Montilla Moriles Wine
The Montilla-Moriles D.O. is located in the Córdoba province. The vineyards shares space with the wheat and the Olives, according to the famous Mediterranean trilogy: bread, wine and oil.
Montilla is another of the Designations trying to leave its... classic image with the commitment for the new grape varieties and new production systems to enhance the best commercialization of its wines and to reduce the surpluses, which they even could put in risk the Wine making patrimony conservation of the area.
These wines are often mixed up with the Jerez wines; although the Montilla-Moriles history is as long as its famous neighbors. The difference between these two wines is very clear: Jerez is a wine with a very marked aroma, sometimes salty, of very dry flavor, while the Montilla-Moriles develops continental aromas, to thyme, rosemary and under bush. On the palate, they are wines with hazelnut memories, while the Jerez has an almond flavor. Besides, the "finos de Montilla" has more body and they are greasier, less dry, with a low acidity and a typical bitter rustic finish.
There are three "Montilla" basic types of wines: The fruity young ones, the Crianza ones and the generous ones, which are elaborated through the "Solera" system and offer a wide range of styles starting from the “fino” or the “amontillado” (invented here in the XVIII century) depending on the aroma.
The Pedro Ximenez wines are increasingly more important, and even they are legally sold to the Jerez and Malaga wine producers.
The cleaner and lighter experimental plantations of grapes, not allowed in this D.O., indicate the current research to create a new subdesignation to produce new red and white wines.
The climate offers a huge potential for the ecological cultivation, nowadays being developed.
Main white grapes: Pedro Ximénez.
Experimental varieties: Macabeo, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
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