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APPELLATIONS Region A to Remember A THE CASTILLA–LA MANCHA U.S. TOUR WAS AS ENTERTAINING AS IT WAS EDUCATIONAL fter a well-received tour through Atlanta, Chicago and New York in May, the wineries of Castilla–La Mancha brought their distinctive wines to the West Coast during the week of July 9. Just as the famed "Man of La Mancha," Don Quixote, traveled through his region seeking adventure and noble experiences, guests at the Castilla–La Mancha U.S. tastings followed his quest as they discovered the wines of 26 participat- ing producers. Each of these events offered opportunities to experience the wines, foods, music and traditions of this distinctive region. Castilla–La Mancha is the most expansive wine-producing region in the world—a land of fascinating foods and cultural traditions and, naturally, a wide variety of wines. The soil, composed of limestone clay and a great variety of subsoils, makes the region ideal for growing grape vines. Within the Castilla–La Mancha area, there are nine D.O.s (official Denominations of Origin), eight estates with their own appellations and many Geographical Indication wines. "After years of focus and investment in quality wine production and a very successful reception of our wines by industry professionals on the East Coast this past spring, we were excited to bring our distinctive traditions to new consumers along the West Coast and throughout In San Francisco, the Castilla–La Mancha Tour was held at Laurent Studio. 68 / the tasting panel / september 2012