Andalusian wine, a culture of life

Andalusia is a land with a great diversity of wines, that is why wine tourism in Andalusia has a great international prestige thanks to its magnificent quality. Andalucia is a festival for the senses because of the music, the climate, products such as: virgin olive oil, Iberian ham, brandies and wines from denominations such as Montilla-Moriles, Malaga or Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, among others. Around all these wines, a whole Culture of Wine has been configured, which includes wineries, specialized museums, traditional festivals or even the famous Wine Routes of Andalusia, which perfectly unite the oenological, cultural, monumental and traditional attractions of the towns and areas that make them up. We take you on a tour of one of the most sybaritic proposals: the wine tourism routes in Andalusia. Are you coming?

HISTORY OF WINE IN ANDALUSIA
Wine production was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by Andalusia, more specifically by what is now Cadiz, thanks to the Phoenicians. The period of greatest splendour and expansion of Andalusian wines was during the 16th and 17th centuries thanks to the discovery of America, since due to the growth of maritime trade with Seville, wine production also increased exponentially. Thanks to this, Andalusian wine became one of the identifying features of this region.

DENOMINATIONS OF ORIGIN OF THE ANDALUSIAN WINE

DO JEREZ-XÉRÈS-SHERRY
Its regulatory council is the oldest in Spain. While the production area covers eight municipalities in Cadiz and one in Seville, the ageing area is restricted to Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda. Suitable grape varieties are Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel.
TYPES OF WINE: Generoso Wines (Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado), Generoso Liqueur Wines (Pale Cream, Medium and Cream) and Natural Sweets (Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel).

DO MANZANILLA DE SANLÚCAR
Although it shares the production area and varieties with the sherry, its ageing area is limited to Sanlúcar. The special microclimatic conditions of this city, at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River and a stone’s throw from Doñana, give the wines produced in its cellars, by ageing under a veil of flor, some characteristics that differentiate them from the rest of the Sherry wines.
TYPES OF WINE: Generoso Wines (Manzanilla).
DO MONTILLA-MORILES

The combination of the soil of the southern Cordovan countryside, the albarizas, the climate of long, dry summers and short winters, and the grape of the Pedro Ximénez variety (from which the Designation’s star wine takes its name) gives rise to some very unique wines. They are aged under the veil of flor by the criaderas and soleras system.
TYPES OF WINE: Generoso Wines (Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado), Generosos de Licor (Pale Dry, Pale Cream, Cream and Medium) and Dulces Naturales (Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel).





DO CONDADO DE HUELVA
It covers a large area in the south-east of the province of Huelva and is located in the Doñana Natural Area. The vineyards extend over flat or slightly undulating terrain, the preferred grape variety being Zalema.
TYPES OF WINE: White Wines (Condado de Huelva Joven, Condado de Huelva and Condado de Huelva Tradicional), Generoso Wines (Condado Pálido and Condado Viejo) and Generoso Liqueur Wines (Pale Dry, Medium, Cream and Pale Cream).

DO MÁLAGA

Classic appellation known for centuries for its sweet wines made from Muscat and Pedro Ximénez grapes. Geographically, the area of cultivation is T-shaped, with the vineyards planted along the coast, to the east and west of the city of Malaga and into the mountains.
TYPES OF WINE: Liquor Wines (Natural Sweet Wines, Master and Tender) and Naturally Sweet Wines.

DO SIERRAS OF MALAGA
Attached to the DO Málaga Regulatory Council, it is the only Andalusian appellation that covers red and rosé wines of the Romé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Tempranillo varieties and white wines of the Chardonnay, Macabeo and Sauvignon Blanc varieties, among others.
TYPES OF WINE: White, Rosé and Red wines.

WINE ROUTES
The Wine Routes that run through Andalusia perfectly unite the oenological, cultural, monumental and traditional attractions of the towns and areas that make them up.

CONDADO DE HUELVA WINE ROUTE
This route allows you to enjoy, besides the wineries that are part of the route, the walled city and the Niebla Castle, the “Lugares Colombinos”, the visit to the city of Moguer, birthplace of the Nobel Prize winner Juan Ramón Jiménez; without forgetting the natural paradise of Doñana and its rich gastronomy, with products such as ham, shrimp and strawberries from Huelva.