This was the first of the lineup in today’s Ximenez Spinola in the Chula. Having tried so much unfortified palomino lately (the Tosca Cerrada, the Pitijopos, the Viña Matalian) I was really interest to try this unfortified pedro ximenez. I have to say I enjoyed it greatly.

It is a late harvest white table wine – the PX left on the vine for 21 days after it was ready – it is then macerated and fermented with its skins and aged on its lees for four months with light batonnage in old oak barrels (all this info off the impressive labels). It was a brainchild of sherry maverick Ramiro Ibañez (who pretty soon is going to need his own category on here) although I gather he is no longer involved.

It has a sweet nose but not raisin like, more grapey and soft fruit and nice bitter herbs. On the palate it is grapey, honeyed and herbal, nice and compact and the serious, herby bitterness almost balances the residual sweetness. Not as long as you expect but even that seems right in context. A nice, full bodied and full flavoured wine.

I really like it. Would be fascinating to try this against the Viña Matalian that is on the way.