Wines of Andalusia: wine-cellars, festivals, grape harvest and tastings that are not to be missed
Andalusia has been renowned worldwide for its wines for centuries and during the harvest season, you can tour the region and take a closer look at how they are produced, from the most renowned such as Jerez, to the most unique such as Moscatel de Chipiona and white wines from the Almería desert.
There are currently, six Designations of Origin with their respective Regulatory Councils: Condado de Huelva, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar, Málaga, Sierras de Málaga and Montilla-Moriles, as well as Vinos de la Tierra and other very popular historical wines such as Pajarete de Málaga, Muscatel de Chipiona and Mosto del Aljarafe.
The Huelva PDO is one of the oldest in Spain and is known for producing mainly white wines and "generosos", reds and rosés. One of its most special wines is Vino Naranja, a white wine from the DO del Condado flavoured with orange peel and aged in oak casks with a capacity of less than 650 litres using the "criadera" and "solera" system for at least two years. On the Condado Wine Route there are more than twenty wine-cellars open to the public and includes Flamenco shows and visits to barrel makers.
The Marco de Jerez (Sherry Triangle) wines are produced in the northwest of the province of Cádiz and their Denominations of Origin include "Jerez-Xérès-Sherry" and "Manzanilla - Sanlúcar de Barrameda" as well as "Vinagre de Jerez" which has its own DO. The Jerez Wine and Brandy Routes include visits to wine-cellars, wine bars, hotels, restaurants, museums and leisure companies in nine towns.
The cellars for ageing these wines were designed as authentic 'cathedrals' with arches and columns that support the necessary height to house the production process.
The Palma del Condado holds a Royal Fair and a Grape Harvest Festivals during the third week of September, with free access to the stalls, and it has been declared an Event of Tourist Interest in Andalusia.
To summarise, Andalusia is a benchmark wine destination that offers unique experiences and a wine culture rooted in its history.
