Andalusia: six designations beyond Jerez

Andalusia at Terroir Radical

Today we work with Gago & Co., in Jerez de la Frontera, with the TABAJETE range.

Two thousand years of winemaking tradition

Andalusia has a millennia-old tradition of growing vines and making wine, with a period of particular flourishing in the 16th and 17th centuries thanks to the boom in maritime trade. Its topography, geology and Mediterranean climate — with mild average temperatures and many hours of sunshine — produce wines of great quality and very distinctive character. More than 70% of Andalusian vineyards are covered by one of the six designations of origin recognised: Condado de Huelva (1933), Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (1933), Manzanilla de Sanlúcar (1964), Málaga (1933), Sierras de Málaga (2001) and Montilla-Moriles (1985).

There are also historic wines without a designation of origin or geographical indication — Tintilla de Rota, Pajarete, Moscatel de Chipiona — and a significant production of vinegars and brandies with their own DO, such as Vinagre de Jerez and Brandy de Jerez.

Wineries built for the sea

Centuries of refinement have led winemakers to seek a balance between function and beauty in their buildings. High ceilings, thick walls and albero floors that can be watered keep the temperature and humidity right for ageing a good fino. In the Marco de Jerez, the wineries are located near the sea or on high ground so the wines can catch the morning sea breezes and the ocean's humid winds — the same principle already explained in Fortified Wines and Jerez.

Where we already are, and where we're not yet

At Terroir Radical we work with Gago & Co., in Jerez de la Frontera, with the TABAJETE range. It's our gateway into the Marco de Jerez — discover it in Fortified Wines and Jerez. The rest of Andalusia's designations — Condado de Huelva, Manzanilla, Málaga, Sierras de Málaga, Montilla-Moriles — aren't part of our catalogue yet, but Andalusia as a whole is a territory we follow very closely.