📍 Andalusia

Andalusia is an autonomous community in southern Spain covering 87,600.8 km², or 17.3 % of the country. Its coastline runs for 393 km along the Atlantic and 670 km along the Mediterranean. The region falls into three parts: the Sierra Morena, the Guadalquivir valley and the Baetic Cordillera, where Mulhacén peaks at 3,482 m. The capital is Seville, and there are eight provinces.

The climate is Mediterranean with strong contrasts, its defining feature being dry summers. The Guadalquivir valley averages 17–18 °C over the year and 500–700 mm of rain, while the south-east gets under 300 mm.

According to the list of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA), there are 24 wine appellations here: 8 DOP and 16 IGP. The best known is Sherry (Jerez-Xérès-Sherry), from 10 municipalities, mostly in the province of Cádiz, on white albariza soils. The main grape is Palomino Fino, alongside Pedro Ximénez and Muscat of Alexandria; the wine is aged in a system of criaderas y solera, often under flor. Since 2025, sherry may also be unfortified if it naturally reaches at least 15 %.

Manzanilla is a separate appellation: the same vineyard zone, but aged only in the cellars of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Montilla-Moriles, in the south of Córdoba province, relies on Pedro Ximénez, while Málaga and Condado de Huelva have their own grapes. For sweet wines the grapes are dried in the sun, a practice called asoleo.

Why it matters to you. Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado are dry sherries with no more than 4 g/l of sugar, while Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel are sweet, with at least 160 g/l. Manzanilla is sherry aged only in Sanlúcar. Montilla is not sherry but a different appellation.