PDO Condado de Huelva

Tradition and Innovation

Where wine is born as part of the culture

Between the terroir and the marshlands of Doñana, history has left its legacy: the best of Zalema grapes and “Condado wines”.

Towards an expanding future

d

1932

Our beginning

It was back in 1932 when the Designation of Origin Huelva came about to begin our great legacy.

1979

DO Condado de Huelva arises

The body changed its name and began including Condado de Huelva Young White Wines in addition to registering the Zalema grape variety, among other aspects.

d

1999

Continuing to grow

The specifications were adjusted to meet new Spanish and EU regulations.

2002

All-new DO Condado de Huelva Vinegar

A new Designation joined the already existing one under the auspices of the Regulatory Board.

d

2004

Certification and control body

The Regulatory Board began operating as a certification and control body in accordance with the regulations and audited quality guidelines.

2009

Red wine and vinegar

The body also began protecting Condado de Huelva Red Wine and Vinegar.

2011

The rise of DO Orange Wine

The Regulatory Board’s specifications evolved for the all-new Andalusian Designation of Origin “Vino Naranja del Condado de Huelva” (Condado de Huelva Orange Wine).

2019

Orange wine is registered as a PGI

El ‘“Vino Naranja del Condado de Huelva” is finally registered in Europe as a protected geographical indication (PGI).

2020

Rosé Wines are covered

PDO Condado de Huelva modifies its specifications to include rosé wine.

 

 

 

PDO Condado de Huelva

Protected Designation of Origin

The name Designation of Origin Condado de Huelva was approved by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture on 1 August 1979 (Official State Gazette dated 11 September 1979), thereby modifying the prior Designation of Origin Huelva regulation created in 1932 by means of a decree dated 8 September, which was published in the Madrid Gazette on 13 September approving the Wine Statute that was signed into law on 26 May 1933. This publication covered the Designations of Origin approved by the statute which continue to be maintained today.

With this measure, the body changed its name from D.O. Huelva to D.O Condado de Huelva and began including Condado de Huelva Young White Wines in addition to registering the predominant grape variety in local vineyards, Zalema, among other aspects.

A few years later, in 1999, the new specifications for this Designation of Origin were passed (published in the Official Gazette of the Government of Andalusia number 30 dated 11 March 1999), adjusting it to new Spanish and EU regulations.

The Designation of Origin Vinagre del Condado de Huelva was created after that meaning the same Regulatory Board now covers two designations, one for wine and another for vinegar. This measure was ratified by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and published in the Official State Gazette on 25 November 2002.

From then on, the image of the Regulatory Board has always been linked to both designations. Nonetheless, each one has its own technical service control parameters based on their own characteristics as well as their unique production, aging and bottling methods.

Moreover, since 2004 2004the Regulatory Board has been operating as a certification and control body in accordance with standards 45.011 and 45.004 as well as quality guidelines that are audited by the Regional Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries pursuant to its own procedures for wine and vinegar classification.

By means of an Order dated 30 March 2011, the Official Gazette of the Government of Andalusia no. 16 published the new Specifications for the Designations of Origin Condado de Huelva and Vinagre del Condado de Huelva under which the Regulatory Board and all associated wineries began protecting red wines, new white wine grape varieties and new bittersweet vinegar varieties.

Thus, there are four types of protected red wines: Young – from the same year’s harvest – as well as Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, with each category depending on the aging time and method used. Likewise, five red wine grape varieties are now covered: Syrah, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

On the other hand, the new white wine grape varieties covered by these specifications for producing Young Fruity White Wines from the Condado are: Colombard, Sauvignon, Blanc and Chardonnay. At the same time, bittersweet vinegar from the Condado may include liqueur wines in the aging process; specifically, Pedro Ximénez and Muscat.

These Designation of Origin specifications also establish a defined separation between the Management and the Control bodies, all in compliance with new European, Spanish and regional regulations.

The most recent history of our Designation of Origin culminates with the publication of the all-new Andalusian Designation of Origin“Vino Naranja del Condado de Huelva” (Condado de Huelva Orange Wine) in the Official Gazette of the Government of Andalusia on 14 July 2011. This publication acknowledges Orange Wine as an aromatized wine in accordance with Regulation (EEC) 1601/91.

Sometime after, “Vino Naranja del Condado de Huelva” received protection by the European Parliament and of the Council as a “Geographic Indication” under Regulation (EU) 251/2014 of 26 February.

The latest evolution in the Regulatory Board’s guidelines came with the publication of new specifications for PDO “Condado de Huelva” in the Official Gazette of the Government of Andalusia on 9 November 2020, with new modifications such as:

  • Besides white and red wines, rosé wines are also protected. They may be dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet, depending on the residual sugar content as per the regulations in effect.
  • Fortified wines including Condado Pálido or Fino, Condado Viejo or Oloroso, Amontillado and Palo Cortado.
  • Liqueur wines including Pale Dry, Pale Cream, Medium and Cream.
  • Sweet wines including Sweet, Mistela, Pedro Ximénez and Muscat.
  • New varieties of white wine grapes: Small-berried Muscat à Petits Grains and Verdejo.
  • Changes in the organoleptic characteristics.
  • Changes in the yield where the litres of wine for every 100 kg harvested may not be higher than 70.
  • The aging time for fortified wines was changed from 3 years to 2.
  • The yield for the Zalema variety went from 12,000 kg/ha to 18,000 kg/ha.

A legacy of history

Wine tradition

The secrets of our wineries

European Union Aid

The Designations of Origin Huelva and Vino Naranja del Condado de Huelva Regulatory Board has received aid from the European Union through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to promote its protected wines and vinegar.

DOP Condado de Huelva Donde el vino nace cultura

Plaza Ildefonso Pinto, s/n 21710 – Bollullos Par del Condado (Huelva)
Tel. +(34) 959 410 322

[email protected]

© 2021 DOP Condado de Huelva | Todos los derechos reservados