Bodegas embláticas de Málaga: Taberna-Museo Antigua Casa de Guardiia y Bodega Bar el Pimpi

Algunos dicen que Málaga tiene dos catedrales, una eclesiástica y otra del vino! Así como Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Cognac, Champagne, y todos los vinos y licores con denominación de origen, también la Costa del Sol hace diferenciación por clima y zona geográfica para producir una uva extraordinaria con carácter excepcional que se convierte en el Vino MÁLAGA D.O.

Málaga es un vino elaborado con uvas Moscatel y Pedro Ximénez principalmente de la Axarquía.

El vino de Málaga y sus bodegas

Algunos dicen que Málaga tiene dos catedrales, una eclesiástica y otra del vino! Así como Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Cognac, Champagne, y todos los vinos y licores con denominación de origen, también la Costa del Sol hace diferenciación por clima y zona geográfica para producir una uva extraordinaria con carácter excepcional que se convierte en el Vino MÁLAGA D.O.

Málaga es un vino elaborado con uvas Moscatel y Pedro Ximénez principalmente de la Axarquía.

La historia de la producción de vino en Málaga y sus alrededores se remonta a la llegada de los fenicios en el siglo VIII A.C., por ello es una de las más antiguas de Europa.

La principal característica de este vino es principalmente su dulzor. Además de ser una buena opción para los postres, los malagueños lo toman a cualquier hora en bares tradicionales donde podemos respirar el auténtico espíritu Al Andalus y probar los típicos vinos locales.
Los vinos Málaga tienen carácter especial y merecen degustarse tranquilamente. Para ello presentamos los bares más auténticos e históricos de la ciudad malagueña cuya personalidad aporta un valor extraordinario a la ciudad, por ofrecer una experiencia lúdico-gastronómica originalmente fantástica para una experiencia única.

Antigua Casa de Guardia

Taberna-Museo también conocida como “El Barril Místico” ya que aquí se dice que el Barril contiene lo más especial, raro y querido de una bodega solo al alcance de un grupo reducido de privilegiados. Esta bodega, a la par que taberna y bar, es la más antigua de Málaga, fundada en 1840 por Don José Guardia y se trata de un refugio indispensable para quienes adoran la calidad en el beber.

Una auténtica herencia cultural de la Axarquía, en la producción tradicional de elaborar el vino de Málaga, de la misma manera que se viene haciendo hace más de 100 años.
Cabe destacar que la Antigua Casa de Guardia fue galardonada con el premio de Empresa Emblemática en Málaga, y a quien la reina Isabel II nombró como proveedor autorizando a usar el sello real en su embotellado.
Es, sin duda, un verdadero lugar para la cultura.

Con su larga y antigua barra de madera de roble y sus barriles de viejos robles rusos con grifos cubanos que mantienen la misma esencia desde hace más de 170 años. La peculiar manera de anotar las cuentas sobre la barra con tiza, nos remontan al pasado glorioso de la casa, además de sus cuadros, vitrinas y botellas antiguas.
La nota de humor la ponen los malagueños, al decir:  "sabemos cómo entramos, pero no sabemos cómo vamos a salir..."

Bodega-Bar El Pimpi

Referencia en Málaga por excelencia. El más famoso de la Costa del Sol y más emblemático bar de tapas de la ciudad, algunos lo consideran una institución. Una parada esencial para todo visitante de Málaga.

Su nombre, “El Pimpi”, recuerda a un personaje típico muy popular en la ciudad que ya se ha perdido: Los Pimpis, que eran jóvenes serviciales que ayudaban a la tripulación de los barcos y a los pasajeros, que con el tiempo se convirtieron en los primeros guías de turísticos.

El Pimpi ocupa un antiguo caserón malagueño del siglo XVIII ubicado en el corazón de Málaga, y a escasos metros de la popular Plaza de la Merced.
Una Bodega-Bar con un típico y encantador estilo malagueño que ofrece la oportunidad de disfrutar de la tradicional comida local y el vino Málaga Virgen de la premiada Bodega como la mejor de Andalucía.

Espacios decorados con interesantes colecciones de antiguos carteles de feria y de festejos taurinos, rodeados de barriles dedicados y firmados por famosos amigos como la familia Picasso, Antonio Banderas, los Duques de Alba, Rafael Nadal, artistas del flamenco, políticos y personalidades de todo tipo.
Para el viajero y turista, la visita a la bodega es una parada obligatoria en esta bella y emblemática ciudad.

Estos lugares son de peregrinación para turistas, y es que el vino, uno de los mayores placeres de la vida, ocupa un lugar importante en la capital de la Costa del Sol. 
¡Visiten Málaga para una experiencia extraordinaria en todos los sentidos!

Fuente: http://www.vacaciones-espana.es/Malaga-ciudad/articulos/el-vino-de-malaga-y-sus-bodegas-gran-reclamo-turistico

Wine in Spain

Spain is the most widely planted wine producing nation in the world. In 2011, it had over 2.9 million acres of productive vineyards. Lower relative yields put Spain, just behind France and Italy, in global aggregate production. However, Spain still produced an impressive 3.4 million tonnes of wine in 2011.
Some Spanish wines and wine growing regions are almost household names; Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat, Albariño Jerez and Jumilla and to a lesser extent the wine growing regions in Valencia, Ribeiro, Bierzo, Valdeorras, Cigales, Costers del Segre and Toro. With many, many more in-between.
It is often said that Spain can offer a bottle for every wine drinker.
The DO - Denominación de Origen - designation of Origin – is used to denominate quality and geographical origin among Spain’s finest producers.

Malaga’s wines

Malaga has one of the longest wine producing histories in the world, dating all the way back to Phoenician times.

Malaga's traditional wines and wine bars

Wine in Spain

Spain is the most widely planted wine producing nation in the world. In 2011, it had over 2.9 million acres of productive vineyards. Lower relative yields put Spain, just behind France and Italy, in global aggregate production. However, Spain still produced an impressive 3.4 million tonnes of wine in 2011.
Some Spanish wines and wine growing regions are almost household names; Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat, Albariño Jerez and Jumilla and to a lesser extent the wine growing regions in Valencia, Ribeiro, Bierzo, Valdeorras, Cigales, Costers del Segre and Toro. With many, many more in-between.
It is often said that Spain can offer a bottle for every wine drinker.
The DO - Denominación de Origen - designation of Origin – is used to denominate quality and geographical origin among Spain’s finest producers.

Malaga’s wines

Malaga has one of the longest wine producing histories in the world, dating all the way back to Phoenician times.

The Greeks, the Romans and the Moors were all fond of Malaga’s wines, encouraging its production and export. Changing tastes and the vine-destroying plagues of the 19th century, all but decimated Malaga’s wine industry.
Today, Malaga is the largest of the DO wine zones in Andalucia, with approximately 3000 acres planted in some 30 vineyards (Bodegas) and produces over 2 million litres annually.
It is best known for its sweet wines made from the Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez grape varieties. The two varieties of grape tend to be concentrated in the Axarquia growing region of Malaga province, not far from the town of Velez Malaga.
There are three main grape growing areas in Malaga Province; east of Malaga in the Axarquia region, west of the city and centred around the village of Manilva where the larger Moscatel grapes are grown - mainly for eating. The most intensive farming is just north of Antequera, where a sweet variation of the Pedro Ximenez variety predominates.
Despite the fact that the grapes are being grown, pressed and sometimes fermented in other parts of the province, Malaga wines are all aged in Malaga city itself.
Having a small glass of sweet wine is part of the culture. Part of the social fabric that makes up Andalucia. There is no better place to try Malaga’s traditional wines than in one of the original wine bars.
Bar Pimpi and the Antigua Casa de Guardia are, without a doubt, two of the very best.

Antigua Casa de Guardia

The Antigua Casa de Guardia is the oldest wine bar/tavern in Malaga. Founded in 1840 by Don José Guardia, the Casa de Guardia is so much more than a wine bar or cellar. Its an institution. For wine lovers, it is a place that must be visited when in Malaga.
A true cultural heritage that has been producing wine in the same way for the last 172 years.
The Casa de Guardia is sometimes locally nicknamed as “El Barril Místico” - “the Mystic Barrel,” a place that contains a wine that is so rare, so scarce and so valuable that only a select few are able to try it.
Queen Isabel II appointed the Antigua Casa de Guardia as their official Malaga wine supplier, even allowing the Royal seal to be used on their bottling. Which was no small feat. The bar has little changed over the years.
With its age-old oak counters and cask wooden barrels, the wine is pulled using Cuban/Russian taps that date from before the Second World War.
The bill is still chalked on the bar in front of you, the antiques, the paintings and the carefully preserved bottles, all combine to make the Casa de Guardia an authentic living museum.

Bodega-Bar El Pimpi 

The most famous tapa bar on the Costa del Sol and one of Malaga’s most iconic landmarks, no visit to Malaga is complete without visiting El Pimpi.

It consistently ranks as top of any places to see in Malaga list. The appeal is easy to understand. The bodega - bar is situated in a former eighteenth-century mansion located right in the heart of the city, just a stone’s throw from the popular Plaza de la Merced.
The typical bar oozes Andalucia charm, with interior patios and terraces that are perfect to wile away warm summer evenings, while sipping wine and enjoying some local tapas. The food is second to none and is also responsibly priced. Its Malaga Virgin wine was voted as being the best in Andalucía.
Bodega-Bar El Pimpi is decorated with old pictures, posters, bull fighting memorabilia and old barrels, many of which, have been signed by its numerous famous visitors such as the Picasso family, Antonio Banderas, the Duke of Alba, Rafael Nadal, various big names in Flamenco, politicians and numerous other celebrities.
Bar Pimpi is the place to be in Malaga.
A visit to a bodega in this beautiful and emblematic city is a must for any traveller or tourist. They form the route of a pilgrimage for tourists who enjoy the great pleasures of wine, occupying an important place in Costa del Sol tourism. Visit Malaga for this unparalleled experience that touches all the senses.

From: http://www.spain-holiday.com/Malaga-city/articles/malagas-traditional-wines-and-wine-bars 

Cortijo Las Monjas at the 5th European Congress on Rural Tourism, october 2014, Alpbach, Tyrol

 
Here it is a video with the presentation i made for the 5th European Congress on Rural Tourism. This event takes place every two years and is organised by the EuroGites-European Federation of Rural Tourism. In October 2014, together with its national partner Austrian Farm Holidays in Alpbach, Tyrol. www.europeanrtcongress.org

They asked me for a presentation where i could give to the colleagues from other countries in rural tourism an impression how rural tourism works in the very South of Europe from my experience as an owner/manager of a rural accomodation.

I thought that could be nice to share this presentation and explain you a bit, with this video, about our story. My name is Almudena and toguether with my family we run Cortijo Las Monjas.

Sometimes, originally a rural accommodation is not build for tourism, and this is our case, Cortijo Las Monjas was restored in 2002 as a family tourism business to complement the olive farming of 14 has.

In fact more than 300 years ago the farmhouse belonged to the nuns, this is why this house is called Cortijo de Las Monjas (Cortijo is the word in Andalusia for deisgn a Farmhouse and Monjas is Spanish for Nuns) the Nuns were not living here, we found a rental agreement from the year 1709, where appear that the nuns just own the land and the house and the farmers could live there in exchange for work on the landand they could pay them with food and some money.

Around 100 years ago my family arrived to this place first like workers and later like owners.
My mother and her brother and sister were born here and they were living here till the 60, when they get married and then all of them went to look for a better life at the city. The Cortijo was abandoned and started to be more a ruin that a house

Around the 80´s, for differents reasons my parents took care of the Cortijo and the land, they worked so hard to get the house inhabited again. They drove every weekend 3 hours one wayand 3 hours way back to work at the house, in the field, picking olives and other fruits.

My brother Nacho and me, were already there too, we spent every holiday at the Cortijo, our best memories from our chilhood are here, and not everything was work... (almost :-D )

The Cortijo was like the holiday house for the family and other friends from the city who wanted to spend a weekend at the countryside, this was maybe like the start of the rural tourism in Andalusia, but nobody called it like that, was more like “nos vamos al campo” this means “let’s go to the countryside”, my father sometimes says, life changed into the other way around, when he was a child his parents took him to see how looks the City, now parents take the children to the countryside because they even don’t know how a sheep looks like.

In 2000, the house was needed of a big reform, and we decided to renovate the place and to change it into a rural accommodation, like a complement for the olive production. My father was the promotor, he was thinking on it for a long time, and with his experience like a constructor he made the plans and the whole family helped to create it.

When people arrive, they always take some time to enjoy the view and many people find there is a magical atmosphere in and around the Cortijo. Both the authenticity and the beautiful surroundings makes Cortijo las Monjas a very special place to stay.

Also what made the rural tourism diferent, is us, we are living there and the treatment we can give to our guests is much more familiar than in a hotel, the are not a number room, the are call by their name.
The can experience how life is at our place, they can taste the diferents local products, the food for our garden and if they want the can join us in the diferents activities.

I am an active member of differents associations, working for the development of the region from the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. We colaborate with this organizations and we also organice here and in the area differents events, always trying to keep the traditions.

Over the past years, we have develop and diversify our offer, weedings, small MICE events, open-air celebrations are also possible. We organized different kind of courses and workshops, about olive oil, wine, aromatics and medicinal plants...etc.

In Andalusia the climate is very suitable for offering other outdoor activities almost the whole year round. A lot of people don’t realise the best time to visit the area is off season and even in winter it can be very comfortable wheater. Hiking, ciclyng, horse riding, cayoing, speleology are other activities you can practice here.

Next to all the romance, it is real hard work to keep everything running, but we just love what we do and where we live, this is why we will go on, giving the chance to the people to discover our region and our little paradise, and having the reward to make people happy for being here.

Hope you liked our story and i hope to see you soon!
Almudena