A vineyard in the autumn in the Spanish wine region of Alicante

DO Alicante

Key Points

Grape varieties: Monastrell, Garnacha, Moscatel de Alejandría
Hectares planted: 10,000
Grape growers: 2,000
Wineries: 40

About DO Alicante

Like all of the levante español, the history of Alicante is the history of the various civilizations that have passed through the region - the Iberians, Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, the Reconquista and down to the present day.

The region has had DO status since the early part of the 20^th century, although in winemaking terms, much of its production came from cooperatives with a focus on lower-priced wines produced in quite large volumes. But as elsewhere in Spain, in the last ten years the region has undergone something of a renaissance, with a new generation of producers rediscovering the uniqueness of the local terroir and producing fresher wines that bring out the best of the local grape varieties.

The geography of DO Alicante

There are around 40 wineries certified under the DO Alicante covering over 10,000 hectares. The DO is broken down into eight sub-zones:

Alacantí
Vinalopó Alto
Vinalopó Medio
Vinalopó Bajo
L´Alcoiá
El Comtat
La Marina Alta
La Marina Baja

Across the DO you'll find a variety of soil types and climate variations that give the wines of this region subtle nuances depending on where they are made.

The climate of DO Alicante

The climate of DO Alicante varies as you move from the low-lying lands of the coast further inland and higher up towards Vinalopó Alto. The lower areas like Marina Alta enjoy a typical Mediterranean climate, with mild winters, long, warm springs and quite hot summers with temperatures that can reach 35ºC. But as you climb up to around 700m above sea level in the inland region of Vinalopó Alto, the climate is semi-continental, with Mediterranean and continental influences from the Castilian plain, or meseta to the west. This makes for more extreme temperatures, with summer temperatures often around 40ºC, while in winter the mercury can plunge to 5ºC.

The grapes of DO Alicante

In terms of grapes and the wines, Alicante is a region that likes to present itself as having something for everyone. Whites are generally made with the famous Moscatel de Alejandría - or Muscat of Alexandria – grape, which for many wine-lovers is the Mediterranean grape variety. It thrives in the hot, dry climate and its key characteristic is that it is one of the only wine grapes that produces wines that actually taste like grapes. It’s used to make a whole range of wines, from pale and bone dry white table wines through to golden, sweet dessert wines;

Red wines are usually made with the Monastrell grape which tends to give quite intense, full-bodied wines with lots of rich, dark fruit – think blackberries, cherries or plums – and aromas of Mediterranean forest and sometimes a more mineral streak. And of course Monastrell is the grape used to make Fondillon, Alicante’s famous sweet wine.

An old white cottage on the brow of a hill at sunset in the Spanish wine region of Bierzo

DO Bierzo

Sitting in the northwest corner of Castilla y León and bordering Galicia and Asturias to the north, Bierzo is something of a transition zone between the Atlantic and the Spanish interior.

VT Cadiz

VT Cádiz is currently Spain’s fourth largest IGP (Indicación Geográfica Protegida) and 80% of the production is centred on white wines made predominantly with the Palomino Fino grape.

A vineyard at Spanish Cava producers Bodegas Grimau

DO Cava

Cava is Spain’s most well-known sparkling wine. What many don't know is that it's also a DO in its own right. But unlike wines from other DOs, Cava is not made in just one geographical area.

A landscape shot of the Serra Llarga in the Spanish wine region Costers del Segre

DO Costers del Segre

Costers del Segre is one of ten DOs in Catalunya. The name literally translates as "banks of the Segre" which is one of the many tributaries which feed into the Ebro river.

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Jumilla

DO Jumilla

Sitting in a hot and dry corner of Castilla La Mancha, Jumilla is a great place to explore fuller-bodied reds made from the Monastrell grape. But it also offers plenty of fresher wines from higher altitude plots that are well worth investigating.

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Manchuela

DO Manchuela

Sandwiched between the coastal regions to the East and central Spain to the West, Manchuela has a long history of winemaking. It's famed for the Bobal grape, once a stalwart of bulk wine but now increasingly used to make some exceptional single varietal wines.

Barells in a wine cellar in the Spanish wine region of Sanlucar de Barrameda

DO Manzanilla - Sanlúcar de Barrameda

In 1935, Spain’s first Denominación de Origen, D.O. Jerez-Xéres-Sherry y Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda was created and then in 1964, in recognition of Manzanilla’s distinct profile, the separate DO Manzanilla – Sanlúcar de Barrameda was formed.

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Montsant with mountains in the background

DO Montsant

Montsant is defined by mountains hills, ridges and slopes. The region can be divided into sub-zones from warmer, lower stretches in the south-west as the land falls away towards the Ebro river and higher, wilder areas to the north.

A vineyard at Bodegas Grimau in the Spanish wine region of Penedes

DO Penedès

Penedès is best known for Cava which was essentially invented by the Codorniu family in the 1870s in the town of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. But it's also worth trying some of the region's wonderful aromatic white wines.

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Priorat

DOQ Priorat

Priorat is one of the 10 DOs in Catalunya and, along with DOCa Rioja, it’s one of the two wine-growing regions in Spain with "DO+" which means that, like Rioja, the rules are that little bit stricter for wines made here.

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Rías Baixas

DO Rías Baixas

Rias Baixas is home to the excellent Albariño wines, but has a growing number of other interesting grapes to discover. With thousands of small growers and producers, making wonderful artisanal wines, it's definitely worth exploring.

Steeply sloping vineyards on the banks of a river in the Spanish wine region of Ribeira Sacra in Galicia

DO Ribeira Sacra

Ribeira Sacra is the only DO in Galicia specialising in red wines. This is the land of "heroic viticulture" where vineyards hang from the vertiginous banks of the Sil and Miño rivers calling for winemakers with a good head for heights!

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Ribeiro

DO Ribeiro

Ribeiro is the oldest of the five DOs in Galicia. With vineyards grouped along the three valleys formed by the Miño, Avia and Arnoia rivers, Ribeiro is well-known as for its wonderful, blended white wines made from native local grapes.

An aerial view of the River Duero in Spain

DO Ribera del Duero

After Rioja, Ribera del Duero is one of Spain’s best known wine regions. But despite a long winegrowing history, the region was only awarded DO status in 1982.

A landscape view of a vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Rioja

DOCa Rioja

One of the world’s best known and best loved wine regions, Rioja was one of the first regions in Spain to become an official DO almost a hundred years ago. Today, it’s on a par with other great wine-producing regions of the world.

Close up of vines in a vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Rueda

DO Rueda

Like many of Spain’s DOs, Rueda is an historic wine region with winemaking traditions that stretch back to the Middle Ages. The Rueda DO was created in the early 1980s, and these days is famed for its white wines made from the Verdejo grape.

DO Sierras de Málaga

Spread across the province of Málaga, DO Sierras de Málaga has a winemaking histoiry that dates back to the time of the Phoenicians in around 800 BC.

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Somontano

DO Somontano

Somontano’s broad identity makes it a comfortable entry-point for international wine lovers looking to familiarise themselves with Spanish wine. But it’s also a region with a deep winemaking history and lots of local colour and diversity.

DO Terra Alta

Terra Alta is a county defined by its Mediterranean agriculture. Covering some twelve towns with a combined population of around 12,000 people, the plains, plateaus and valleys are planted with olive and almond trees, but above all vines.

A vineyard in the Spanish wine region of Toro

DO Toro

Toro is "the other DO on the Duero", sandwiched between the more famous Ribera del Duero to the east and the Douro region just across the border in Portugal.

An aerial shot of vineyards in the Spanish wine region of Vinos de Madrid

DO Vinos de Madrid

Despite its best efforts, the Vinos de Madrid region is still relatively unknown even for wine drinkers in Madrid. Which is a real shame because the DO has got a lot to shout about.