Cariñena, a land linked to wine since the Romans

3^rd C. BC

The inhabitants of the Roman city of Carae, present-day Cariñena, drank wine mixed with honey

1415

King Ferdinand I of Aragon took wines from Cariñena on his journey to Nice

1585

King Phillip II was greeted in Cariñena by two fountains of wine, one red and one white

1696

The Statute of the Vine was approved in Cariñena. One of the primary aims: to limit the number of plantations based on the quality of the land

1773

The Count of Aranda sent wines from his wine cellar to the philosopher Voltaire whose response was: “If this wine is from your property (...) the promised land is close by”

1786

Joseph Townsend referred to the wine of the region in the following terms: “The wine of Cariñena is of the best quality, I have no doubt that it will be much sought after in England”

1809

Alexandre de Laborde commented that in Cariñena “exquisite wine is made, particularly from the Garnacha grape”

1862

Charles Davillier wrote in his travel journal: “The white wine of Cariñena (...) is worthy of being better known outside Spain, especially the wine from the Garnacha grape”

1887

Inauguration of the Cariñena-Zaragoza narrow-gauge railway as a result of the development of the winemaking activity, making it easier to export the wine mainly to France

1891

The first national winegrowing congress was held very near to Cariñena, in Zaragoza, due to the pioneering attitude of the region

1909

King Alfonso XIII granted city status to Cariñena in recognition of its historic legacy and its role in the fight against phylloxera

1932

Cariñena received the distinction of Designation of Origin which, along with some others, is the oldest one officially recognised in Spain