ANDALUSIA AND ITS WINES it reaches the pressing plant, different towns and cities, Interest including Huelva's Royal The cultivation of vines in where the work continues. The including Sanlúcar de Barrameda Fair and the Grape Harvest Andalusia goes back over many grapes should be crushed within and Jerez de la Frontera with their Festivals of Condado (Palma centuries and the region is an hour to avoid bacteria historic buildings and del Condado) and Montilla renowned for the production of developing. The Bodegas then monuments, as well as Lebrija, (Cordoba), the latter featuring prestigious wines which are collect the new wines to begin Trebujena, Chipiona, Rota, El the Treading of the Grapes, the known the world over. Thanks to the maturing process. Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Flamenco Wine Tasting session, the growth in maritime trade, the Real and Chiclana de la Frontera. and the fiesta of wines and 16th and 17th centuries were Over the centuries the wine The Montilla-Moriles Wine tapas. Other interesting events a period of particular growth. producers have gradually adapted Route passes through cities, held during the month are the topography, geology and climate of Andalusia are all ideal for the their buildings and beautified their bodegas to create an equilibrium towns and villages such as Aguilar de la Frontera, Córdoba, Fernán Autumn or Grape Harvest Festival in Jerez, the Wine Tasting cultivation of vines. The Mediterranean climate with all its different between functionality and aesthetics. As such, the high ceilings Núñez, La Rambla, Lucena, Montemayor, Montilla, Moriles and Festival in Moriles (Cordoba), and the Grape Harvest Festivals micro climates, the mild average temperatures (16ºC), the lack of and thick walls of the bodegas with their sandy soil floors which can Puente Genil. There are also interesting and attractive pressing plants held in Bollullos par del Condado (Huelva), and Mollina and Manilva frosts and hailstorms, and the long hours of sunshine, combine with be irrigated, maintain the ideal temperature and humidity for the in the Sierra de Montilla surrounded by vineyards, where visitors can (both in Malaga). The Mosto Festival (Atajate) and the Feria the contrasting altitudes and systems of maturing to create wines successful maturing of fine wines. In the Jerez wine producing actually sample wines directly from the vats. dedicated to Mosto and Cured Ham Products (Colmenar) are of exceptional quality, with a wide variety of types and characteristics. area the bodegas are situated on the coast or on raised areas of Finally, the Costa del Sol Tourist Board has set up a number of both held at the end of the year. This focus on high quality production has remained right up until ground so that the wines receive the morning sea breezes and the wine routes (www.visitacostadelsol.com) which pass through the present day and more than 70% of Andalusian vineyards are humid winds of the ocean. With the growth of wine tourism, areas such as the Axarquía, Montes de Málaga, the Comarca Norte, WINE MUSEUMS run under the auspices of one of the six Denominations of Origin numerous haciendas, estates and bodegas have opened their the Serranía de Ronda and the western coastal zone. They take The “Misterio de Jerez” Wine Museum is situated in the wine which were set up and monitored by their respective Regulatory doors to the public. They offer guided visits and tastings, and visitors to sites such as the producing region of Jerez and features fascinating documents and Councils: Condado de Huelva (1933), Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (1933), some even organise equestrian or flamenco shows to complete a Roman remains of Torrox, the photographic material alongside impressive audiovisual presentations. Málaga (1933), Manzanilla de Sanlúcar (1964), Montilla-Moriles unique experience. Fuente de Piedra Lagoon, or Other interesting museums in the area include the Barbadillo (1985), and Sierras de Málaga the Málaga Virgen Bodega, one Museum of Manzanilla in Sanlúcar, the unusual Garvey Bodegas (2001). There are also 13 WINE ROUTES of the few which carries out the Museum of Wine Labels, the Gallery inside the Tradición Bodegas wines with geographic The Wine Routes in Andalusia are a perfect combination of the harvesting of the grapes during (containing a collection of Spanish paintings by Joaquín Rivero), and designation (Vinos de la oenological, cultural, historical, and traditional aspects of the villages, the night. the museums of the Sandeman, Harveys and Real Tesoro y Valdespino Tierra) and a whole range of towns, and areas they pass through. bodegas, all of which are in the city of Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz). historic wines with no specific A good example is the Condado de Huelva Wine Route, which, WINE FIESTAS denomination which are none apart from the various bodegas, also allows visitors to take in the Andalusia's festive calendar is full Malaga's Wine Museum contains more than 400 historical exhibits the less extremely popular such city walls and castle of Niebla, the “Columbus sites”, the town of of wine related events, most of which take place in September arranged in different themes: bottle labels, advertising posters, as the Tintilla from Rota, the Moguer, birthplace of Nobel Prize winner Juan Ramón Jiménez, and during the harvest season. The year's first festivals however are held barrel tops... Also in the province of Malaga are the wine museums Pajarete, the Moscatel from the unmissable natural paradise of Doñana, whilst also enjoying the in May, and include Cordoba's Montilla-Moriles Wine Tasting of Ronda and Ojén, the Eco-museum and Pressing Plant of Chipiona, or the Mosto from the Aljarafe... A whole Wine Culture rich gastronomy, with local Festival and the Manzanilla Wine Fair in Sanlúcar (Cadiz), a Torrijos and the museums in has grown up around all these different varieties with numerous produce such as ham, prawns, hospitable social event on the banks of the Guadalquivir. the bodegas of Dimobe bodegas, specialised museums, and traditional fiestas... or strawberries. After the Public Wine Tasting in Aguilar de la Frontera (July), the (Moclinejo) and Antigua Casa In 2007 the Sherry and Jerez month of August brings a vast array of colourful celebrations such de Guardia (Olías). Cordoba's VINEYARDS AND BODEGAS Brandy routes were officially as Chipiona's Moscatel Festival in Cadiz, which combines wine wines are well represented by The busiest time in the vineyards is at the end of August and recognised as “Spanish Wine tasting with flamenco, as well as the Grape Harvest Fair and the Mosto Winery and beginning of September, when the harvest begins. Large numbers Routes”. They pass by the Festival in Villanueva del Ariscal (Seville), and the Night of Wine Museum in Moriles and the of workers are taken on to harvest the grapes just as they reach bodegas, wine shops, hotels and in Cómpeta (Malaga), both of which have been declared Events of museum of the Toro Albalá their optimum maturity, the collection going on from very early in the restaurants, museums, and Tourist Interest. September is the most festive month and there are Bodegas in Aguilar de la morning until midday, so that the fruit is as fresh as possible when entertainment facilities of nine a number of activities which have been declared Events of Tourist Frontera.