This month, the World Wine Travel group of writers will be taking a virtual trip to Andalusia in southern Spain. See my invitation post here.

My wife and I visited the region in 2013 during a three week visit in Spain that started in Barcelona and ended in Andalucia, visiting Sevilla and Granada.

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We planned to visit Jerez last month during a trip to Portugal and Spain, but we had to cancel the trip the day before we were scheduled to fly because my wife came fell seriously ill to a bacterial infection that required her to be hospitalized. Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, we’ll make it to Jerez next year!

About Andalusia

This vibrant region is the most populous in Spain, and has a colorful history. Its strategic position at the gateway to the Mediterranean and its proximity to Africa have made it a target for many settlements and invasions throughout history. Muslims, Romani, Iberians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Byzantines, Christians and Castilians have all called Andalucia home at some stage, and each culture has left its mark explains WineSearcher.com

As a result of this multicultural past, Andalucia has a strong and unique cultural identity. My wife and I visited Sevilla and Granada in 2013. I can unequivocally tell you that Andalucia has a different vibe than the rest of Spain. It’s multicultural character manifest itself in its architecture and the diversity of its people.

Bull-fighting and flamenco, two quintessential traditions associated with Spain, actually originated in Andalucia.

It is the only European region with both Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines.

In My Glass

The wine I selected for this month is the 2018 Jorge Ordoñez & Co. Moscatel Old Vines Botani. I was inspired to pick this wine because one of my most vivid memories of our trip to Spain in 2013 was enjoying a fabulous bottle of dry Moscatel in a Japanese restaurant in Granada.

The wine is from the Sierras de Málaga D.O.P. Sierras de Málaga and Málaga share the same geographical area and Consejo Regulador (regulatory wine authority), but Sierras de Málaga produces wines from a wider variety of grapes and unfortified wines.

The history of viticulture in Sierras de Málaga stretches back to the Bronze age, when Phoenician traders planted the first vineyards in Spain utilizing Muscat of Alexandria from Egypt.

Muscat de Alexandria (a.k.a. Moscatel de Alejandria) is oldest variety in the Muscat family and one of the few remaining genetically unmodified vitis vinifera cultivars remaining in the world today.

Fruit for this wine is sourced from 45-75 year old vines, goblet trained planted on steep slate slopes. It was fermented dry in stainless steel, with 8 months aging on lees.

Pale straw color with inviting orchard fruit, lychee, white flower, and orange preserve aromas. On the palate it’s medium-bodied, vinous, and textured with vibrant acidity. Subtly fruity on entry, but finishes dry with white peach, just ripe apricot, mandarin orange, lime and a hint of lychee flavors. Medium+ finish. 100% Muscat of Alexandria. 13.5% abv|SRP – $18. This is a delicious and alluring wine, I gladly buy again and again!

On My Plate

I paired this wine with trout tartine with stone fruit, spicy bomba spread, frisée, and pickled onions from our favorite local restaurant, Top Hatters Kitchen and Bar.

It was a very good pairing. This wine was also wonderful paired with a White Chicken Chili, I subsequently prepared.

About Jorge Ordóñez  Selections

Grupo Jorge Ordóñez was founded in 2004. It is composed of eight wineries that produce wines from grapes grown in thirteen different denominations of origin across Spain. They are focused on crafting wines from the oldest vineyards of Spain’s indigenous grape varieties. All of the vineyards are head-trained, dry farmed, and cared for with the most traditional means of viticulture.

Bodegas Jorge Ordóñez Málaga is one of the eight wineries. It is located in Ordóñez’s hometown. It’s a partnership between Ordóñez and the Kracher family of Austria. The winery was founded with the goal of resuscitating the centuries long tradition of winemaking in Málaga.

Supplemental Wines of Andalusia Discoveries

See below for what my fellow World Wine Travel writers discovered about the Wines of Andalusia:

• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla offers Tapas on Toast: Spanish Montaditos + 2017 Sierras de Málaga Laderas de Sedella Anfora.
• Lynn of Savor the Harvest reveals Three Facts About Sherry and Why You Need to Try a Bottle.
• Terri of Our Good Life gives us A Beginner’s Guide to Amontillado and Spanish Tapas.
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm brings us A Friday Night Cocktail that starts with Alvear Tres Miradas Vino de Pueblo 2018.
• Susannah of Avvinare is Learning to Love Sherry One Style at a Time.
• Reggie at Wine Casual offers 10 Tips for Sherry Lovers & Wine Geeks Visiting Sevilla and Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
• Jeff Burrows of Food Wine Click! asks Sherry is a Fortified Wine, or is It?
• Nicole of Somm’s Table dishes Bodegas Dios Baco PX and a Banana Cake.
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley declares Spanish Songs in Andalucía with Soup and Sherry: Oh My Corazón.

If you’re up early enough, please join our Twitter chat all about Wines of Andalusia on October 23 at 8am PT/11am ET. Just search for the #WorldWineTravel hashtag on Twitter.