Did you know that 90% of Spanish vineyards are at higher altitudes than any major French wine region? So you get the sort of temperature extremes that deliver deliciously ripe but very fresh fruit. Which is why Spain has emerged as one of the most exciting producers of modern, world-class, fruit-driven whites - like this Lees-Aged Chardonnay from La Mancha. Just under an hour south of Madrid and west of Toledo, La Mancha is a high plateau region - indeed the name Sierra Almiron refers to a rugged hill range that climbs 1,000m above the plain. It's here that the renowned Rioja family of Bodega Martinez Bujanda (in 2006 the 'Most Awarded Winery in Spain') bought up 1,000 hectares and built Finca Antigua - a state-of-the-art cellar praised by Wine Spectator as a "value-orientated success story". Chardonnay is rare in Spain but ripens well under La Mancha's plentiful sunshine - and the flavours remain very vibrant because the much cooler nights seal in the freshness. And Carlos Bujanda