Chapter 1 - Winter

Alicante

Lying on Spain's sunny southeast coast, Alicante is home to big, bold, red wines of tremendous value. Once a major Mediterranean port, the Phoenicians introduced winemaking here centuries ago. Historically, Alicante's most famous wine was Fondillón, an oak-aged sweet wine. But today, Alicante is better known for its full-bodied reds made from the Monastrell grape (known in France as Mourvèdre), which is sometimes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The thick-skinned Monastrell laps up Alicante's sun-baked conditions and limestone soils to produce densely fruity wines with earthy, herbaceous notes. For whites, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are increasingly popular, alongside Moscatel and Airén. Wines are approved to be at DO status when they meet a handful of standards related to authorized varietals, production size, methods within winemaking and aging restrictions. Additionally, appellations must have been recognized for a minimum of five years in order to be considered to be a DO.