📍 Alicante

Alicante is a wine area in south-eastern Spain, in the Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast. Summers are hot and dry with little rain, so vineyards grow on slopes inland, where it is cooler.

The main grape is the red Monastrell (called Mourvèdre in France). It makes dense, dark, tannic wines with notes of black berries and herbs. White Merseguera and Muscat of Alexandria are also grown; the latter gives sweet muscats.

The area's special wine is Fondillón. It is a sweet aged wine from overripe Monastrell, kept in barrel for at least 10 years; with time it takes on nutty, caramel and dried-fruit notes. It was prized in Europe several centuries ago.

Alicante is part of the Valencian Community; next door in Murcia lie Yecla and Jumilla, where Monastrell is also the main grape. Red wines from Monastrell go with meat and paella, and Fondillón with nuts, cheese or dessert. The name Alicante on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.

Alicante's vineyards were once far larger: in the late 19th century they covered about 93,000 ha, and today roughly 10,000 ha remain. The denomination is old by Spanish standards, since the DO was created in 1932 and its regulatory council followed in 1957. Besides the dark Monastrell reds, the area makes Moscatel de Alicante, a wine from 100% Moscatel de Alejandría that comes either sweet or fortified, a golden contrast to the dense reds.