Wine and Brandy Routes in the Marco de Jerez Region

Introduction

In the south of Andalusia you will find the Marco de Jerez region, an area with a deep-rooted wine producing tradition and a great deal to offer for tourism. If you visit you will be able to sample the rich variety of its wines. From the driest ones like Fino sherry, to naturally sweet wines like Muscatel and full-bodied liqueur wines such as Manzanilla sherry. The surrounding countryside, the region's culture, its gastronomy, and facilities available for business meetings, rest and relaxation, complete the incentives to visit.

Wine Towns

Jerez, El Puerto de Santa María, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Rota and Chiclana are some of the most noteworthy towns on this route. They boast more than 3,200 hours of sunshine per year. This, combined with the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, the properties of the soil and the region's characteristic winds guarantee perfect ripening of the grapes through to the moment of the harvest. These are charming towns with long-standing traditions, as can be seen in the equestrian art of Jerez and at the bullrings of El Puerto de Santa María, Jerez and Sanlúcar.

What will I find in the region?

- Traditional Fiestas such as Easter Week in Seville, original celebrations like Carnival in Cadiz, or others where horses play the lead role, such as the Jerez Horse Fair and the Horse Races on the beach at Sanlúcar.


- Business centres where you can hold meetings with the best facilities.

- First rate golf courses where you can relax while you play sport.

- Stunning protected nature areas such as the Doñana National Park and the Los Alcornocales Nature Reserve.

- Delicious gastronomy with typical dishes like fried fish.



What are the wines like?

Dry, naturally sweet, and full-bodied liqueur wines. These are the wines you will find in Jerez. Some, including Fino and Oloroso sherries, are very dry on account of a complete fermentation of the must. The natural sweet wines are produced letting the grapes over-ripen. Here, special mention should be made of Pedro Ximénez and Muscatel wines. Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda sherry has its own Designation of Origin. It is a full-bodied wine, dry at the outset and sweet on the palate.



How to get there

The Marco de Jerez region is at a strategic point in Andalusia, southern Spain. You can get direct flights to Jerez international airport, and there is easy access by road from the airports in Seville and Malaga (A-4 from Seville and A-7 from Malaga). You can also get to Jerez, El Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real and Lebrija by train. Furthermore, some of the towns on the route have marinas offering wonderful boat trips in the Bay of Cadiz, such as the "Vaporcito de El Puerto de Santa María".

- If you need more information, enquire at any of the tourist offices.

Association of Wine and Brandy Routes of the Marco de Jerez Region

Avda.Alcalde Álvaro Domecq 2

11402 Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz)

E-mail:info@rutadeljerezybrandy.es

http://www.rutadeljerezybrandy.es

Tel.: +34 956332050

Fax.: +34 956330964