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We present a legendary wine that many have heard of but few have tasted.
Only kings and nobles had these wines in their cellars.
This mythical wine was praised by King Louis XIV “The Sun King” around 1700.
Other famous admirers include Alexandre Dumas (The Count of Monte Cristo) and Daniel Defoe.
It’s said this wine accompanied Magellan and Elcano in their cabin during the first circumnavigation of the globe 500 years ago.
In a shipwreck from the 1800 battle between Napoleon and Spain, bottles of Fondillón were found in the captain’s cabin in perfect condition 200 years later.
This wine style originates from Alicante, known as the tourist capital of the Costa Blanca. But beyond sun and beaches, lies a region rich in culture, with treasures like Fondillón, made in only 7 wineries in the area.
They use Monastrell, the most popular Mediterranean grape variety in Spain.
Harvesting waits until November when the grapes are overripe, some resembling raisins. The clusters are crushed, and the small amount of very sweet must is left to ferment slowly without additives. The must contains so much sugar that the yeast can’t convert it all into alcohol, resulting in a wine with residual sugar and an alcohol content above 16.5%.
Fondillón is never fortified with alcohol or sugar—unlike other fortified wines like Port, Madeira, or PX. Fondillón is completely natural.
Once finished, the wine is aged indefinitely in old oak barrels of 1,730 liters, for at least 10 years, blending with sediments that give it its unique character.
Ferran Centelles wrote in Jancis Robinson’s magazine an article titled “Alicante, the hidden secret of Fondillón”, awarding these special wines the highest score:
“Here’s a magnificent wine that deserves UNESCO world heritage status”.
Tasting these wines is like tasting a moment in time.
Fondillón has a pact with time—the older it gets, the better it becomes.
It must be aged at least 10 years, but some bottles on the market exceed 50 years. A legacy deserving deep respect.
Work Philosophy:
Rafael Poveda is the winemaker for the MG Wines group at Bodegas Monóvar, a winery that holds a treasure of more than 100 barrels of Fondillón.
These special barrels are large oak casks with a capacity of 1,730 liters. For Fondillón, new barrels cannot be used—they must search among local families to see if they still preserve the old casks from their grandparents. Rafael has carefully transferred these barrels to the new winery, where humidity and temperature are meticulously controlled to ensure the best care for these historic vessels.
Just as it was with his father, Rafael feels like a guardian of these historic wines. He has taken up the legacy passed down by his father and will one day pass it on to his nephew. When one sells wines crafted by their grandfather, it carries a tremendous sense of responsibility.
Once you understand that it takes generations to produce these wines, you begin to grasp the significance of what’s in your glass.
Rafael Poveda comes from a family that has always produced Fondillón—otherwise, the system wouldn’t work. He is now crafting the wines that his grandchildren will sell 20 years from now.
The MG Wines group owns six wineries in the region, offering various types of wines to satisfy every desire their clients may have. But Fondillón is their iconic wine—a heritage they are determined to preserve.
FONDILLON ”ESTES DONDE ESTES” (WHEREVER YOU ARE)
This Fondillón is from the 1996 vintage, aged for over 20 years in old barrels. It defies modern trends where everything must be fast. It’s a wine to enjoy slowly, in front of a crackling fireplace while snow falls heavily outside—where time stands still.
The aroma of Fondillón evokes old mahogany furniture, with flavors of toasted almonds and figs, silky on the palate. A rare combination of sweet, sour, and salty, with an everlasting aftertaste.
Serve between 16–18°C. Bottles can be stored upright.
An incredible dessert wine that pairs beautifully with chocolate or almond cakes, and also makes a perfect aperitif with toasted almonds.
The elder sibling of this Fondillón is the 50-year-old Fondillón “Siempre te esperaré” (“I’ll always wait for you”)—a wine to astonish even the experts.
It was awarded Best Wine of Spain by Alimentos de España.
The perfect gift for a 50th anniversary.
