I first came across Equipo Navazos back in 2012 when they were in their early 30s. The first wine I tried was the terrific La Bota de Palo Cortado 34 and I immediately bought up everything I could find from them and have been attempting – with limited success – to keep them for posteriy. However after trying “La Bota de Manzanilla 32 – 5 Years Later” the other day my curiosity was piqued to try this manzanilla pasada bottled in June 2011.

It is the “Capataz Rivas” (like La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 59) and is a direct relation of la Guita as the excellent ficha points out and there is a clear family resemblance in every respect. Like the Guita en Rama it has an evolved, dark copper colour and a salty sweet nose. Then on the palate it has the smooth silky, slightly fatty texture of an old wine, and a really elegant shape with salty zing, rich, sweet, slightly metallic apricot and orange fruit and a bittersweet finish.

And the effects of those five years of bottle ageing? I must admit I am not finding as big an effect as there was in the manzanilla the other day – which is logical since this would never have been as “fresh” as the manzanilla was on release. Rather, it would have had a little bit of oxidation before bottling and as such you would expect it to be a little more stable in profile. Maybe there is a hint more marmalade bitterness to the fruit and the finish than there was when I tried it the first time – or when I tried the 59 – and maybe the metallic notes stand out a little more. Nevertheless, this is very very drinkable.

An elegant, fruitful and characterful wine: lovely stuff.