Toro Albalá
Poley Fino del Lagar en Rama Solera 10 Year
Region: Spain - Andulucia
Toro Albalá
Founded in 1844, this prestigious family estate is located in Aguilar de la Frontera in the P.O.D Montilla-Moriles zone. Antonio Sánchez, the third generation of the family, owns the estate today.
One of the largest Andalusian viticulture zones, the region is known for the production of Fino and the cultivation of Pedro Ximénez grape. There is a considerable presence of albariza soils.
In 1922, José María Toro Albalá moved to the current location in Aguilar’s old power station, introducing updated technologies and establishing Toro Albalá as a leader in Montilla. Toro Albalá became the first Montilla producer to bottle Dessert Pedro Ximénez in 1970, a product historically sold in bulk to producers and shippers in D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry for aging and blending.
Toro Albalá is recognized as one of the greatest producers of Vintage Don PX, the wines spend at least 20 years in barrel before release.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Estate vineyards in Moriles Altos subzone of D.O.P. Montilla-Moriles.
- Soils: Chalky white Albariza
- Climate: Hot, dry summers
- Vine Training System: Trellis, provides fruit with higher acids
Harvest Notes
- Hand harvested in mid-August
- Pressed and finest musts selected
- Not fortified
- Biologically aged in American oak barrels under a veil of flor yeast for 10 years through the criadera and solera system
Winemaker's Notes
Straw yellow with gold and greenish reflections. Initial piercing aromas of almond, hazelnut and bread crumbs combine with hay and olive notes. Smoky, toasted nuances from the American barrels with a touch of licorice complete the nose. On the palate a mouthfilling and slightly dry beginning, silky and lively, leads to pleasing bitterness and finishes with a distinctive saline tang.
Wine Summary
100% Pedro Ximénez; alcohol: 15%; estate vineyards in the Moriles Alto subzone of D.O.P. Montilla-Moriles; vines planted in chalky white Albariza soils; trellis-trained to retain higher acids; hand harvested mid-August; selected musts not fortified; biologically aged 10 years under veil of flor yeast in American oak barrels through criadera and solera system.
Technical Information
- 100% Pedro Ximénez
- Alcohol: 14.5%
Reviews
90 Points
Names have changed and all labels are new; they are all named Poley and have a reference to the number of average years the wines have spent in the solera, like the NV Poley Fino del Lagar en Rama Solera 10 Años. It’s an unfortified Fino with 14.5% alcohol and 10 years of average age. It’s yeasty, nutty, pungent and moderately bitter, quite easy to drink. All Poley wines now come in 500-milliliter bottles. There’s no clear indication of saca or bottling date. 2022 – 2026
© Wine Advocate, September, 2022
91 Points
The June 2024 bottling (the bottling information is printed in small print on the back label) of the NV Poley Fino del Lagar en Rama Solera 10 Años is an unfortified Fino. Like the other wines, it is from Moriles, produced with Pedro Ximénez grapes that achieved 14.5% alcohol after an average of 10 years under flor. It’s pale, clean and aromatic, with unusual finesse, with notes of esparto grass, chalky and nutty, pungent and with faint bitterness. 2024 – 2027
Toro Albalá is a specialist in old, sweet PX in Montilla-Moriles, but it also has a complete range of other styles.
© Wine Advocate, October, 2024
General Info
| COUNTRY | SPAIN |
| REGION | ANDULUCIA |
| APPELLATION | D.O. Montilla-Moriles |
| PROPRIETORS | Antonio Sanchez Romero |
| FOUNDED | 1844 |
| WINEMAKER | Francisco Capote |
| ANNUAL PRODUCTION | 8,333 9L cases sweet wine; 16,666 9L cases dry wine |
| FARMING (SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC, BIODYNAMIC) | No chemicals are used, all vineyards are dry farmed. |