Málaga Wines
beyond sweet & fortified
A while back I wrote about the Wines of Sevilla, and I have also written a bit about our lovely Sherry Wines, but I got to thinking that we actually have many other wonderful wines in Andalucía, with many bodegas easily accessible from Sevilla. So I thought I would take you through them province by province, starting with Málaga, and its winemaking areas around Ronda, and east and north of Málaga city.
The Málaga wine scene has been changing and the once prominent raisiny sweet wines from centuries old wineries have been joined by a new generation of small producers, many within the past 30 years, who are reviving old vines as well as introducing new grapes to the region. Today we are visiting a few of them. But first, let’s talk a bit about the wine growing area.
PRODUCTION AREA
There are five geographical sub-areas within the overlapping D.O. Málaga and D.O. Sierras de Málaga: Axarquia, Montes de Malaga, Costa Occidental-Manliva, Norte, and Serrania de Ronda. Most wineries in these regions (other than Costa Occidental-Manliva) are not more than a 1-2 hour’s drive from Sevilla and there are plenty of opportunities to visit bodegas and meet the winemakers, either on your own or with an organised tour.
The wines of the D.O. Málaga are made mainly with the white varieties Pedro Ximénez (Pero Ximén) and Moscatel.
The D.O. Sierras de Málaga appellation permits a more diverse range of white and red grape varieties in its production of still white, rosé, and red wines.
White Grape Varieties
Primary: native grapes Moscatel de Alejandría, Moscatel Morisco, and Pedro Ximénez (or Pero Ximén).
Other Authorized: Chardonnay, Macabeo, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, Lairen, Doradilla, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Verdejo, and Viognier.
Red Grape Varieties
Primary: Romé (a native Andalusian grape).
Other Authorized: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Graciano, Malbec, Monastrell, and Tintilla de Rota
WINERIES & VISITS
There has been a marked increase in wine tourism in the region over the past ten years or so, and in many cases the experiences go beyond a simple bodega visit and a tasting. Some wineries are incorporating accommodation options, others offer concert evenings or rugged day-time excursions into the heart of their mountain vineyards. Check with the links provided for each winery to see what they have on offer and how to book (bookings are a must!).
Bodegas Schatz
D.O. Sierras de Málaga
Subzone Serranía de Ronda
Friedrich Schatz comes from a family of winemakers from Württemberg that dates back to 1641. Upon turning 18 in 1982 he came to Spain and started planting at Finca Sanguijela, an old Roman vineyard located about 10km from Ronda. Schatz, a pioneer vintner in the area, is a great believer in equilibrium and harmony in nature and his was the first winery to obtain organic certification in Andalusia. There are six biodynamic wines in the Schatz range: a white chardonnay and a rosé, along with four reds, including their signature label Acinipo, named after the nearby Roman amphitheatre.
Visits at Bodegas Schatz begin with a stroll around the grounds, overlooking the fields, forests and creeks of the Serranía de Ronda, before heading inside the lovingly restored bodega for a tasting.
Bodegas Descalzos Viejos
D.O. Sierras de Malaga
Subzone Serranía de Ronda
Architects Flavio Salesi and Paco Retamero first took over this abandoned 16th century monastery in 1998 and, along with local winemaker Vicente Inat, have created one of the most unique wineries in the region. Once home to the order of Trinitarios Descalzos (Barefoot Trinitarians) many of the original architectural and artistic elements have been recovered and restored, including ancient frescos over the main altar which miraculously survived years under numerous layers of plaster. Their range of wines is primarily reds made from Garnache, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot, with one white Chardonnay. They also produce one white aged “bajo flor”, the only one of its type in the sierra, which is made exclusively for 2 Michelin Restaurant Bardal in Ronda (and named after my favourite DV bodega cat Dmitri! 😻).
During your visit you can enjoy spectacular sweeping views over the 16 ha of vineyards spread out below while sampling their exquisite single vineyard selections. Visits are conducted by Flavio, in either Spanish or English. Check their website for other events such as concerts, book launches and audio-visual shows.
Bodega La Melonera
D.O. Sierras de Málaga
Subzone Serranía de Ronda
The owners of La Melonera are a group of friends from different backgrounds, led by Jorge Viladomiu, who share a passion: wine. They started over twenty years ago by recovering lost native grape varieties such as Moscatel Morisco, Pedro Ximénez y Doradilla and Payoya Negra and, with winemaker Ana Castro, have created a range of wines born from respect for the landscape. These days they have expanded their reach by producing local olive oil and making bread with recovered wheat varieties. Integrated into the dehesa (pastureland) are 30 residential plots that are not just homes, but a way of inhabiting the land with respect: they coexist with holm oaks, have their own vineyards, and breathe the soul of the environment.
The bodega offers various experiences to share first hand how they work the vineyard, olive grove and cereal crops, as well as explaining the origin of their wines and the production processes.
Bodegas Dimobe
Viñedos Verticales
D.O. Malaga
D.O. Sierras de Malaga
Set in the impossibly picturesque white mountain village of Moclinejo, the Dimobe winery is located below the family home of Juan Muñoz Anaya, whose grandfather founded the bodega in 1927. It also houses Viñedos Verticales, a separate “boutique” project run by winemaker Vicente Inat (who is also the winemaker at Descalzos Viejos). As is usual in this area the vineyards are made up of small plots scattered around the Axarquía, with 60-70 degree slate slopes facing either inland or towards the Mediterranean - truly heroic winemaking. Grapes are typical of the region – Moscatel de Alexandria, Pedro Ximénez and Romé – with the more recent additions of Syrah and Petit Verdot.
Personalised experiences include activities such as visits to the winery, vineyards, and drying areas, wine tastings, and various events related to oenology. Visits must be booked two weeks in advance and are not available July 1st - October 31st.
Bodegas Bentomiz
D.O. Malaga
D.O. Sierras de Malaga
Originally from Holland, winemaker Clara Verheij and architect/chef André Both founded Bodegas Bentomiz in 2003 on their stunning property that sits above the tiny white village of Sayalonga in the Axarquía. What began with the simple production of wines for personal use turned into a passion for Clara, while André took over the design and construction of the magnificent slate building that houses the bodega and restaurant. Their award-winning Ariyanas range of dry and naturally sweet (unfortified) wines are made primarily from Moscatel de Alexandria and Romé grapes. They also produce one sparkling wine made with Macabeo, Pareada and Xarel-lo.
Visits include a walk in and around the premises, ageing and bottling rooms, followed by a tasting in the restaurant, with the option of staying for a market-based set lunch menu that is created daily by André specifically to pair with the wines.
Bodegas Capuchina Vieja
D.O. Malaga
D.O. Sierras de Malaga
This sprawling estateof Bodegas Capuchina Vieja, just north of Antequera, has been in the García Segura family since the beginning of the 80s, with the restoration and construction of the winery finishing in 2004. Once home to a Capuchina monastery it remains very much a family-run venture, with respect for both the land and local traditions. In keeping with the style of Andalusian haciendas there are magical central courtyards and gardens throughout, with the main buildings housing the bodega, family apartments and function rooms. In the 90s, the old vineyard plots were replanted with white varieties typical of the area such as Pedro Ximénez, Doradilla and Moscatel de Alexandria and now also include Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Their guided visits provide a comprehensive overview of vineyard cultivation and wine making, finishing with a tasting of their wines paired with local products.
Bodegas Victoria Ordóñez
DO Malaga
DO Sierras de Málaga
Growing up in a family of wine producers and distributors, Victoria Ordóñez has been involved in the Málaga wine scene all her life. In 2015 she branched out with her own project, producing quality artisanal wines at the only winery within the Málaga city limits, with vineyards located in the Montes de Málaga Natural Park, twenty minutes away. As well as recovering the most emblematic native variety in the history of Málaga wines, the Montes de Málaga Pedro Ximénez grape, the vineyards now also include varieties such as Moscatel de Alexandria, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Tempranillo.
Visits are not available at this time.
There is a growing tendency for bars and restaurants in Sevilla to offer more local and regional wines, which only makes sense as you wouldn’t expect to visit Rioja and not find any Rioja wines on their restaurant wine lists. So do keep an eye out for some of these Málaga bodegas on the lists here and give them a try.
Thanks as always for reading and supporting Bitesize Sevilla🍊!
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