It belongs to one of the few breeds of sheep that still maintains its purity by being free from cross breeding. The race settled in the region of La Mancha back in ancient times, despite originating from France.

The diversity of the pastures ensures the milk obtained has a variety of nuances, aromas and flavours. This milk has an excellent flavour and it is then transformed into Manchego cheese, the peculiarities and characteristics of which make it truly unique.

Don Quijote de La Mancha, Castilla-La Mancha, the manchega ewe and, of course, manchego cheese, gladly carry the name of a land.

The area was a former esparto field that the Arabs named Al Ansha - land without water - extending from Toledo to the mountains of Cuenca and from Alcarria to Sierra Morena. Spanning 34,380 square kilometres scattered over the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Toledo. The manchega ewe settled there, giving rise to the cheese of the same name.

The origin of the manchega sheep breed is to be found among primitive Mediterranean sheep that formed the first branch of the species adapted to dry countries, with limited forage possibilities and heavily dependent on seasonal weather. After expanding to the west, they occupied part of the territory before establishing the so-called ovis aries celtibericus within the historical domain and entrefino breed within the farming domain, due to its wool-bearing characteristics, which in conjunction with the merino, churro and Iberian breed, are the ancestors of all Spanish sheep. These sheep then acquired their own characteristics, showing significant differences from their companions of the same breed, and from there to its final settlement, where it diversified to form Spanish (Aragonese, Castilian, Segureña and Manchego), French and Portuguese races.

The manchega sheep has always had a sedentary lifestyle. Its usual socio-economic background, closely linked to agriculture, taking advantage of its leftovers and fertilising the area with its dung, has made it an animal that is usually attached to specific territories.

Today it is a sheep of double aptitude (dairy and meat). The bulk of milk production is destined for the manufacture of cheese with "Queso Manchego" denomination of origin.