This was another of some magnificent wines brought by Juancho Asenjo at Territorio Era in its last days for an impromptu but very enjoyable lunch.

In my experience when it comes to cellar dinosaurs I tend to prefer the sweeter wines – the sweetness can take the edge of the extreme bitterness of concentration-, and equally when it comes to sweeter wines I prefer them to have a little bit of devil in them -for the opposite but identical reason. This one certainly has that kind of balance.

It is a very very very old cream sourced from Valdespino and although the guys at Equipo Navazos haven’t published a ficha for this one yet it is a new saca from the botas that also provided Bota 19 and Bota 38.

It has a very attractive red of chestnut color and is just this side of crystal clear, it has a nose of sweet hazelnut, with hints of noble woods and spiced, and then on the palate it has a racy, acidic, burnt caramel and almost bitter spine underneath surprisingly light, fluffy raisin sweetness, ending in a touch of salinity to give it a fresh finish. I am conscious hat might sound a bit of a mashup, but of the creams I have had this would probably be one of the most integrated – nothing bolted on here.

I feel it is a wine that would have repaid some serious study if I had the time – I hope I get another chance with more time to spare.