Airen Wine Knowledge

A white grape that is Spain's and the world's most widely planted grape variety. Airen blankets central Spain's hot, arid regions of LA MANCHA and VALDEPENAS and is used for both red and white wines. The Airen grape's reputation for creating dull white wines is still widely dependable but-thanks to modern equipment and new winemaking techniques-these wines have recently gained a better image. There are now white Airen wines being produced that are light, crisp, fruity, and slightly aromatic. Spain's Valdepenas region, which has a good reputation for red wines, actually grows much more Airen than it does the local red-grape favorite Cencibel (TEMPRANILLO). In fact, often a small amount of Airen is blended with the Cencibel to create the region's popular red wine. Much of the blander white wine made from Airen is processed further to create BRANDY. Airen is also known as Lairen, Manchega, and Valdepenera Blanca.

You look down the wine aisles and see row after row of Chardonnay and Cabernet. You would think, logically, that one of these two grape varieties must be the most planted grape on the planet. Guess again!

While Chardonnay is the first or second to the highest planted grape in the US, France, Australia and New Zealand, it is not the most planted grape in total area. This honor belongs to Airen. Yes, Airen, a grape you've probably never heard of! The second-most planted is Trebbiano, used in France and Italy.

Airen is planted extremely heavily in Spain, and in the 80s covered around 1.2 million acres of land. It is planted with a low number of vines per acre, and is used in the production of brandy as well as standard dry white table wines. The light-skinned grapes create wines that are typically inexpensive and not well known for their flavor.