Alberto Orte is a force to be reckoned with: this vigneron crafts fascinating and ambitious wines that have established him as one of the most talented of Spain’s next-generation producers. Beyond co-founding Olé & Obrigado, Orte has also spent much of his life discovering historic terroirs, resurrecting forgotten vines, and replanting grape varieties of the past that might otherwise have been lost to us. He also uses organic methods whilst following the principles of biodynamic growing. In the cellar, vinification borrows its rhythm from the terroirs and grapes themselves, as well as the climate of each parcel. They are all taken into account when adapting fermentation containers and ageing times.
Orte produces two kinds of wine: the first come from single terroirs, and these carry the Alberto Orte label, and the others, more accessible, come from village-named vineyards and are bottled under the Vinos Atlántico label. This range includes Valdeorras reds and Jerez amber wine, a variety of cuvées reflecting a variety of terroirs. A reference producer for getting to know the richness offered by Spanish wine.

The Palo Cortado fortified wine takes its name from the Poniente winds, cool, moist breezes off the western Atlantic. This wine stems from Palomino grapes, which Alberto Orte has been determined to understand and preserve all his life. He has discovered over 200 ancient clones of Palomino Fino and Palomino Jerez, while revitalising and replanting over 20 grape varieties close to extinction.
This cuvée is produced exclusively from a system of five criaderas and one solera, with an average vine age of over 30 years. The vinification process, which takes place in the winery nestling among the El Aljibe vines, involves minimal filtration and no fining, to maintain the depth of the grape variety’s character.
On tasting, notes of black fruit, bitter orange, butter and caramel are rise from the glass. Why not open it with a shoulder of Pata Negra?