Getting around to writing up the second great wine from my trip to Asturianos on Friday and it is another excellent wine by Equipo Navazos.

Fans of terroir in Jerez will note that the name refers to one of the great pagos of Jerez (there are four major pagos, Balbaina, Macharnudo, of which this would the “Alto” part, Añina and Carrascal) – you can see the pagos of Jerez marked on this cracking map that a friend emailed me last week (doesn’t reach into Sanlucar unfortunately).  Historically Macharnudo Alto has always been very highly considered – maybe the most famous single vineyard fino, Inocente, is from up there – I even recall someone (maybe Luis G?) referring to it once as the “DRC” of Jerez (which seems a bit of a stretch, but I think I see where he is going).

Since the ficha is again only available in Spanish a little background. This is a new saca (in June 2014) from the solera from which “La Bota” Numbers 2, 7, 15, 18, 27 and 35 came, and was solected from both the solera and the (somewhat younger wine in the) second criadera with an average underflor of about 10 years.

And it is a joy of a wine. I had it with a “revuelto de gambas, algas, y erizos” (scrambled eggs with prawns, seaweed and sea urchin) but it is so meaty it overpowered the eggs and might have been better with something meatier.

Has a very evolved, dark colour, and on the nost there is dark, . earthy straw or undergrowth with maybe just a hint of something sweet. Big and creamy in texture, nice integrated salinity giving a buzz on the tongue and more yeasty, vegetable flavours on the palate. Again slight hints of sweetness or fruit and a juicy, yeasty, fine finish.

Excellent stuff yet again.