D.O. MÁLAGA
Which are the production regions of Málaga wines?
Málaga Wines production regions are made up of 66 municipalities, located in five production regions: Axaquía, Montes, Norte, Costa Occidental and Serranía de Ronda. Each region is characterized by different orography, climate and soils.
Which grape varieties are used in the production of Málaga wines?
D.O. Málaga wines are mainly obtained from the white varieties Pedro Ximénez and Muscat.
How are Málaga wines produced?
- Naturally sweet wines. They are quiet wines which have no added grape spirit. They are made from overriped grapes, exposed to the sun. Therefore the resulting wines have high sugar contents.
- Liquor wines. They are wines to which grape spirit has been added, during or at the beginning of the fermentation process, in order to stop it. According to the technique used in this process they can be dry, semi-dry (abocado), semi-sweet or sweet.
How are liquor sweet wines produced?
There are different sweet wines under this term, depending on when alcohol is added to the must, and also on the grapes used, fresh or overriped:
Natural sweet wine: Obtained from fresh grapes. Grape spirit is added to stop fermentation.
Maestro wine: Obtained from fresh grapes. Alcohol is added to the must before the process of fermentation starts. The amount of alcohol allows for a slow and unfinished fermentation.
Tierno wine : Obtained from grapes that have been dried under the sun for a long time. The result is a high sugar content must, fortified with grape spirit to stop fermentation.
What are the terms used for the aging of Málaga wines?
Malaga’s wineries tradition gives distinguishing names to wines, depending on their aging process:
"Málaga Pálido" Malaga’s wineries tradition gives distinguishing names to wines, depending on their aging process:
“Málaga”, 6 to 24 months of aging
“Noble Málaga”, 2 to 3 years of aging
“Añejo Málaga”, 3 to 5 years of aging
“Trasañejo Málaga”, more than five years of aging
Málaga wines…why some are dark if they come from white grapes?
There are two main reasons:
- Because these wines are obtained by an oxidized aging; the more the wine age, the darker the colour becomes.
- Because some Málaga wines can be added with arrope.
What is arrope?
It is a wine must left to simmer. The more arrope and aging, the darker the wines will become. These wines may be called:
"Golden", produced with no added arrope. Colour comes from aging.
"Rot gold", produced with up to 5% vol. of added arrope.
"Brown", produced with between to 5% vol. to 10% vol. of added arrope.
"Colour”, produced with between to 5% vol. to 10% vol. of added arrope.
"Black or Dunkel", produced with over 15% vol. of added arrope.
Certain wines may be called with complementary names base on the winemaking method used, and their organoleptic features:
Dry may also be called Dry Pale or Pale Dry.
Sweets may also be called Naturally Sweet, Natural Sweet, Tierno and Maestro or with the terms Sweet Cream or Cream, Pale Cream and Sweet.
What is Pajarete?
This is the name use for a popular Málaga sweet wine. It is an aged liquor wine, with a sugar content of between 45g/l and 140g/l, produced without the addition of arrope. Its colour runs from amber to dark amber.
What is Lágrima wine?
Lágrima designates wine that has been produced using must obtained without any mechanical treatment.
And Lacrimae Christi wine?
Lágrima wines aged for two years.
Level or blend?
Level is blend. Blend is a traditional term use by Malaga wineries to refer to the mixing process or “coupage” of different types of wines mentioned above.
Situated on a plateau which is characterised by red limestone soils.
Its continental climate with cold winters and hot summers has an annual rainfall, irregularly distributed, around 500 l/m.
The predominant varieties are Pero Ximen and the local Doradilla variety.
The region is characterised by its complex orography. It is surrounded by mountains in the north with steep slopes.
It has poor soils which are comprised of decomposing slate.
Influenced by a Mediterranean climate which is warm, mild and it is not wet.
The predominant variety is Muscat and the local (red or white) variety Romé.
It extends over the mountainous range that surrounds the city of Málaga. The region is characterised by a complex orography with steep slopes, shallowed slate and heavily eroded soil.
Consequently there exist different microclimates with uneven temperatures and rainfall.
The predominant varieties are Pero Ximen and Muscat.
Situated in the west, bordering Cádiz, it is characterised by hills of white limestone soil that stretch as far as the Mediterranean sea.
The region climate has both Atlantic and Mediterranean influence, with very few precipitations. The predominant variety is Muscat.
Production region at an average of 700 m above sea level, with cold and wet winters and hot summers.
It is characterised by sandy and muddy clay soil with a tremendously limestone subsoil.
The predominant white varieties are: Chardonnay, Macabeo and Sauvignon blanc. The predominant red varieties are: Cabernet, Sauvignon, Merlot, Shyrah and Tempranillo.
Regulating Board of the Designations of Origin “Málaga”,“Sierras de Málaga" and “Pasas de Málaga”
Plaza de los Viñeros 1, Málaga 29008
Tel. y Fax: +0034 952 22 79 90
Email: info@vinomalaga.com · www.vinosypasasdemalaga.com
