Castile

Castile (Castilla in Spanish) is a region located on the central plateau of Spain, whose name goes back to the medieval kingdom of the same name. It existed as an independent kingdom from 1065 to 1230. In the 9th century Castile was still a county in the east of the Kingdom of Asturias and in the 10th century a county in the Kingdom of León. The name is based on the numerous castles (castillos) that still characterise the landscape today. The landscape encompasses the current autonomous regions of Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid and the majority of Castilla y León.

At this time, viticulture was already practised in many of today's Spanish regions. After the discovery of America in 1492 by Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the first colonies were established in the New World. The union of the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon began in 1469 as a personal union by marriage. It was finalised in 1516 when the future Emperor Charles V (1500-1558) became king of both kingdoms by inheritance and founded the Kingdom of Spain as Charles I. The Spanish (and Portuguese) conquistadores subsequently planted vines from their homeland in the colonies. Among them was the Listán Prieto variety, which originated in what is now Castile-La Mancha. Under the name Mission (Misión), this became the progenitor of many so-called Criolla varieties, especially in Central America and South America.