Drinking Traditions of Córdoba: 7 Local Beverages That Define a City

Córdoba sits in Andalusia’s sun-baked interior, where chalky hills and torrid summers shape what locals pour into their glasses. In the Campiña, vineyards dominated by the Pedro Ximénez grape deliver wines unlike elsewhere in Spain.

Historic tabernas around the Mezquita-Catedral still serve flor-aged finos, seasonal mosto, and regional liqueurs that pair with salmorejo and tapas. Festivals like the May Fair and the Patios celebration guide the city’s drinking calendar, while nearby towns—Montilla, Moriles, and Rute—anchor production.

Fino in Córdoba province is rooted in the Montilla-Moriles DO and built almost entirely on Pedro Ximénez (PX). The dry white wine typically reaches about 15% ABV naturally in this hot, inland climate, then ages biologically under a living layer of yeast called flor in a criaderas y solera system. Many finos here are not fortified, a point of difference with neighboring Jerez. Expect a bone-dry palate with almond, bread dough, chamomile, and a saline snap, best served well chilled at 6–8°C. The chalky, calcareous “albariza”-type soils and intense sun around Montilla favor high ripeness and stable flor growth. In Córdoba’s tabernas and Montilla’s bodegas, fino is the default aperitif with jamón ibérico, fried fish, or the tricky pairing of artichokes and asparagus. It’s a fixture during spring’s patio season and an everyday order around Plaza de la Corredera. Ask for a copa or media and note how the fresh saca (draw) date on a label hints at brightness on the palate.

Pedro Ximénez (PX) is Córdoba’s indulgent dessert wine, produced by laying PX grapes on esparto mats for asoleo (sun-drying) until sugars concentrate to raisin-like intensity. The must is partially fermented and fortified to roughly 15–17% ABV, then aged oxidatively for years in solera, developing a deep mahogany color. Aromas and flavors run to dried fig, date, molasses, toffee, coffee, and cacao, with a velvety, syrupy texture balanced by gentle acidity. In Montilla and Moriles, PX is poured in small copitas after meals, drizzled over vanilla ice cream, or used in local kitchens to glaze pork and game. It pairs naturally with blue cheeses and Córdoba’s puff pastry desserts. You’ll find excellent examples in Montilla’s bodegas, where guides explain the asoleo patios and the slow oxidative maturation. Despite its richness, quality PX is about layering and length, not cloying weight—sip slowly and let the raisined fruit, spice, and oak tones unfold.

Amontillado from Montilla-Moriles begins life as a fino aged under flor before that protective layer fades, shifting the wine to oxidative aging. The result is a dry, amber wine typically between 16–22% ABV with complex notes of hazelnut, toasted almond, tobacco leaf, dried citrus, and an umami edge. The term “amontillado” historically referred to wines made in the style of Montilla, and this province remains a benchmark for the category. In Córdoba, it’s a contemplative sipper served slightly cool, matched with consommés, grilled mushrooms, cured cheeses, or artichokes—pairings that challenge most table wines. The Campiña’s heat and chalk-rich soils push PX to high ripeness, giving amontillado depth without losing line and dryness. Seek it in traditional tabernas near the Judería or on bodega tours in Montilla and Moriles. For travelers, exploring fino, amontillado, and PX side by side is the clearest way to sense how flor, oxygen, and time sculpt Córdoba’s signature styles.

South of Córdoba city, Rute in the Sierra Subbética is famed for anise liqueurs dating to the 19th century. Anís de Rute is produced by macerating and distilling anise (Pimpinella anisum) or star anise in neutral alcohol, then bottling as seco (typically 45–55% ABV, unsweetened) or dulce (about 35–40% ABV, sweetened). Clear and aromatic, it carries pure licorice notes with a peppery lift; the dulce style finishes rounder and softer. Locals drink it neat in small copitas, sometimes chilled, especially around Christmas alongside mantecados and polvorones. The Museo del Anís in Rute explains historic stills, botanical sourcing, and the role of the town’s spring waters. In Córdoba city, you’ll spot Anís de Rute on back-bars in classic tabernas, poured as a digestif or a wintry pick-me-up. It’s a sharp contrast to the province’s wines—grain-spirit based, botanical, and celebratory—yet equally rooted in local craft and seasonal ritual.

Mosto in Córdoba is a rustic, seasonal white made from freshly harvested PX, usually with minimal intervention and released soon after fermentation. Cloudy and pale with a faint spritz at times, it sits around 10–12% ABV and tastes of green apple, pear, fennel, and raw almond, finishing dry and zesty. From roughly November to February, casas de mosto open in and around Montilla, Moriles, and the outskirts of Córdoba city to pour the new vintage from simple jarras. It’s a midday drink for cool weather, taken with chacinas, grilled sardines, or migas. The region’s heat pushes an early harvest, but cool autumn nights help preserve freshness in the ferment. Seek handwritten signs advertising mosto, then step into an unfussy room where locals stand at barrels, swapping tasting notes. As an edible snapshot of the vintage before formal aging, mosto offers a different face of PX—youthful, direct, and tied to the winter social rhythm.

Rebujito is Andalusia’s fairground refresher: a long drink built over ice with fino (or Manzanilla) and lemon-lime soda or soda water, often garnished with mint. Ratios vary, but expect roughly one part wine to one or two parts mixer for an easy 7–9% ABV. Lightly herbal and citric, it tames the heat and lengthens the flor-driven flavors of fino. In late May, the Feria de Córdoba fills its casetas with trays of rebujitos, poured in jarras for groups to share as sevillanas play. Though commonly associated with Seville, Córdoba has made the drink its own—less about strict recipe, more about conviviality and responsible pacing under the sun. You’ll also encounter rebujito at romerías and summer fiestas, and in city terraces near the river. Order a jarra with ice and fresh mint, then match it with salmorejo, tortilla, or fried boquerones. The sweetness can mask alcohol, so locals alternate with water as the dancing stretches on.

Tinto de verano—red wine diluted with gaseosa (mildly sweet soda) or lemon soda over ice—is the city’s simple answer to scorching afternoons. Usually mixed in a 1:1 ratio, it lands between 4–8% ABV, tasting of cherry and berries lifted by citrus and gentle fizz. Often credited to early 20th-century Córdoba taverns, the drink spread across Spain but still feels native here, where shaded patios and terrazas pour it from spring through late fall. Order a vaso or jarra near Plaza de la Corredera, the Judería, or along the Guadalquivir, and pair it with flamenquín or salmorejo for a classic local combo. Some bars swap soda for sparkling water and a twist of lemon for a drier profile. Unlike sangría, there’s no macerated fruit or added spirits—just refreshment built for heat. For travelers, it’s the most forgiving introduction to Andalusian drinking: low effort, low alcohol, and perfectly suited to Córdoba’s relentless sun.