If you love wine and plan to be in the Alicante/Calpe/Denia area of Spain, you must not miss a visit to Bodegas Xaló in Jalón (also known as Xaló). One of the best Spanish bodegas I’ve ever been to, Bodegas Xaló has a huge selection of wines, mistelas (sweet liquors) and vermouth, which are unbelievably tasty and just about as cheap as it’s possible to get.
Bodegas Xaló is on the street heading out of town towards Alcalali, opposite the large Saturday Jalón market, and is open every day during the summer and many days during the winter. All you have to do is wander through the door and start sampling the wines. There’s a couple of tables set up with jugs of wine and small cups, and you can help yourself to as many tastes as you like as you browse the shelves of wine for sale — nobody bothers you or hassles you. It’s wonderful.
Look for the Malvarossa Rosé if you like a sweet, fruity wine. At around €3 a bottle it’s a steal. Or try the Vall de Xaló Red for a medium-bodied red wine at under €3 a bottle. I also loved several of the vermouth samples I tried, and my parents grabbed a couple of bottles of Serra de Bernia red wine to take back to enjoy a glass of wine in their hotel room before dinner.
Bodegas Xaló is a fun place to spend an hour on your next trip to Jalón, as well as a great place to stock up on inexpensive, yet very nice, wine. Don’t forget, Spanish wine is wonderful to give as gifts too.
