Alvear Pedro Ximenez de Anada Montilla-Moriles 2003 (Half Bottle 375mL)

The Alvear Family has its origins in the old neighborhood of Trasmiera in the mountains of Burgos. In the early 16th century the family uprooted from its modest ancestral home in San Miguel de Aras, and settled in Nájera (La Rioja) subsequently relocating, some years later, to the province of Córdoba in Andalucía. Juan Bautista García de Alvear y Garnica was born in Nájera on 18th July 1657. This prominent individual was Mayor of the ‘Noble Kingdom of Nájera’ and while performing his duties was posted to Córdoba in the role of ‘Royal Tax Collector’. Once in his new destination, and having being married before, he remarried a Cordobese noblewoman; a matrimony which gave rise to the birth of Diego de Alvear y Escalera, the first of the family wine saga. Throughout its history, the Alvear bodega has retained its family character by firmly sticking to its roots. The current generation of the Alvear family is very large; more than 50 members own the business, some of whom also participate in the running of the business. Alvear is one of the most prestigious and internationally renowned bodegas in Andalucía, boasting extensive vineyards that are located in the most famous estates in the Sierra de Montilla y Moriles (Córdoba). This privileged land’s star grape variety is Pedro Ximénez, which is thought to have originated in the Rhine region, and is used by the bodega as the unique base wine for its sweet, Fino, Oloroso and Amontillado wines. The barrels used to age Fino wines are called ‘botas’ in Spanish (wine butts) and usually have a capacity of around 500 litres. The preferred wood used to make wine butts is American oak due to its porosity. However, new wood should never be used. In the bodega wine butts are stacked row upon row to varying heights; the stacks are called ‘cachones’. The walkway between two ‘cachones’ is called an ‘andana’ and each row of butts is called a ‘criadera’. The ‘criadera’ closest to the floor is called the ‘solera’; the row above is called the ‘first criadera’; the next the ‘second criadera’ and so on and so forth. Each ‘criadera’ or row contains wine which has been aged for the same amount of time; the ‘solera’, contains the oldest wine, the ‘first criadera’ the next oldest wine etc. until reaching the top where the youngest wine is stored.