Fino Eléctrico “Bombilla”, Bodegas Toro Albalá
Bill Bolloten flicks the switch and shines a light on an iconic fino from Montilla-Moriles
Fino Eléctrico “Bombilla”, Bodegas Toro Albalá
DO: Montilla-Moriles
ABV: 15%
Variety: Pedro Ximénez
€26.90 from Bodeboca
The bottle is guaranteed to grab your attention first. When I sent a photo to a fellow Spanish Wine Collective scribe, his response said it all: “I’ve never seen anything like that!”
When you hear the word fino, Jerez probably comes to mind. But only a couple of hours’ drive northeast, Montilla-Moriles in Córdoba province has its own tradition of biologically aged wines, making finos that are just as unique.
Bodegas Toro Albalá is among Montilla’s most historic producers. In 1922, José María Toro Albalá acquired and restored the old electricity generation plant in the small town of Aguilar de la Frontera, 55 km from Córdoba, to create a winery.
The power station has a network of underground tunnels that are perfect for ageing wines. The bombilla (meaning ‘lightbulb’) format for this bottling is a special edition of the bodega’s iconic Fino Eléctrico that pays tribute to these origins.
While Jerez finos are typically made from Palomino Fino, Montilla relies on Pedro Ximénez (PX), the grape best known for producing extraordinarily sweet wines.
In the searing summer temperatures and high-elevation albariza-like soils of Montilla-Moriles, PX achieves a ripeness that gives wines a higher natural alcohol level. Montilla finos usually reach 15% ABV without fortification.
The wine spends an average of five years ageing in the criadera–solera system. Following the broader movement toward en rama releases, this fino is bottled unfiltered.
It presents a pale straw colour with a hint of green. The nose is expressive, showing apple, sourdough bread, chamomile and dried herbs, along with notes of lemon peel and a suggestion of white pepper.
Less pungent than a Jerez fino, it opens on the palate with a crisp, slightly bitter citrus pith edge. It’s brisk and savoury, with a lingering finish.
The unusual bottle stands out, but the fino inside is a perfect example of Toro Albalá’s craft.