The old wines of Malaga: the oldest in the winery

They are not very profitable economically, but they are a fundamental part of the winemaking history of Malaga . The trasañejos are the oldest of the few wineries in Malaga that still pamper these wines that have been aged in barrels for more than five years. Sweet or dry, with Muscat or Pedro Ximénez grapes -or both-, these wines are not always easy to find . They are only available in some wine cellars and a few restaurants, but they are true oenological gems. They can be ideal to drink alone, at a table, or even accompanying food, whether they are desserts or starters.

Due to their organoleptic characteristics, they can be combined with salty or sweet dishes and products, such as blue cheeses or chocolate . "They are wines that have a great load of expression in the mouth and nose, that are not cloying and that have roasted aromas and dried fruits that make them very special", says José Manuel Moreno Ferreiro, secretary of the Regulatory Council of Denominations of Origin of the Wines of Malaga and Sierras de Malaga. "It is true that wineries do not rotate much, but it is a product of excellence that is linked to the history of Malaga wine," he adds.

More than in the vintages, in these wines, which are protected under the Protected Designation of Origin Málaga , it is necessary to pay attention to the years they have been in barrels, since the usual practice consists of 'refreshing' these wines with others, usually also Trasañejos, but younger, when the so-called 'sacas' are made for bottling.

Currently, there are only half a dozen wineries in Malaga that have it among their references. They keep and pamper them more out of passion than financial gain. Its high price compared to other wines takes it away from the more commercial circuit, although, yes, there are some trasañejos that can be found for twenty euros or even less. There are also very exclusive ones, with more than forty years of aging in barrels, with prices around fifty euros for a half-liter bottle.

These are the wineries that still preserve trasañejos in Malaga

1.Dimobe

The Antonio Muñoz Cabrera winery, based in Moclinejo, is the one with the most trasañejos at present, with eight references. With 93 years of history, this company from the Axarquia has pampered vintage over forty years, such as Arcos de Moclinejo Dulce and Arcos de Moclinejo Seco, both made with Pedro Ximénez (PX) grapes, which are sold at prices that They are around 45 euros per bottle (half a liter). They are two oenological jewels, which have little turnover in the winery and which are very pampered.

To them we must add half a dozen more wines, such as the Seco Trasañejo PX, also made with the same grape, but with an aging period of around two decades. In addition, they also have the Zumbral Trasañejo and the Rujaq Andalusí Trasañejo, both sweet and with Muscat grapes. The list of wines aged for more than five years is completed by Pajarete Trasañejo (Moscatel and PX), Málaga Dulce Trasañejo (Moscatel and PX) and Pedro Ximénez Trasañejo. Today many of them can be found, in addition to the winery itself or in the store it has in Rincón de la Victoria, in specialized wine bars and some restaurants in the province.

2.Malaga Virgin

This prestigious winery, which is based in the municipality of Fuente de Piedra, next to the A-92, has three different trasañejos among its many references, two of them are sweet and one dry. The first two are the Don Salvador Muscat and the Pedro Ximénez Don Juan, while the third is the Seco Trasañejo, which is made only with PX grapes. All three not only share a very similar design (an elegant 37.5 centiliter bottle) but also an oxidative aging for more than 30 years in American oak casks. Each of those bottles are priced at 35 euros. It can be bought in the winery itself or even through its online store.

3.Antigua Casa de Guardia

Another of the historic wineries in the province, based in Olías and with one of the most emblematic taverns in the city of Malaga, has two trasañejos that retain the same formula when refreshed (two thirds of wine aged ten years with one third of young wine). Thus, it has the trasañejo muscat Isabel II, named after this Spanish queen who tasted that same wine -the previous name is unknown- in 1861 She liked it so much that she authorized the winery to use her name to name it.

The success of the wine in the winery is attributed to its careful preparation and the soft drink with young wine. In fact, that wine has been made with that same masterful recipe ever since. This was also used to make a copy, but with PX grapes, the Pedro Ximén 1908, which recalls the year of birth of José Garijo Ruiz, which coincided with one of the campaigns with the highest surplus of grapes in memory. Today both vintage wines are sold at the price of 20 euros both in the tavern (in Alameda Principal) and in the cellar of the Antigua Casa de Guardia (in Olías). The bags made from the barrels are very selective and only about three hundred units are usually bottled per year.

4.Quitapenas

This winery, which has its origin in the town of Cútar (1825), but is based in Malaga, has among its wide range of wines, with two trasañejos, Viejo Abuelo and Oro Viejo. The first has more than two decades of aging and pays tribute to Francisco Suárez Villalba, representative of the family generation with whom the winery took an important leap in quality. It is made with 85% Pedro Ximénez grapes and 15% muscatel. The result is a high-quality wine, from which few bags are made, which ages in old casks over eighty years old. The price of this trasañejo is around 55 euros.

For its part, Oro Viejo, which is made with the same proportion of Pedro Ximénez and Muscat grapes, is less long-lived, but cheaper. Specifically, it is five years old and costs about fifteen euros in the cellar. Of course, it is also a high quality wine, which has been awarded precisely this year the Sabor a Málaga Award for the Best Liquor Wine with Protected Designation of Origin Málaga.

5.Tierras de Mollina

This DCOOP group winery also has its own vintage, Carpe Diem (they also have a vintage with the same name). In this case, it is made with Pedro Ximénez and Muscat grapes, although the former clearly predominates. It is the result of a patient and calm elaboration carried out through a long aging in American oak casks (more than ten years). For its elaboration, it was started with ripe grapes from the old Scholtz wineries. This Malaga treasure, which has an average aging of fifty years, has been rewarded in recent years by numerous national and international distinctions. Wine can be found in wine bars, restaurants and specialized online stores for around 24 euros per bottle.

6.Cortijo La Fuente

This relatively young winery, with only thirteen years of history, also has its own trasañejo, Gran Solera. It is a tender muscat wine aged in American oak for more than ten years. In his day the owners of the winery bought a barrel with this exceptional wine from Ucopaxa, which has an excellent value for money. The owners of Cortijo La Fuente saw the opportunity to have an aged wine that would give the winery prestige with this acquisition, since the trasañejo is made from Muscat of Alexandria grapes from old vines. Like other wines of the same type, it has a very limited circulation. At present it is distributed by Abasthosur (Almacenes Carmona). It can also be purchased directly at the winery for twelve euros for a bottle.