Wine tourism in Almería

We are not talking about geography, but about wine. This wine falls within the so-called Vinos de la Tierra — a quality-protection level between ordinary table wines and the exclusive ones with an Appellation of Origin. Its production covers a large wine-growing area of the Almería desert and it is made with garnacha tinta, monastrell, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and merlot for the reds, and chardonnay, moscatel, macabeo and sauvignon blanc for the whites. What makes these wines so special is the altitude at which the grapes are grown in the middle of the desert, around 525 metres above sea level, and the climatic contrast of very warm days and very cool nights.

This geographical indication, also part of the Vinos de la Tierra, distinguishes the table wines of the Laujar valley wine area, covering the municipalities of Alcolea, Fondón and Laujar de Andarax, in the easternmost Alpujarra of Sierra Nevada, whose vines are grown from 800 to 1,500 metres in altitude. In this region the sector is booming, covering more than 800 hectares and promoting sparkling wine varieties in addition to the traditional whites, reds and rosés.

Almería's wine lives in the mountains, in the Alpujarra and the Andarax valley. Laujar de Andarax, capital of the Almerian Alpujarra, and white villages such as Ohanes or Padules gather stone country houses and charming lodgings among the vines, ideal for tasting the high-altitude wines of the sierra.

Those seeking contrast can alternate with the Cabo de Gata coast, where San José or Las Negras offer lodging facing the sea. From the capital, Almería, the routes towards the Andarax and the Filabres are close by for a getaway of wine and desert.

The Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, with its volcanic coves and the Sirenas reef, is the great draw. Inland, the Tabernas Desert, Europe's only semi-arid landscape, holds the western-film sets and a light like no other for the northern vines.

The Almerian Alpujarra offers trails along the Andarax river and the Sierra de Gádor, with springs and chestnut groves. In the capital, the Alcazaba and the Civil War shelter await, while the Filabres and Sierra Nevada complete the mountains.

Cabo de Gata-Níjar concentrates campsites and motorhome areas near San José, Las Negras and the beaches of Los Genoveses and Mónsul, a protected coast of transparent waters. It is the natural destination for sleeping by the sea under the clearest skies, ideal for stargazing.

Inland, the Sierra de Gádor and the Alpujarra of the Andarax offer cool spots among vines and chestnut trees for summer camping. Travelling by motorhome through the Tabernas Desert and the Filabres offers lunar landscapes a short distance from the high-altitude wineries.