Alicante is a Spanish DO wine (Denominacion de Origen) from a small zone near the Mediterranean sandwiched in between the cities of Valencia and Murcia. There have been many changes to the local wine scene, from its beginnings in the 1600s to today. While this was once a large zone, with more than 230,000 acres planted, the phyloxera plague wiped out a lot of plantings; today total acreage is only 35,000 acres. Historically, the signature wine of Alicante (not to be confused with the Alicante variety), has been Fondillon (or Fondillon de Alicante), produced from overripe Monastrell grapes; the grapes used are naturally sweet and not fortified. The wine is then aged in the cellar in a solera system, as with sherry. This is a very long-lived wine, as examples from the 1940s are currently for sale in American retail shelves.

While this wine has some fame, the producers of Alicante, in an effort to produce wines more in step with current times, are now crafting dry versions of Monastrell. The wines have aromas of blackberries and often have a distinct mineral character to them; versions range from medium-bodied with soft tannins, to more age worthy wines. The Muscatel (Moscato) variety is still popular in Alicante, especially as the hot inland temperatures easily ripen these grapes, resulting in rich, lush wines of varying degrees of sweetness. There are also dry whites, produced from Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay that are quite refreshing. (Wine/Appellations)