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If the world of wine appeals to you, the province of Málaga offers a different kind of journey: a wine tourism route through its five producing areas. Along the Costa del Sol, the Serranía de Ronda, Axarquía, Montes de Málaga, Zona Norte —Vega de Antequera— and Costa Occidental coexist, each with its own soil and climate. This diversity explains why everything from sweet moscatels to award-winning high-altitude reds can be found here, and why many wineries in Málaga open their doors for visits and tastings all year round.Costa del Sol
A route through Málaga’s wineries
Málaga wine is protected by two designations of origin, Málaga and Sierras de Málaga, with a tradition dating back to the Phoenicians. You can plan a one-day winery route around the capital or string together several days among white villages, high-altitude vineyards and centuries-old wine presses. These are the areas and exclusive wineries worth marking on your map.
Serranía de Ronda: the area with the most wineries in the province
Ronda has the highest concentration of wineries in the province: the Ruta del Vino de Ronda y Málaga includes around fifteen here that are open to visitors, as well as its Centro de Interpretación del Vino. Descalzos Viejos is housed in a 16th-century Trinitarian convent and produces a wine called DV Mínima, an uncommon botrytised sweet wine in the south. Doña Felisa uses integrated viticulture, while Cortijo Los Aguilares has received several awards for its organic pinot noir. They are joined by Bodegas Excelencia, Lunares, Joaquín Fernández, Kieninger, Huerto de la Condesa and F. Schatz.
Two new additions deserve a chapter of their own. Bodega La Melonera occupies an estate of more than 200 hectares between 650 and 940 metres above sea level and has been recovering almost-extinct native varieties since 2005, including blasco, corchero tinta and quiebratinajas; its guided tours take in the winery, vineyard and barrel room before ending with a tasting, and it has also added a terrace wine bar that can be visited without a reservation. Bodega La Fábrica de Hojalata, in Júzcar, occupies the Real Fábrica de Hojalata de San Miguel, Spain’s first tinplate factory, dating from the 18th century, in the Valle del Genal. Natural wines are made there from pinot noir — the southernmost planting in Europe —, moscatel morisco and tintilla de Ronda, and the wine list also includes orange, amber and sparkling wines. The visit can be completed with dinner and accommodation on the estate Bodega La Melonera, Júzcar
Axarquía: moscatel, artisan wines and signature cuisine
The other major producing area is Axarquía. This comarca is home to labels such as Botani, by Jorge Ordóñez, and Jarel, by Almijara, in Cómpeta. In Moclinejo, the historic Bodega A. Muñoz Cabrera (Dimobe) preserves an exhibition of tools and machinery explaining how wine was made a century ago; its red El Lagar de Cabrera was recognised at the latest Premios Sabor a Málaga awards in 2026. Sedella Vinos farms traditionally, using draught animals and Roman ploughs, and is helping to recover the romé grape. In Sayalonga, Bodegas Bentomiz, also awarded at that event, is among the best equipped for wine tourism: a sustainable building, tours in several languages and a signature-cuisine restaurant to round off the day with a wine-paired lunch Cómpeta, Sayalonga
Montes de Málaga and wineries in the city centre
The mountain range surrounding the city is the highest and coldest area of the municipality of Málaga: its microclimates add complexity to wines dominated by Pedro Ximénez and moscatel. Antigua Casa de Guardia, founded in 1840 and one of Málaga’s oldest wineries, stands out here alongside Bodegas Quitapenas, which organises guided visits and tastings to showcase its winemaking process. Both also have wine shops in central Málaga: Casa de Guardia maintains one of the most historic taverns on Alameda Principal, while Quitapenas has several wine shops around the city. It is the most convenient option if you are travelling without a car and want a first taste of the local wine culture
Zona Norte and Costa Occidental: from Antequera to Manilva
In Fuente de Piedra you will find Bodegas Málaga Virgen, one of the province’s best-known wineries, with labels such as Moscatel Salvador and Tres Leones — awarded best still sweet wine with D.O. Málaga — and a range extending to brandies. Nearby, in Mollina, La Capuchina occupies a centuries-old cortijo surrounded by olive trees, so visitors can choose between a wine tasting, an olive oil tasting or both. On the coast, Manilva rounds off the route with Nilva, the first wine from the Costa Occidental protected by the D.O. Sierras de Málaga and now awarded best white wine in that designation. Its winery manages the Centro de Interpretación Viñas de Manilva and allows visitors to explore the old Peñoncillo vineyard, with the Mediterranean in the background Bodegas Málaga Virgen, Mollina, Manilva
Wine tastings and visits: how to organise your trip
Almost all of them operate by appointment, so book your wine tasting in advance, especially during harvest and at weekends. Many offer visits in several languages, combine them with a wine-paired lunch and have a shop. To put what you have tasted into context, the Museo del Vino de Málaga is a good stop in the capital, and the province’s winery list helps fine-tune your itinerary. With a glass in hand and the vineyard before you, it quickly becomes clear why this land has been making wine for three thousand years Málaga Wine Museum, bodegas de la provincia
12 May 2016
