<div><u>DO Somontano</u></div><br /><div>{mosimage} This months wine region is one of my favorites for good value, everyday wines.&nbsp;&nbsp;Usually there is a Somontano wine on&nbsp;most restaurant wine lists at a very reasonable price. &nbsp; These wines represent great quality for price and are very consistent.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s a beautiful wine region to visit as well&hellip;very green in the river valleys, yet rugged and remote, like a lunar landscape&hellip;you can base your trip out of Zaragoza in Aragon Province.&nbsp; Zaragoza is a great wine town, it is surrounded by four&nbsp;DOs, and has some great&nbsp;tapas and wine bars.&nbsp;&nbsp;Included in this page are some pictures from our trip there.<br /><br />Though it is still best to call ahead for a tour, many of the wineries here have a very modern approach and have a wine tasting and sales room.&nbsp; You can stop by and taste before buying.<br /><br />{mosimage}Top Somontano Bodegas:<br />Vi&ntilde;as de Vero<br />Blecua<br />Enate<br />Bodegas Pirineos <br /><div>Otto Bestu&eacute;<br /><br /></div><u>Key information on DO</u><br /><div><br />Since earning its DO rating in 1984, this region has made impressive strides, creating a wide range of wines from both indigenous and imported grapes. The wines tend to be elegant and well-structured and often age very well.&nbsp; This area remains small and has just over 4000 ha under vine with 15 wineries, but it is a trendy, fast-growing area.&nbsp; <br /><div><br />Historically it was a region dominated by monasteries that developed the wine trade.&nbsp; Today has developed a reputation for high-quality, inexpensive wines, as well as won critical acclaim for its high-end range.<br /><div align="left"><br />{mosimage}The primary red grapes are: Moristel, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah<br />The primary white grapes are: Macabeo, Garnacha Blanca, Chardonnay and Gew&uuml;rztraminer<br />The vineyards of Somontano are mainly set on limestone soils over soft materials, which allow the vine roots to penetrate. They are low fertility soils that are very healthy, thus allowing for quality wine production.<br />Somontano is a rugged area that is a transitional area between the Pyrenees foothills and the Ebro river valley.&nbsp; Vineyards are generally set on hilly slopes.&nbsp; Somontano has a mild continental climate as it is protected by the mountains from many extremes.&nbsp; However, there are extreme temperature drops between night and day, a factor that is conducive to high quality grapes.&nbsp; <br /><br />Website: <a href="http://www.dosomontano.com/">www.dosomontano.com</a><br /><br />{mosimage}<br /></div></div></div></div>