D.O. Vino de Albariza: the new Vino de Pasto

In the margins of the negociations for the latest 2022 regulations of the D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, there were talks about a new category for unfortified wines from the sherry regions. This was broken down into two parts: first, unfortified Fino is now included in the sherry family. Then there were discussions whether the lower strength Vino de Pasto would become a category within sherry (as in Montilla-Moriles) or become a new D.O. on its own.

It took three more years for the producers to reach an agreement. In 2025 there was a consensus to create a separate designation of origin for white wines from the sherry region. By keeping them separate, they could develop their own identity and international prestige. The new D.O. will however stay under the supervision of the same Consejo Regulador that also covers sherry and Manzanilla.

The recent wave of white wines from Jerez has already positioned itself extremely well in the market. The wines have a perception of quality and a price in line with that high quality. This prestige should be protected by all means, and preferably even enhanced.

Vino de Albariza

Vino de Pasto is essentially an old name used in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its historical roots predate the D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry. The word Pastar means ‘to graze’ or ‘to eat,’ so it was a wine meant for eating. Even though they had a good name and fairly high prices back then, the name is now linked to lower value in some wine regions.

The first steps for the revival of these historic wines were taken by Equipo Navazos and the young group Territorio Albariza. Further back in time you could also say Castillo de San Diego from Barbadillo (now simply Blanco de Albariza) was an early pacemaker in 1975. Currently the Consejo Regulador has a preliminary list of almost thirty brands that are interested to join the new DO. It includes virtually all sherry producers. There are a few more that also meet the requirements, but they will probably wait until the final regulations are decided.

Even though the new name is not officially decided upon, most members of the working group within the regulatory council are inclined to go for Vino de Albariza. Personally I like the fact that they focus on the famous albariza soil as a critical element for the profile and quality of these wines. The combination of the soil and typical sherry grapes like Palomino sets them apart from the rest of the world and links them to sherry wines. The upcoming specifications will delimit the production area, authorized grape varieties, vineyard yields and other elements.

Gonzalez Byass Elisa, a “Vino blanco de Albariza” ahead of the official designation of origin

Single pago / Single vineyard

The new D.O. will probably go for two categories, based on the origin within the sherry region:

Single pago wines: made with at least 85% of grapes from the same pago / vineyard zone / cru (e.g. Pago Macharnudo)
Single vineyard / single estate wines: made with at least 85% of grapes from one specific vineyard (e.g. San Cayetano)

Producers may include the name of the pago / vineyard and the town where the wine originates on their label, for example Macharnudo-Jerez or Miraflores-Sanlúcar. One of the difficulties will be to find a strict definition, since some producers are now using pago Macharnudo and others say viña Macharnudo. The same for English translations, as pagos are often translated as vineyards and the word estate isn’t very common around Jerez. The Consejo already worked on a map of all pagos a couple of years ago, which now becomes a critical tool.

When it comes to naming, I think it’s quite annoying that wine producers are often using the name still wine or vino tranquilo for this part of their portfolio. A strange name, which seems to be the opposite of sparkling wines, which are very uncommon around Jerez. What they really mean with this is unfortified wine of course.

Grape varieties for Vino de Albariza

All wines will have to be made with native grape varieties, all white grapes. They are also the same as those authorized or in the process of being authorized for the production of fortified sherry wines: Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel. Then also the ancient grapes Vijiriega, Beba, Perruno, Cañocazo, Mantúo Castellano, Mantúo de Pilas, Torrentés and Albillo Real.

In the oenological field the specifications will be less strict than those of sherry wines. Sun-drying the grapes, a veil of flor, fermentation in steel or barrels, aging in steel or wood… will all be defined and allowed. Also the production of naturally sweet wines will be allowed. However there will be a firm focus on quality, with low yields per hectare for instance.

Challenges for the new D.O.

One of the issues with the new name is the fact that it is quite generic. Other winemaking areas have similar soils, which means the name cannot be legally protected. Also, several brands are already using the name, including some that will end up being protected by the future DO, all pushing their own interpretation of the profile.

I also wonder if confusion might arise among consumers between albariza and albariño, now that Galician wines are becoming so popular.

Another challenge will be to give the new category Vino de Albariza enough space on its own, but also make it a gateway for sherry wines. If consumers are fond of a chalky white from Macharnudo at 12%, then how can you have them try a Fino at 15%, without the sherry misconceptions from the past? Stressing the relation to classic sherry is one thing, but explaining all the nuances and not overcomplicating it further for consumers is another problem.

When will Vino de Albariza come in place?

In December 2025 the draft regulations were submitted to the Andalusian Regional Government. After that the European Commission will have to rectify it. The whole process is expected to slowly move forward, but the new DO may come in as early as 2027, according to César Saldaña, the president of the Consejo.

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About the Author

Ruben is a Certified Sherry Educator who fell in love with sherry some 25 years ago, but switched to a higher gear in 2013 and started writing about it. Lived in Madrid for a couple of years, now back in Belgium. I also run a whisky blog over at www.whiskynotes.be