Bodegas Alvear Palo Cortado Nº 7 is a non-vintage, solera-aged fortified wine from D.O. Montilla-Moriles in Andalucía, made from 100% Pedro Ximénez and bottled dry at about 19% alcohol. It’s a Palo Cortado in the classic sense: a style prized for combining the aromatic lift associated with Amontillado with the deeper, more structured power of Oloroso. Alvear says this wine comes from one of its oldest systems, and multiple sources cite roughly 20 years in criaderas and solera, building a mature, oxidative profile.

Professional reviewers consistently describe a wine of intensity and polish. Vinous’ Joaquín Hidalgo (94 points) notes it is “aged for 20 years in soleras with casks over 50 years old,” calling it “mahogany-colored” with “complex aromas of dried fruits, saffron, licorice and caramel,” plus “a faint Manzanilla-like note.” On the palate, he finds it “dry and rich,” with an “umami-filled” feel and “a very long, tarry finish,” concluding that it’s “a flavorful oddity, reminiscent of what Montilla-Moriles offered in the past.”

Wine Enthusiast’s Reggie Solomon (94 points) leans into the sensory appeal, writing that “this wine is a luxury to experience,” highlighting “dried orange peel, hazelnut and almond skin” alongside “warmed caramel,” with “bready flavors dominating on the finish.”

Two excellent reviews underscore its stature. Wine Spectator awards 95 points, praising how it “combines a dry and driven spine with a plump edge,” as “flan, hazelnut husk, bergamot and bitter orange notes… play out wonderfully,” finishing with “a rapier feel.” James Suckling rates it 93 and emphasizes nuance—“walnut, dried orange peel, nori and a hint of sour dough”—with a “waxy, oily texture” and a “rather intense and long” close.

All agree it’s ready to drink now, and best approached like a serious, contemplative dry Palo Cortado rather than a sweet PX.