Melonera

A red Andalusian variety from the pre-phylloxera era, mentioned by Simón de Rojas Clemente in his “Ensayo sobre las variedades de la vid común que vegetan en Andalucía” (1807). It had disappeared from commercial cultivation until an R&D project of the Junta de Andalucía, through the IFAPA Rancho de la Merced centre (Jerez) with Thalassa Taller del Vino (Bodega La Melonera), recovered it. On 27 August 2024 the BOJA published the order approving the new rules of the Sierras de Málaga PDO, which includes it as an authorised red variety across the province of Málaga. It is also part of the MINORVIN project, and IFAPA made an experimental rosé from it in the 2023 vintage.

Source: Vinos DO, «Melonera y Garnacha Tintorera…»; IFAPA (26-10-2020); COPE (6-02-2024).