Wineries for sale in Cordoba: land of amontillado wines

Córdoba is a province in the south of Spain in the autonomy of Andalusia. It is divided into three geographical areas: Sierra Morena to the north, the Guadalquivir valley in the centre and Sierras Subbéticas in the south. It borders with Málaga, Seville, Badajoz, Ciudad Real, Jaén and Granada.

HISTORY OF WINE

Many towns have contributed to grape-growing in the Córdoba area, from the Iberians to the Romans. In fact, it is said that Seneca supplied his roman house with wines coming from his vineyards in Montilla. However, after the Muslim domination and the Reconquest, it is from the 17^th and 18^th centuries when the real revolution in wine production occurs.

Probably by chance, because somebody put one barrel on top of another, in the 18^th century the ‘solera’ process made an appearance. In this new concept of aging, the vintage disappears and the wines are mixed to achieve a homogenous quality. That is when it starts speaking about amontillado wines, Montilla style wines with a very special flavor and colour. The Designation of Origin would be created in 1945.

WINES AND WINERIES

Montilla Moriles isthe Designation of Origin of Córdoba. Among the wineries of Córdoba, the most important ones to mention are Bodegas Alvear, the oldest in Spain; Bodegas Cruz Conde, Bodegas Lagar Blanco, Bodegas Pérez Barquero, Bodegas Guzmán, Bodegas Luque, Bodegas Delgado, Bodegas Maillo, Bodegas Navarro, Bodegas Robles and Bodegas Toro Albalá.

POINTS OF INTEREST

The passage of the Arabs to Córdoba bestowed a very rich heritage to the province, led by the Mosque of its capital or the archaeological site of Medina-Azahara. Also very prominent are their olive fields and mountainous landscape, like the Sierra de Hornachuelos and Sierras de Cardeña and Montoro. In Córdoba there are many products with Designation of Origin like the Pedroches ham and virgin olive oil, not to mention the prestigious Montilla Moriles wine route.