It is located in the centre of “Chiclana de la Frontera”, right in front of the new “Mercado de Abastos”, in the “Plaza de las Bodegas”, a meeting place for the people of Chiclana and its visitors.
The space is dedicated to two of the main values of the town, wine and salt, which have been essential for the economic and social development of “Chiclana de la Frontera”.
The wines of Chiclana are well known, although in recent times many of its wineries have been replaced by residential buildings or other spaces. In 1876, Chiclana had 3,500 hectares, in 1970, 3,000, and today it barely reaches 200 hectares. In 1876, Alfonso XII granted it the title of “city”, thanks to its wine-growing tradition.
Its most outstanding wines are the “finos” and “moscateles”. They are famous and well known in the province of Cádiz, and thanks to its visitors in other parts of the world.
Salt is another of Chiclana’s assets, many of which can be seen from various points in the town. In the mid-19th century, Chiclana had up to 38 salt mines. Today, many of them have been converted into estuaries, others have been abandoned, and some remain as artisanal salt pans, and it is possible to visit them.
The building that today houses the centre was an old converted winery belonging to the “Primitivo Collante” company, home to the well-known “Fino Arroyuelo”.
In the centre, visitors can retrace the history of wine and salt in Chiclana de la Frontera, from its origins to the present day. There are three rooms dedicated to the salt exploitations with extensive infographics, photographs and audiovisual resources. There are also four rooms dedicated to wine, highlighting the description of the ageing and ageing of “fino and muscatel”.
Admission is free and in summer it is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm (closed on Mondays and Sundays). More information at www.vinoysal.es
Don’t miss it if you want to get to know the two most important values of the history and culture of “Chiclana de la Frontera”.