Cayetana blanca, also known as Cayetana or Jaén, is a white
Spanish wine grape. It is grown mainly in the south of
Spain, especially in
Extremadura and in the
Jerez
Jerez de la Frontera (), or simply Jerez (), is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, located midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cádiz Mountains. , the ...
region where it is
distilled
Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heating ...
for use in
brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
production.
[ J. Robinson ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'' Third Edition pg 101 Abbeville Press 2003 ]
It is mentioned in the 1513
treatise ''Obra de Agricultura'' by
Gabriel Alonso de Herrera
Gabriel Alonso de Herrera (1470–1539) was a Spanish author, best known for his ''Obra de Agricultura'' (Treatise on Agriculture), published in 1513 under the patronage of Cardinal Cisneros
Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to:
Animals ...
.
It may have originated in the
Alentejo
Alentejo ( , ) is a geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal. In Portuguese, its name means "beyond () the Tagus river" (''Tejo'').
Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo and Baixo Alent ...
region of Portugal, although it is now rare in that area.
Cayetana Blanca was the third most planted white grape variety in Spain, with 39,919 ha (98,640 acres) in 2015, totalling 4% of the grapes and 9% of the white variety