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Montilla-Moriles lies at the centre of a historical triangle that may be drawn between Granada, Seville and Córdoba city. It lies in Córdoba province. Today the vines share the space with wheat and olives to give the classical Mediterranean trilogy: bread, wine and oil. Its wines are often wrongly though it of simply as another Sherry, although its history is as distinguished as that of its more famous Sherry neighbour. The main grape, Pedro Ximénez, makes it distinct. There are three basic types of Montilla wine: young fruity wines, aged (crianza) wines and generosos, which have aged in a Solera system and include a wide range of styles from fino to amontillado - a style invented here in the 18th-century - to oloroso. Its PX wines -that is, Pedro Ximénez- are of increasing importance. They are also, legally, sold to Jerez and Málaga producers. Experimental plantations of light wine grapes, as yet not permitted in DO wines, suggests that Montilla-Moriles may well be toying with the idea of a separate sub-denomination to produce young red and white wines. The climate offers potential for registered organic growing, which has just begun.
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Fact file
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CRDO address:
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Plaza de Dolores Ibarruri, s/n
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14550 Montilla
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Córdoba
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Spain
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DO Established
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28OCT45
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Telephone
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+34-957-650-800
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Fax
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+34-957-652-866
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E-mail
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montilla@alcavia.net
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Website
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www.montilla.org.es
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Vineyards:
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Subzones
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-
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Area Under Vine
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10,082 ha
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Area in Full Production
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75%
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Altitude
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125-690 m
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Soil Types
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Albarizas - chalky; Ruedos - sand over clay, some limestone
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Principal Grapes (w)
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Pedro Ximénez, Lairén, Baladí, Moscatel, Torrontés
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Principal Grapes (r)
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-
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Permitted Grapes (w)
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-
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Permitted Grapes (r)
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-
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Experimental Grapes (w)
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Macabeo, Moscatel (grano menudo), Chardonnay, Sauvignon
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Experimental Grapes (r)
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Tempranillo, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon
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Training and Pruning
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A la ciega; a la carguera
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Principal Root Stocks
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41B-Millardet, 161.49-Couderc, 110-Richter
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Climate:
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Max. Summer Temp.
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45°C
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Min. Winter Temp.
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-6°C
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Average Rainfall
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625 mm annually
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Average Sunshine
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2,900 hours annually
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Production:
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Maximum Crop
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12,500 kg/ha
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Yield
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70%
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Equivalent hl/ha
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87 hl/ha
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Wine types:
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White
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Joven min 10% abv max 12% abv; crianza min 13% abv
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Pink
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-
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Red
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-
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Other
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Generoso min 14% abv, max 22% abv
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Ageing in oak:
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Crianza
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Min 12 months in oak
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Wineries:
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Total
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170
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Including Exporters
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10
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Including Private
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156
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Including Co-operative
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14
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Total exports - 2001
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-
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Total exports - 2002
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-
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Total exports - 2003
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-
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