Toro Albalá is a family winery with a centennial history, where the pass of years and the know-how had the last said. Time, silence, vintage wines that express each harvest’s essence like unique artisanal gems. Nowadays, Antonio Sánchez is the head of the winery, recognized with the best international awards and considered one of the 100 Spanish Gold Wineries.

About Toro Albalá

A CENTENNIAL WINERY

Our beginnings go back to 1844, when the family founded a small wine cellar in an old windmill known as La Noria, in the hillside of Castillo de Aguilar de la Frontera. Back then, wine was made in a rudimentary way and commercialized in the family tavern. 

In 1922, after some generations, José María Toro Albalá acquired and reformed the town’ sold power plant for the purpose of transferring the wine cellar and storing wines to age them for years until they became oenological gems. Bodegas Toro Albalá was then established, achieving a true feat back at that time and a philosophy preserved to this day. 

With the generational change in the 70’s, Antonio Sánchez strived in search for the winery’s distinctiveness and own personality, betting on the vintage system and obtaining unmistakable wines. Nowadays, Bodegas Toro Albalá is considered one of the 100 Spanish Golden Wineries and it can be found on the world’s most remarkable dining tables.

Aguilar de la Frontera's Wine Cellar

This wine cellar’s origin is linked to the foundation of Bodegas Toro Albalá in 1922, in the facilities of a 14.000-m2 long old power plant, with abundant underground tunnels ideal for the ageing and conservation of wines. Nowadays, it’s still the headquarters, where the foundational solera, the tasting room -with one of the largest wine, alcohol and oenology libraries of Spain-, the singular surface wine cellar and the wine and archaeology museum are preserved. A unique place of sensations between wine, history and culture.

Moriles Wine Cellar

In the Moriles wine cellar, there can be found our ageing cellars for old vintage wines and traditional vinegars. It’s one of the largest of Spain, where the vinegar ages slowly in over 1.000 oak butts for a long time. Thanks to the natural environment’s influence on the wine which we use as raw material, and with the help of time, we can offer exceptional vinegars of their vintages. Fino wine ageing cellars are also located in Moriles’ wine cellar.

CARE AND ELABORATION

Bodegas Toro Albalá is inside the P.O.D Montilla-Moriles zone. It’s part of one of the largest Andalusian viticulture zones, which are characterized by the elaboration of fino wines, due to the considerable presence of albariza soils. One of the main characteristics of this Cordovan region is the cultivation of Pedro Ximénez grape, which is utilized in the elaboration of our dry wines as well as the sweet ones. Since the phylloxera crisis, a new strain of this grape is being used. Its adaptation to the zone’s climate makes it a perfect choice to endure the lack of rain and high temperatures during summer. We select the best soils for the cultivation, harvesting and elaborating of our different wines from these small plots. As for the finos, amontillados and Pedro Ximénez sweets (Don PX), it’s strictly compulsory they are from the higher quality zones (Sierra de Montilla and Moriles Altos). The small lands from the Montalbán zone are needed for the raising of grapes.

ARTISANSHIP: WINES THAT  CONVEY  SENTIMENT
Wines That Convey Emotions

In Bodegas Toro Albalá, we have placed our trust in the vintage system to elaborate wine of unique and unmistakable character. Wines that express the essence of each harvest and decision made. We like to preserve traditions and take care of every little detail. For this reason, our most special wines are garnished by a team of artisans who convey that special affection in each bottle.

Handmade labelling with quality materials such as natural papers or natural oak.

Numerated and signed bottles by the author that has taken care of the wine since the beginning.

Natural sealing with a unique seal of our Toro Albalá symbol which certifies and assures the quality.

ANTONIO SÁNCHEZ

Antonio Sánchez is the father of Bodegas Toro Albalá. Chemist, oenologist and with a different view on the generous Andalusian wine world, he has been a revolutionary since the 70’s. After graduating from the Bordeaux French school, he came back to his homeland to improve the Pedro Ximénez of Montilla Moriles’ quality, finding its value, unique and distinctive, in vintage wines.   

 Qualified by Wine Advocate, the most important magazine in the wine world, as: “idealist, entrepreneur, winemaker with an authentic character … a brilliant brain of Toro Albalá ideas … an unusual in Montilla-Moriles wineries”.   

 His knowledge since birth of the Andalusian terroir and the European wine world shaped him into a classic author with modern touches. His wines present the fineness from the Pedro Ximénez at the same time that they carry you to distant universes with elegance and exquisiteness, where time has the last said.   

 Tradition, delicacy, affection, investigation and effort in each bottle like theywere life stories. Antonio Sánchez’s legacy, inseparable from his glasses and a fan of collections and archaeology, does not only offer the creation of authentic oenological gems, but also the expression of a different understanding of the wine culture.