Forty kilometres south of Córdoba stretch the vineyards of Montilla-Moriles, one of Andalusia's oldest appellations. On the white albariza (chalk) soils, the Pedro Ximénez grape produces wines that rival the finest from Jerez — without any fortification.
Why this wine region matters
Montilla-Moriles wines are what locals drink at every meal, not what they pull out for tourists. Since Roman times, vines have grown here thanks to an extreme continental climate: 45°C in summer, mild winters, and chalk soils that retain moisture like a sponge. The grapes reach exceptional ripeness, naturally hitting 15–16% alcohol without any addition — genuinely rare in the wine world.
The bodegas you visit are working operations, not tourist sets. Alvear (1729) is the oldest bodega in Andalusia. Toro Albalá produces Pedro Ximénez that received 100 points from Robert Parker. Pérez Barquero makes internationally awarded amontillados. The solera system — blending of vintages across years — creates wines of real complexity.
How a visit works
Most bodegas run guided tours with wine tasting (booking required). Allow 1h30 to 2 hours for a complete experience. A guide takes you into the cellars — rows of stacked barrels — and walks you through the process that gives birth to each style.
A typical tasting covers 4 to 6 wines:
- Fino: dry, mineral, almonds and green apple. The aperitif wine, served with olives.
- Amontillado: amber, hazelnut, caramel. A fino that aged past its flor.
- Oloroso: powerful, mahogany, dried fruits and coffee. Fully oxidative ageing.
- Palo Cortado: the rarest style. The finesse of amontillado with the body of oloroso.
- Pedro Ximénez: near-black, thick, sweet. Figs, dates, molasses. Excellent poured over vanilla ice cream.
Prices range from €8 (basic tour) to €25 (premium tasting with aged vintages). Some bodegas also run food-and-wine pairing experiences.
Organising your day
The Montilla-Moriles Wine Route lets you visit several bodegas in one day. The three essentials — Alvear, Pérez Barquero, Toro Albalá — are a few minutes apart by car.
No car? Córdoba agencies organise guided excursions that include transport, visits and tasting (from €50). The simplest solution if you want to drink without driving.
You can also pair the wine route with Aguilar de la Frontera (a baroque town with a free wine museum) or the Montemayor castle (medieval fortress with panoramic views over the vineyards).
Practical details
Bodegas are closed on Sundays and often Saturday afternoons. Book at least 2–3 days in advance by phone or email. Most offer tours in Spanish and English — French-language tours are rare.
In summer (July–August), visits work best early morning (9–11 am) or late afternoon (6–8 pm) to avoid the heat. Harvest time (late August–September) is visually impressive but very busy — book well ahead.
No time to get to Montilla? Several Córdoba restaurants keep good wine lists: Bodegas Campos, Taberna Salinas, Casa Pepe de la Judería. You'll taste finos and Pedro Ximénez in the atmosphere of Cordovan tabernas. The Córdoba food tour combines exactly these wine tastings with local culinary specialities in a guided 3-hour city circuit — complementary to the bodega visit in Montilla.
