Alvear

Old and respectable, that's what you can call family business Alvear, founded in 1729. This bodega is located in southern Spain, in the DO Montilla-Moriles, close to the sherry area of Jerez. Because of the long, hot and dry summers, the grapes are planted on the slopes of the Montilla y Moriles ridge, so that they get cool at night.

Alvear's star grape is pedro ximénez. It can withstand the heat well and is used to the very poor, calcareous soils that are typical for this area. From this sugary grape, Alvear makes the same type of wine as in Jerez, both dry and sweet. The sweet wine, PX, is made from dried grapes and has an intense, deep flavour. The dry wines are aged for years in old barrels. During that period, younger and older wines are always mixed together. Some of the wines develop under a protective layer of yeast (the fino type), some oxidize (oloroso) and some experience both (amontillado). This creates a series of very special, complex and distinct wines. In Jerez they make the dry wines from the grape palomino fino. Because Alvear uses pedro ximénez, their wines are fuller and rounder in taste. Very tasty and highly recommended!