📍 Montilla-Moriles

Montilla-Moriles is a wine zone in the province of Córdoba in Andalusia, southern Spain. It lies inland, north-east of the Jerez area where sherry is made. The wines are similar in style to sherry, but with an important difference.

The main grape is the white Pedro Ximénez (PX). In the hot climate it gathers a lot of sugar, so after fermentation the wine reaches 15% alcohol or more by itself, and adding spirit for strength is often unnecessary. Wines age in a solera system, under a layer of flor yeast (dry finos) or oxidatively. Fermentation was often done in large clay jars called tinajas.

The soils are white chalky albariza, especially good on the hills of the Sierra de Montilla. For sweet PX the grapes are dried in the sun, producing a thick, dark wine with notes of raisin, fig and caramel.

Montilla-Moriles belongs to Andalusia. If you like sherry and amontillado, the wines of this zone are worth a try: they often give a similar taste at a more affordable price. Dry Montilla wines are served chilled with olives, jamón and seafood, and sweet PX with ice cream or dessert. The name Montilla-Moriles on a label shows that the grapes grew in this very area, which makes it easy to look for similar wines.