ribera del Duero.
This website and my corkscrew are on a mission to do something about this.
