Natural Wine in Spain Through the Case of Gredos: Making Wine, Creating Community

Abstract

This chapter examines the Sierra de Gredos, situated in the Central Massif of the Iberian Peninsula, as a distinctive wine-growing region where the production of natural wine has emerged since the late twentieth century. The characteristics of its producers, comprising a minority of veterans and a majority of neophytes, have led to the formation of a supportive community for wine production. This community is structured according to the principles of a moral economy, through which affective bonds are established, material resources are shared, and management and knowledge support are provided. Employing qualitative and ethnographic methodologies, this study presents an analytical overview of the contextual and historical data pertaining to a group of natural wine producers established in Gredos. These producers, beyond seeking integration into a productive market, are advancing towards an ecosocial transition through their agroecological production methods. They harness the characteristics of the terroir to enhance and articulate the territory with ecological-sustainable objectives.