A lead producer of Montilla-Moriles (Cordoba, Andalusia), Perez Barquero was established in 1905 and came under the ownership of the Corodoba, Ruz and Gracia families in 1985. Under their leadership, the wines of Gran Barquero have gained a strong reputation and limited bottlings of ancient Soleras dating back to the foundational period.

Perez Barquero owns 140 hectares of wineyards in Sierra de Montilla and Moriles Alto, the two major quality areas of Montilla-Moriles, plus a further 70 hectares in the villages of Santaella and Aguilar de la Frontera and Cordoba. Top vineyards are found on elevated areas on white, chalky soils similar to the albarizas from Sherry Country which add distinctive minerality and saline notes to the wines. Grapes for Perez Barquero’s most distinctive wines are sourced from their own vineyards; less than a third of their needs are purchased from other growers.

Old wines from Perez Barquero are scarce to find, with years on the label not referencing vintage, but instead key moments in the history of the winery. When enjoying these wines, look for a logo of a boatman carrying three casks across the Guadalquivir river. Each of the casks represent one of the founding brothers and is meant to evoke the times when the river was navigable all the way to Cordoba.

This wine is blended with local aromatics to produce a vermouth that is full and fruity. Aged for 18 months in clay tinajas and infused with the flavours of wormwood, chamomile, cardamom and cinnamon, this wine is balanced and highly enjoyable.