Alicante is a Spanish

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 Denominación de Origen

Denominación de Origen

Denominación de Origen is part of a regulatory classification system primarily for Spanish wines but also for other foodstuffs like honey, meats and condiments. In wines it parallels the hierarchical system of France and Italy although Rioja and Sherry preceded the full system...

 (DO) (Denominació d'Origen in Valencian

Valencian

Valencian is the traditional and official name of the Catalan language in the Valencian Community. There are dialectical differences from standard Catalan, and under the Valencian Statute of Autonomy, the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua has been established as its regulator...

) for wines located in the province of Alicante (Autonomous Community of Valencia).

There are two separate and distinct sub-zones: Vinalopó

Vinalopó

The Vinalopó is a small river flowing through the Alicante province, of Spain. It flows from north to south and, with a length of 81 km., it is the longest of the rivers which flows for its entire length within the limits of this province...

, which extends along the banks of the River Vinalopó in the southern area of the province, where the Monastrell grape variety and red wine production are predominant; and the smaller and newer sub-zone known as La Marina

La Marina

La Marina is a coastal village administered by the city of Elche, in the Alicante region on Spain's Costa Blanca. Nearby inland is a large urbanisation built from the mid 1980s onwards confusingly also called La Marina: more correctly called Urbanisation La Marina...

, along the coast in the northern area of the province, where the Moscatel grape variety and white wine production are predominant.

Alicante is most renowned for producing a traditional sweet dessert wine known as Fondillón

Fondillón

Fondillón is a special style of wine produced in the Alicante D.O. in Spain. Fondillón is a red wine produced in an oxidised style from overripe Monastrell grapes, and is typically semi-sweet. Its alcohol level is similar to many fortified wines, although Fondillón is not fortified.Fondillón is...

, made from overripe grapes.

History

Alicante has a long history of grape growing and wine production, which was probably introduced by the ancient Romans. The Golden Age of Alicante wines was during the 16th and 17th centuries, when they were imported to northern Europe by English, Swedish and Flemish merchants. In 1510 a royal decree prohibited the importation of wine into the province of Alicante while local wine was produced there.

The town of Monóvar was internationally renowned in the 16th century for its Fondillón wine.

Soils

The soils are mainly dark lime bearing soils on subsoils of sedimentary rock. By the Vinalopó banks, they are quite loose and sandy with almost no organic material present.

Climate

The climate in the coastal Marina sub-zone is Mediterranean, while the climate in the Vinalopó subzone starts off Mediterranean becoming progressively more continental further inland. In La Marina maximum temperatures in summer are around 30°C and the average minimum in winter is around 13°C, with occasional frost. In the Vinalopó, highs in summer are around 35ºC and lows in winter around 5ºC, with frequent frost.

Rainfall is slightly above 500 mm/year in La Marina but scarce in the Vinalopó, only at around 300 mm/year.

Grapes

As in other grape growing regions in Valencia region, Monastrell is the predominant variety, though Garnacha and merseguera are also present.

Due to the heat in summer the vines are planted as low bushes (en vaso).

The main authorized grape varieties are Moscatel (white) and Monastrell (red), though the following experimental varieties are also authorized:

White: Planta Fina, Merseguera

Merseguera

Merseguera is a white Spanish wine grape variety planted primarily in the Alicante, Jumilla and Valencia regions.- Synonyms :Merseguera is also known under the synonyms Blanqueta, Blanquilla, Escanavella, Escanyagos, Escanyavella, Exquitsagos, Exquitxagos, Gayata, Gayata Blanca, Lanjaron, Lanjaron...

, Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...

, Verdil, Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...

, Airén

Airén

Airén is a variety of Vitis vinifera, a white grape commonly used in winemaking. This grape is native to Spain where it represents about 30% of all grapes grown. As of 2004, Airén was estimated to be the world's most grown grape variety in terms of planted surface, at , although it is almost...

, Macabeo

Macabeo

Viura, also called Macabeo or Macabeu is a white variety of wine grape.It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France...

Red: Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Tintorera, Tempranillo

Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. It is the main grape used in Rioja, and is often referred to as Spain's "noble grape". Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano , a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks...

, Bobal

Bobal

Bobal is a variety of Vitis Vinifera, a red grape used in winemaking. It is native to the Utiel-Requena region in Valencia, Spain. The name derives from the Latin bovale, in reference to the shape of a bull’s head....

, Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...

, Merlot

Merlot

Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...

, Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir

Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...

, Syrah

External links

• http://www.winesfromspain.com
• http://www.crdo-alicante.org