Belmonte brings together artists from all over Spain in the La Mancha Wines Quick Painting Competition

Monday, September 21, 2026

Belmonte hosted the seventh edition of the 'Wines of La Mancha' Quick Painting Competition on September 19th, an event organized by the La Mancha Designation of Origin as part of its 'Wine and Culture' 2026 program. The competition brought together artists from different parts of Spain, who set up their easels in the streets, squares and corners of the Cuenca municipality to paint their vision of the local heritage and its relationship with wine culture in just a few hours.

The event transformed several spaces in Belmonte into an open-air workshop. Participants worked with different techniques and styles, choosing as their subjects the castle, the Collegiate Church of San Bartolomé, traditional architecture, and panoramic views of the La Mancha landscape. Locals and visitors were able to follow the process, from the first sketches to the final presentation of the works to the jury in the mid-afternoon.

The competition is part of a series of activities through which the La Mancha Designation of Origin seeks to bring its wines closer to the public through culture. The president of the Regulatory Council, Carlos David Bonilla, stated that the organization wants to be present in various sectors to bring wine and its culture closer to consumers, and he emphasized the importance of this product to the economy of Castilla-La Mancha.

The Director General of Agri-food Production and Cooperatives, Elena Escobar, who also served on the jury, participated in the same event. Escobar emphasized the connection between the region's distinctive, high-quality foods, particularly the wines of the La Mancha Designation of Origin, and the art, culture, tourism promotion, and gastronomy of its towns and villages. In her opinion, this combination reflects a genuine public interest.

Councilman Justino Moreno expressed his gratitude for Belmonte's selection as the venue for this year's event. The town takes over from Tarazona de La Mancha, which hosted the sixth edition, and thus joins the itinerant competition that changes municipalities each year within the La Mancha region.

The jury, composed of experts and representatives from the Regulatory Council and the Belmonte Town Council, evaluated 19 works. The organizers reported that, at the suggestion of the advisory jury, an additional prize was awarded for the artistic quality of the submitted paintings. In addition to the technical skill, the judges considered the artists' ability to interpret the landscape and relate it to wine culture in a rural setting.

In total, more than €5,000 in prizes were awarded. The first prize, worth €1,600, went to José Girón. The second prize, of €1,000, was awarded to Javier Martín, while the third, of €800, went to Blai Tomás. The three runner-up prizes, of €600 each, went to Rafael Carrascal, José María Sánchez, and Francisco José Sanz. The Belmonte Town Hall Local Prize, worth €500, was awarded to Pedro A. Méndez.

Javier Martín, in addition to winning second prize, pointed out that the relationship between painting and wine culture adds value to the competition. This idea has been present in all seven editions of an initiative that uses art as a way to promote the image of La Mancha wines beyond the strictly oenological sphere.

The competition coincided with the grape harvest, which is in its final stages this year. The La Mancha Designation of Origin attributes this early start to the intense summer heat, a factor that has altered the usual grape harvesting schedule in much of the producing region.