Alvear Cream

D.O. Montilla-Moriles

Sierra de Montilla, the Grand Cru of Montilla-Moriles, south of Córdoba, Spain

100% Pedro Ximénez

Alvear produces its entry level wines from a combination of estate (25%) and leased (75%) vineyards planted in the Sierra de Montilla de Calidad Superior and flatlands in the foothills of the Sierra.

Between 1980 and 2000.

Bush-trained and trellised vines, farmed completely sustainably without organic certification, but avoiding all use of harmful fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and irrigation.

Albariza (in the Sierra de Montilla) and Arenas Rojas (in the heart of the DO).

Semi-Continential Mediterranean. Extremely high temperatures and irregular rainfall from year to year.

Alvear Cream is the winery’s most entry-level Oloroso. This is a classic Oloroso, which is produced from Pedro Ximénez base wine fermented to 15% in tinaja, and subsequently fortified (to prevent the growth of flor), before being submitted to an average of eight years of ageing in the system of soleras & criaderas. Before being racked to barrel, the wine is sweetened (100 g/L) with PX sweet wine, unlike other Creams on the market, which are sweetened with rectified-concentrated grapemust.

Alvear Cream is aged oxidatively for an average of eight years in American oak butts in the system of soleras & criaderas under velo de flor.

As with other Cream sherries on the market, Alvear Cream is a sweetened Oloroso. Unlike other more commercial Creams, however, Alvear produces its cream in a more artisanal style, by sweetening the wine with PX sweet wine, unlike the RCGM used to sweeten more commercial Creams.