After working in the rugged Axarquía region in Málaga with her brother Jorge Ordóñez, producer and importer of Spanish wines into the US, Victoria Ordóñez has searched new horizons for her new solo project. She is exploring the historical region of Montes de Málaga, the source of the acclaimed mountain wines which were exported from the port of Málaga and disappeared after phylloxera. Her aim is to recover the dominant style at the time: dry wines made with the indigenous Pedro Ximenez variety.
Today, Montes de Málaga only has a residual amount of highly traditional vineyards where plots are named after the families who have tended them for generations. They are mostly small, head-pruned vineyards surrounded by forests and grown on dizzying slopes at altitudes ranging from 800 to 1,000m —this is what heroic wine growing is about. Victoria Ordóñez owns seven hectares planted with Pedro Ximénez and some red varieties, and buys grapes from 30 growers bringing in the total area under vine to 40Ha. She also produces Moscatel from the Alta Axarquía, in the Sierra Tejeda natural park.
Schist soils are dominant in the Axarquía, but Montes de Málaga has more diversity. As well as schist, the soils there contain limestone, sandstone, silt and magma intrusions.
Her winery is found near Málaga airport, where around 60,000 kg of grapes are handled. La Ola del Melillero 2015 (30,000 bottles, €14.5) was her first wine and vintage in the area. It is a dry Pedro Ximénez sourced from Montes de Málaga blended with a small amount of Moscatel from Axarquía. White fruit notes —typically found in Pedro Ximénez— dominate on the nose, while Moscatel adds freshness and distinctive crunchy fruit on the palate. The name of the wine (ola means wave) refers to the sudden rise of the sea caused by the Melillero, the name of the ship connecting Málaga and Melilla, the Spanish territory in north Africa. Its charming label shows a 19th century swimmer surprised by the wave.
In the 2016 vintage two premium dry whites were added to the range. Production ranges between 3,000 and 4,000 bottles sold at around €30. Monticara is made of Moscatel from Axarquía. After the whole bunches are macerated, the free-run juice is fermented and aged in new oak for 10 months. This is a serious white that brings consistency to the floral, grapey character of Moscatel and shows no traces of oak. In line with the lovely design of the entire range of wines, the label draws inspiration from a 19th century illustration that recreates the landscape as one walks up to the vineyards. The legend “viñas sobre lomos de elefantes” (vines on elephant backs) is a reference to the curved peaks of the Axarquía mountains separated by deep ravines.
Made from Pedro Ximénez, Voladeros is a tribute to Málaga’s legendary Mountain Wines. It is made in the same way as Monticara but seasoned wood is preferred in this case. A remarkable combination of acidity and volume, Voladeros is a well-defined white with fine aniseed aromas and creamy notes that are likely to develop beautifully in bottle. Voladeros is the popular name given in Málaga to the gorges and ravines that abound in its mountains. The label reproduces an 1800 engraving depicting the bay of Málaga with its mountains in the background.
Modern additions to the range include the sparkling rosé Las Olas del Melillero (€15), made with Pedro Ximénez, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Tempranillo and the red
Martí-Aguilar with Petit Verdot, Syrah and Tempranillo. Victoria Ordóñez also produces a Verdejo “in her own way”. Called La Pasajera, it is made for her wine distribution company in Málaga.
