Welcome to the World, Vino de Pago Tharsys!

Photo via pagodetharsys.com

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, MAPA) has announced the approval of a new Denominación de Origen Protegida (PDO) for wine: the Vino de Pago Tharsys! As of October 2 (2025) the EU has also announced its approval of the new appellation. At last count, this makes for a new total of 28 vinos de pago for Spain.

The new appellation is located near the town of Requena, within the western portion of the region (comunidad autónoma) of Valencia. Vineyards and wine production were present in the area as early as the 16^th century. A large estate with seven houses, a flour mill, and extensive vineyard holdings was producing wine in the area until 1950. In 1998, new owners revived the vineyards and adopted the original name of the estate (Tharsys).

The Vino de Pago Tharsys is approved for the production of red (tinto), white (blanco), rosé (rosado), and quality sparkling wine (vino espumoso de calidad). The specific regulations for these wines are as follows:

• Tinto (red wine):
  • May be monovarietal Merlot, Cabernet Franc, or Bobal
  • May be a blended wine using any proportions of the following varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Bobal, Tempranillo, and/or Garnacha Tinta
  • These must be dry, full-bodied red wines with a minimum of 13% abv.

• Blanco (white wine)
  • May be monovarietal Albariño or Chardonnay
  • Must have a minimum of 11.5% abv

• Rosado (rosé)
  • May be produced using any of the following varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Bobal, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Albariño, Chardonnay, and/or Xarel-lo
  • Must have a minimum of 11.5% abv

• Quality Sparkling Wine (vino espumoso de calidad):
  • May be blanco (white) or rosado (rosé)
  • May be produced using any of the following varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Bobal, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Albariño, Chardonnay, and/or Xarel-lo
  • Must have a minimum of 10.5% abv

In 2015, the entirety of the Tharsys vineyards obtained an organic farming certification, and the estate is dedicated to wine quality, soil preservation, and the sustainability of the area’s natural environment.

Welcome to the world, Vino de Pago Tharsys!

References/for more information:

• EU Regulation – Tharsys PDO
• Pliego de Condiciones Pago de Tharsys
• Single Document-Vino de Pago Tharsys
• https://pagodetharsys.com/

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org