Wineries for sale in Badajoz: large winemaking area

Badajoz is the most populated province in Extremadura, which makes up some of the first wine producing regions in Spain. As well as sharing the border with Portugal, it also borders Castilla La Mancha, Andalusia and the other province in Extremadura, Cáceres. The town of Mérida, capital of the autonomous community, is in Badajoz, even though the most populated city is the one with the same name.

HISTORY OF WINE

In Badajoz, the wine culture dates back to the Greeks, Cretans, Phoenicians and Romans. The Arabs of Extremadura, despite the Koran ban, drank wine. Nevertheless, it was after the Reconquest when there was a big boost in wine production in charge of the religious orders. In the south of the region, the Medellín and Serena wines started being emphasized; as well as Salvatierra and Guadalcanal, which today is an Andalusian city. It is believed that it was Hernán Cortés, native of Medellín, who brought the first Spanish vines to the American territories (the gesture which would serve 300 years after to resolve the Phylloxera plague). 

At the end of the 18^th century, an important vine was developed in Almendralejo, the embryo of the Tierra de Barros region. The arrival of the plague to the French vineyards in the 19^th century allowed Spain to export worldwide and the farmers in Extremadura took advantage of the situation. After replanting with American vines, the area of vines expanded to 110,000 hectares and it became the second most productive region in Spain after La Mancha. The cultivation was concentrated in the regions of Tierra de Barros and Vegas Altas del Guadiana. In turn there was a change in the varieties of grape up to Pardina (Parda or Pardilla).

WINE AND WINERIES

The Designation of Origin Ribera del Guadiana, was created in 1999 to bring all the wines of Extremadura together, recognized as 6 different subzones. They can also produce Vinos de la Tierra de Extremadura and Vinos de Pago as Pago de los Balancines. There is an greater vine cultivation in Badajoz than in Cáceres and all types wines; in fact, Almendralejo is known as the city of cava and they have been producing it since 1983. 

Carabal, together with Palacio Quemado, Marqués de Valdueza, Pago de los Balancines and Viña Puebla founded Vinos Singulares de Extremadura in 2012, an association focused on promoting the quality of the wines in the area. Among the important wineries of Badajoz there are Bodegas Vía de la Plata, Bodegas Martinez Payva, Bodegas San Marcos, Bodegas Marcelino Díaz, Bodegas la Soledad, Bodegas Palacio Quemado, Bodegas Pago de las Encomiendas, Bodegas Viña Extremeña, Bodegas Santa Marina, Bodegas Toribio Viña Puebla, Bodegas Marqués de Valdueza and Bodegas Coloma.

POINTS OF INTEREST

A land of forests and castles, such as Parque Natural de Cornalvo and the Ruta del Mudéjar. There is also a great patrimonial interest in towns such as Alburquerque, Jerez de los Caballeros, Olivenza, Zafra and mainly Mérida, whose archeological site is recognized by UNESCO. The food in the area is classic and includes famous meat dishes which are usually accompanied with local wines.