
Text: Mara de Miguel @by_marademiguel | Cover photo: Port wines, some of the most desired fortified wines in the world.
Reading time: 10 minutes
We review the appellations of origin that make wines similar to those of Córdoba, fortifying or raisining the grapes in some way.
To understand globally and make an x-ray of who really make quality wines from the Montilla Moriles area, it is necessary to know who else produces wines of the same style in the rest of the world.
The trail left by Sherry/Port/Madeira wines is so great that, sometimes, we forget that there are other areas that make fantastic wines within the category of fortified wines (fortified wines as the Anglo-Saxons would say), a category in which that frame the fortified wines of Montilla Moriles – you can try them by purchasing in our store, by clicking here.
Although made in different ways, by definition, a fortified wine is one that is between 15 and 22 degrees of alcohol by volume. Does it ring a bell? From Finos to Amontillados, we are there in Córdoba, positioned. Now we only have to find our brothers and our cousins, those that are made as Naturally Sweet Wines, Natural Sweet Wine and other fortified ones.
What do all these wines have in common? The way of understanding the lives of the people who make it. And, let’s be sensible, if you make wines with a lot of patience, mixed, not shaken, and your treasure is in respect for the work of previous generations, there you will find the key to these wines. Here we go with another double green check of things well done.

The Criadera and Soleras system at the Alvear Wineries, in Montilla Moriles. Photography Javier Portero.
A family of wines with very diverse processes
Within the special wines, whether fortified or not, and whose common characteristic is the high alcohol content, there are different categories: from natural sweet wines (from the Languedoc-Roussillon area in the Southwest of France), to those from aging (biological or oxidative), passing through those that have added alcohol, to those that do not (like the Finos in Montilla Moriles).
The way of making these special wines changes depending on the area: raisining the grapes in the sun (with the sunlight of Montilla Moriles), letting them dry inside cabins on beds of straw (like the French Vin de Paulille), resting the barrels in the sun for 2 years outdoors (like some Ports), through dynamic systems (solera and criaderas system), through static systems that may or may not end in dynamic, which overripen the grapes in the vineyard itself… Such is the Tetris and the options that, in these new times, the public or consumer may not fully understand how they are different or why they are a diamond with so many edges to love unconditionally.
In the 13th century the first reference to natural sweet wines (which are a section within fortified wines) appears when the method of making them was perfected at the University of Montpellier.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the total sales of fortified wine consumption compared to other beverages has decreased, replaced by more attractive drinks or wines (the handsome and simple guy wins before the intellectual and interesting one). Thanks to new trends and a public eager to taste new things, the resurgence in sales is starting again.

In Jerez, most of the wineries are within large holding companies. Photo provided by Turismo de Cádiz.
The wines of the Jerez, Port and Madeira business holdings
Talking about numbers between Sherry, Port and Madeira makes any sip of a glass choke. So much literature has been written about them, for so long, that it is impossible to surpass them. They are the ones who dominate the industry and are part of large business networks that transcend the borders of the countries and are within the large holding companies, with wine companies spread (such as parcels of land) across different continents.
Thus it is difficult to surpass them in the commercial part – just as it is difficult for a country like Slovenia to surpass Spain in production – but the good news is that, more and more, there is an audience that wants what is different, what is artisanal and minority and he ends up feeling more attracted to David than Goliath.

Selling fortified wines in the Marco de Jerez. Photography provided by Bodegas Tradición.
In Spain, who produces fortified wines or fortified or sweet special wines?
The list is longer than many will remember. Will you join us on this tour of the world’s fortified wines?
Dorados de Rueda , the favorites of the Catholic Monarchs
These wines are made with Verdejo (40%) and Palomino Fino, in a static system in demijohns outdoors, with oxidative fermentation and ending with rest in barrels for at least two years and again in the demijohn. This style was the favorite of the members of the court of the Catholic Monarchs.
Pálidos from Huelva , children of the Criaderas and Soleras
The Huelva pales are also another oenological gem that must be tasted again. In two versions, the one that does the oxidative aging (Condado Pálido) and the one that does the biological one (Condado Viejo) have as protagonists the zalema, listán de Huelva, palomino fine and garrido fine grapes and produced by the Criaderas y Soleras system. .

An image of the Pajarete wine, in the legendary Taberna Quitapenas, in Malaga.
Pajaretes or Paxaretes de Málaga , a touch of dried fruits
Another fantastic wine, which moves along the lines of medium-sweet or sweet, 45 grams/150g/l depending on the winery, but always with that characteristic touch of nuts, which appears at some point is this one. Made with the Pedro Ximénez grape (80%), in addition to Muscat or Romé (which is red and hence the surprise of mixing red and white wines) it must be aged for at least 2 years.
The Moscateles of Chipiona also sun the grapes
They are made with the Muscat grape, but the Alexandria grape, and they also carry out the sunning process (or drying the grapes in the sun) for 15 days. Once dry, it has lost the liquid but its sugar level continues, and alcohol is added to stop the fermentation, almost always with grape wine from neighboring Rota, with its tintillas, which is why many Chipiona muscatels end up having that color. dark that make them unmatched.

They say that Alexandre Dumas could choose between three fortified wines: sherry, port and fondillón, and he chose the latter. To produce it, it is allowed to overripe on the vine itself. Photography: Alicante DO.
Naturally Dulces de La Empordá , the power of overripe grapes
The Empordá and Terra Alta area is a natural continuation of Banyuls in France and they make fantastic wines with red Grenache that under categories such as Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva or Vieja Reserva are made by oxidative aging for at least two years. Some very interesting fortified wines. In addition, the so-called Moscateles de la Empordá are produced in the area, which are basically sweet wines made from overripe grapes, with added alcohol to have a final alcohol level of no more than 18 degrees.
Fondillón de Alicante , a jewel that was almost lost
Another jewel for the crown, since the time of the Arabs, are the Fondillones. Made with 100% Monastrell grapes, the process consists of allowing it to overripe in the vine itself, this gives it a very different personality. All the alcohol it has comes exclusively from the transformation of sugars in the must. So the native yeasts have to make a special effort to break down the sugar feast and generate that alcohol. Quite an achievement of Nature.

Fortified wines are also made in the Penedès area.
Other areas that produce sweet wines in Spain
And in Spain we have always liked to make special sweeter or less sweet wines. The trail of the South of France is followed by different DOs from Catalonia: Penedés, Terra Alta, Alta Alella… which use red and white Grenache (Terra Alta) to continue the style.
For its part, Navarra also produced wines in the same style with its Rancios de Peralta, made with muscatel. And the new generations have used late harvests or overripe grapes. In Galicia, they were called Tostadillos and today there are very few examples like Tostado de Costeira, made from the white Treixadura grape.

If there is an area in the world that produces the most muscaletes, it is Languedoc, which, together with Rousillon, is declared as the area with the most controlled apellations (DO) of sweetly natural wines.
France, the empire of Vin Deux Natural
Vin Deux Natural or Natural Sweet Wines are made from Muscat grapes, Grenache grapes and/or Shiraz, depending on the area in which they are made. The great classics in the Languedoc area are the muscats of the DOP Muscat de St. Jean de Minervois, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de Lunel and Muscat de Mireval.
In the adjacent area of Roussillon, the red Grenache wines of Rivesaltes, Banyuls, Banyuls Grand Cru, Maury, and the famous Muscat (muscat of Rivesaltes). Made by oxidative methods, and with added alcohol, they always maintain that touch of fresh fruit.
We must not forget their cousins from the Rhone Valley (Rhône). With its Muscat de Beaumes de Venise muscatels and its Vin Deux Natural wines from Grenache grapes such as Rasteu.

The wines of Jura, northwest of Burgundy, introduced by Felipe El Hermoso.
The Vin du Jura, heirs of Felipe ‘El Hermoso’
There is also another area that stands out for producing fortified wines such as Jura Wines. To the northwest of Burgundy there is an area that has yeasts that flourish naturally and in a very particular way, such as in Montilla Moriles. Thanks to Felipe El Hermoso, this type of fortified wines were introduced, with wines with flor, or organic aging, although most begin with an oxidative one.
Here different types of wines are made from white and dry Savagnin grapes, to make the famous Vin Jaune, which are left for up to 6 years and 3 months in Bordeaux barrels without filling completely, so that the yeast can grow. The result is a complex wine that is reminiscent of almonds and is very intense. Once finished, they are bottled in a special format called 0.62 liter carnation, which is the result of the loss of one liter over those 6 years and 3 months.
In addition, they also make vins de paille. Where the bunches of Trousseau red grapes are hung inside a room as if it were a clothesline so that they dry and have more sugar. They have a very slow fermentation and the result is wines with a high alcohol content that can be in perfect condition for 10 years or more, once bottled.

A tour of the Sicilian Masalas to give yourself a well-deserved tribute. Because you worth it!
In Italy, from Sicily to Veneto, bunches on straw
The classics that come to mind for everyone are the Marsala on the island of Sicily, which are produced by fortifying from dry to medium sweet using a mixture of white grapes such as grillo, seca inzolia, or cattarrato. These wines are served as aperitifs and have up to eight different categories, among which we find some soleras, but these should not be confused with the criaderas and soleras system.
Another method for making sweet wines is the Passito, or Vin Santo, process, where healthy clusters are left to dry on straw, so that the grapes obtain more sugar levels and do not rot. Great classics are the Vin Santo of Tuscany made from the white Trebiano or Malvasia grapes, or the Passito de Pantelería, very close to Sicily and which is made from the Zizibino grape, better known as Muscat of Alexandria.
We still have to name the Reciotto style, originating in the area of northern Italy such as Valpolicella in Veneto. Its characteristic is that its grapes have been dried in the sun so that they lose, to a greater or lesser extent, their moisture and consequently the concentration of sugars in the must increases. Made with a mixture of red grapes such as corvina, corvinone and rondinela, these stop fermentation so they remain sweet.

Today the Olympus of wines should be places like this, on Rua do Choupelo, in Vila Nova de Gaia (Porto).
The gods of Olympus also made fortified wines
In Greece they always talked about the nectars of the gods and it is on the Island of Samos where the famous Samos Vin Doux, Samos Grand Cru, Samos Anthemis and the special Samos Nectar are made, which spends up to 3 years aging in barrels.
In addition, other excellent fortified wines are the famous Mavrodaphne of Patras, in the Peloponnese peninsula , which, curiously, despite being made with the red Mavrodaphne grape, are reminiscent of Oloroso wines, with sweet and dry aromas in the mouth.
In Cyprus, fortified wines know no borders
If there is one wine that Cypriots are proud of, it is their Commadaría bottles. These fortified wines made with the very tannic red Greek grapes, xynisteri and mavro, have been in the region since before 800 BC. Furthermore, it has the particularity of being the wine that has been in production for the longest time and that has been documented since the crusades, in the 12th century.

This city, due to its spectacular beauty, its location… Porto is always very top.
Portugal and its eternal Porto
The most famous Ports and Quintas in the world, and those that undoubtedly dominate the fabric of wine business worldwide, are and will continue to be in Porto. Talking about the different types of Port, from the LBV, the Tawny (oxidative aging) to the Colheita, would be a Falcom Crest-style serial, which never ends, very interesting, where the oxidative aging of its red grapes, through of more classic methods, they lead to having wines with more aromas of red fruits (Ruby style), or aged up to 30 years, (LBV Late Bottle Vintage style) according to the palates and purchasing power of the buyer, with the mixture of the red varieties Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cao.
Less well known are the various Muscats that are made throughout Portugal. This is the case of the Moscateles of Setúbal or those of Favaios in the Douro area, of the Duero River.

When fortified wines are produced in places like these (read Madeira), you certainly have to try them.
Madeira, the fortified wines that travel around the world to be made
We continue with the Madeira. An island, belonging to Portugal, but at a latitude a bit in the middle of nowhere, produces some incredible wines. Not only because of how they are made and where the vineyards are, but also because it is increasingly difficult to see Madeiras in restaurants, due to how expensive they have become in recent years.
Being super premium is something that knocks fans out from the point of view of purchasing power. From the driest to the sweetest Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, and Malmsey, everything is made using the traditional Estufagem method, which means leaving the barrels in the sun or putting them in a kind of sauna, to reproduce the process. that the barrels received when they were in the holds of the ships that went around the world, in other times.

At Campbells Wines, Australia, the Rutherglen family have been making fortified wines since 1870.
Sweet wines in Australia, the champions of the new world
The first thing you do when you take the exam at the prestigious international wine school WSET, when you get to the fortified section after the key pieces chapters on the board of the world of wine, you come across the wines of Rutherglen in the northwest of Australia, in the Victoria area.
They make a type of wine by criaderas and soleras, with an oxidative character, from Muscat or Muscat to Petit Grains Rouge with the addition of small quantities of red grapes. The greatest exponent of these wines, Rutherglen Topaque, is made from a grape that they call Rutherglen Tokay (not to be confused with the Tokaj region in Hungary) and which is the same as the French Muscadelle, not Muscat or Muscat.

The vineyards of the Stellenbosh appellation in southwestern South Africa date back to 1652.
Cape Port of South Africa, following in the wake of Portugal
If the Australians were very enthusiastic about the Criaderas and Soleras system, and trying to somehow replicate the Hungarian Tokaj, in South Africa they are absolute fans of Port-style wines. So much so, that they call their fortified wines Cape Port, made with the same grapes as Porto and with a classification system very similar to their European cousins.
Bonus Track: Korea
And who said that wines were not made in Korea, although technically they cannot be called that, because they are not made from grapes, but from rice. Thus, Gwaha-ju have similar alcoholic content. They fortify them by adding soju alcohol, and they also add ginseng, ginger, and other roots, and leave them with oxidative aging, although these are actually closer than we think to a vermouth than to a cream.