Bodegas Primitivo Collantes, "Fossi", Amontillado

Founded in the 19th century by brothers Tomás and Primitivo, Bodegas Primitivo Collantes is located in Chiclana de la Frontera at its original "El Gallo" headquarters. Officially registered in 1946, the winery is now run by the family's fourth generation. They cultivate over 55 hectares of premium albariza-soil vineyards across three estates. Today, under the guidance of respected enologist Ramiro Ibañez Espinar, the bodega's wine quality continues to rise.

Consumers outside of Andalusia might not be familiar with this bodega. Historically, despite being located within the D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry production area, it sat outside the classic "sherry triangle" ageing zone. Under the old rules, they could grow grapes and produce wines, but were required to sell their production to bodegas within the ageing zone for further ageing and export, or limit their sales strictly to the local market.

However, following the landmark changes to the D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry regulations in 2022, the ageing zone was expanded to match the production zone. Now, Primitivo Collantes operates fully within the official sherry zone. This allows them to age, bottle, and export their sherries globally under their own label, completely changing their reach and status.

Until recently, Fossi was labeled as an Amontillado Fino, now simply Amontillado. The wine is aged for around 5 years under flor and then another 8 years oxidatively. This evolution ensures that an amontillado combines the elegance of a fino with the expressiveness of an oloroso.