Spain: Notes from a big country

John Radford and Sarah Jane Evans
Málaga’s sweet fortified wines have been around since Shakespeare’s time but, as with all classics, their market has been stagnant or shrinking for 20 years. In 2001 the region added the designation of Sierras de Málaga for non-sweet wines. Sierras means mountain ranges, and most of the new development has been around Ronda, in vineyards at altitudes of 750m and more. There’s been massive investment in the steep mountain valleys and some impressive new bodegas are in production. They grow mainly international grapes but also Garnacha, Tempranillo and the local Romé, and the altitude of the vineyards and the traditions of Andalucía give the wines their own individuality. Look out for names such as El Chantre (a magnificent new palace on precipitous vineyards), F Schatz (a real eccentric who has planted German varieties), Bentomiz (for new-generation sweet wines) and Descalzos Viejos (a wonderful single-estate in an old monastic vineyard) as well as many more. This is a region with enormous potential.