Ribera del Andarax

Spain · IGP · Andalucía · 21 commune(s)

Styles

Natural factors

Vineyards situated between 600 and 1,100 m above sea level, with slopes of 10–30% that promote sunlight exposure and drainage.
The comarca is framed between Sierra Nevada and Sierra de Gádor, sheltered by the highest mountain ranges in the province.
Continental Mediterranean climate: over 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, approximately 500 mm of rainfall, and a wide diurnal temperature range.
Cool winds from the Mediterranean moderate temperatures during ripening, favouring acidity and colour stability.
Calcareous, slate, and clay-sandy soils of low fertility limit yields and concentrate aromatic compounds in the fruit.

Human factors

Winegrowing traditions documented since the 16th century in the Apeos registers; new varieties introduced from the 1990s onwards.
Harvest is carried out by hand to ensure optimal ripeness, careful fruit selection, and yield limitation.

Product characteristics

Wines with high polyphenol content (anthocyanins and tannins), owing to the marked diurnal temperature variation and low yields.
Deep, time-stable colour, with high alcohol balanced by elevated acidity, itself moderated by cool Mediterranean winds.

Terroir / wine link

Low-fertility soils (calcareous, slate, clay-sandy) limit yields and concentrate aromatic compounds and polyphenols in the fruit.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the the specification.