Toro Albala is considered one of the 100 best Spanish wineries of the 21st century. Located in Cordoba, central Andalusia, the winery was founded in 1844 by Antonio Sonchez Prieto. In 1922, after surviving the phylloxera devastation, Jose M. Toro Albala restored the winery's heritage and relocated it to a former power plant, achieving instant fame. Even today, Cordoba residents often say, "Let the volts of wine touch me!" or "How many volts does your wine have?"
But that's not the reason the winery remains famous. Toro Albala Winery is located in the DO Montilla-Moriles, a separate DO from the DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry. The Sherry D.O. specializes in the Palomino variety and produces Sherry wines following the Sistema Criaderas y Soleras method, while DO Montilla-Moriles specializes in the PX (Pdreo Ximenez) grape variety. Located in the latter region, Toro Albala uses the same oxidative winemaking method to produce its prized wines.
Region
DO Montilla Moreles also shares the white soil of DO Jerez, known as Albariza. This soil is poor, containing trace amounts of natural minerals but rich in calcium carbonate and silica. In these soils, grapevine roots, seeking nutrients and water, penetrate deep to depths of four meters. Albariza is a prerequisite for almost all Sherry wines. Despite the extremely dry and hot summers, the white soil is rich in water, retaining autumn rainfall in the lower layers. The white soil reflects sunlight, keeping temperatures low, allowing the grapes to continue growing even in these harsh summers.
However, Toro Albala is located inland, without the moderating influence of sea breezes. The temperature swings between day and night are significant, resulting in Sherry wines with a distinct personality distinct from other Sherry regions. The aroma is richer, with more dried fruit notes. The palate is even more intense, with a more astringent tannin and a salty, oxidative flavor, creating a distinct character that fully reflects the local terroir.
Winemaking
Sherry and Solera (the aged oxidation method) are national treasures of Spain. These complex and demanding winemaking techniques often take decades or even centuries to produce, making them a mastery that other countries struggle to replicate overnight. Toro Albala is credited with driving the establishment of the most important wineries within the Montillas-Morilest D.O.O. Toro Albalá's wines are as precious as gems, thanks to their generations-long winemaking practices. These unique PX sherry wines, aged for a minimum of 15 to 35 years, exude a unique and exceptional value and flavor, retaining the rich aroma of the original PX grapes and the unique flavors developed through years in sherry casks. These 100% handcrafted vintage PX special vintages are Toro Albalá's rarest wines.
Owner Antonio jokingly said, "I put the wine in barrels and stored it, then forgot where I put the key and forgot about selling it." This not only reflects Toro Albalá's winemaking philosophy, but also illustrates the value of these precious vintages, like diamonds, that withstand the test of time. In fact, the winery's top-tier special vintage PX, dating back to the 1915 vintage, is so rare that it's only available in barrels for select VIPs in Europe. The wine's value stems from its enduring qualities, which only grow in flavor with age, a quality that Toro Albalá embodies most vividly. The oldest PX sweet wine, from 1910, now boasts a 100-year history, while the youngest PX barrel-aged sweet wine is over 20 years old. In today's fast-paced business world, these wines, slowly matured through patience and time, are even more precious.
Every year, during the first ten days of September, the winery harvests freshly ripened Pedro Ximenez grapes and spreads them out on nets for sun-drying. This process, which cannot be replaced by any machine, requires manual labor and meticulous handwork. Grapes can reach temperatures of up to 55°C in direct sunlight, while temperatures outside direct sunlight can reach 35°C. The ambient temperature must be very low, even reaching zero.
In addition, the grapes must be constantly and evenly turned during the sun-drying process. After two weeks of exposure, the grapes reach the dehydration stage, a process that maximizes the concentration of their aroma. Of course, after sun-drying, they must be covered with another net to prevent over-drying. This complex process requires exceptionally dry evenings, with open air circulation to allow the grapes' moisture to evaporate and accelerate drying.
Next comes the climax: pressing. These dehydrated grapes are extremely sticky and difficult to press, requiring two rounds of pressing. The second round reaches pressures of up to 300 atmospheres. Who says only modern winemaking methods can truly reflect terroir? Although not located in a Sherry-producing region, Toro Albalá adheres to traditional Sherry cask aging techniques and innovatively uses PX to produce oxidized wines. Despite this completely different geographical location, the oxidized wines produced by DO Montilla Moriles fully reflect the flavors of the grapes cultivated in the local climate and soil.
