18/20

Encrucijado 2014 

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Another taste of this – currently available by the glass at Angelita – and it seems to be improving by the day. I enjoyed it the first time I was able to try it a couple of months ago, but really enjoyed it in Palo Cortado at last week’s tasting and am loving this too. Seems a sharper, more defined entry and then that elegant, butterscotch structure. 

Really worth trying if you get the chance so get down to Angelita! (On the other hand, looks like it is getting better in the bottle so mine is staying buried in the minibar.) 

Amontillado El Tresillo 1874

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What an absolute gem of an amontillado, ladies and gentlemen. Not had a glass of this – for far too long – 2015 if this blog is to be believed. So a happy reunion when I was given this last night by David Robledo at Santceloni, paired wonderfully with a rodaballo confitado in jus de champignon. In fact it showed its class in general – concentration of flavour but elegant, dry and fine.

It was a night of fantastic pairings, and this followed a a 20 year old malvasia madeira wine from Henriques & Henriques. That comparison was itself fascinating – and may have added to the impression of dry elegance in the amontillado, but I also found the amontillado more aromatic, and expressive in aromas of caramel, sawdust and citrus, even a suggestion of brandy.

Fantastic stuff – no way will it be another year before the next glass.

 

 

CGWF17: Part 4 – the Barajuelas 

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I have written about these wines before but would never miss the opportunity to have another dig, so when I heard the capsule coming off from across the room – even early doors – my feet seemed to move by themselves.

First the Fino 2013, a wine with a massive range from low to high, with a yeasty fruity nose, big intense concentrated fruit, sharp, deep salinity and a crisp finish. A fruit full fino, or a superpotent white wine with added mineral kick. Absolute belter whatever you call it.

Second, the as yet unreleased Oloroso 2013 – here the minerals are turned down a touch but if the fino was full bodied this is immense. That oxidation is still getting to grips with the wine – not caramel juice here just concentrated fruit with a bit of burn to it. Above all there is an impression of solidity about this wine. Love it and hope it will be released soon.

Not a bad breakfast by any standards. 

La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 70 – Magnum

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I read somewhere on twitter that a magnum is the ideal size for two people, provided that one isn’t drinking, and in the case of this wine at least I fully agree (my apologies for not giving the source but I didn’t take note and often get these things wrong). The guys at Coalla Gourmet had this as their wine of the week recently so I did the prudent thing and picked up a brace (you never know when a friend may pop round).

I wrote about this wine as recently as November but to be honest it is one that is so good it bears repeating. It is the latest in a long line of excellent manzanilla pasadas drawn by the guys at Equipo Navazos from the solera that also houses La Guita – and having got to know the La Guita en Rama (note to self: must be time for a new saca) there is a clear family resemblance. But whereas the en rama is chalky and delicate with a citrus influence this has a much more robust character. Sharp, zingy minerals there but also richer fruit, more in the line of roasted apple. It also has the lovely rich texture of these older biological wines. (And this is old alright: they estimate that it has been an average of 13 years in the making.)

Really a fantastic wine, I vote for a release of double magnums!

La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 60 – Bota Punta 

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An absolute masterpiece. Of all the high quality wines that Equipo Navazos have released, I think the releases I have most enjoyed (with maybe one exception) are the “noughty” manzanilla pasadas. They have released wines from this one solera as Botas 10, 20, 40, 50, 60 and 70 and the ones I have tried (40, 50, 60 and 70, and no more than a glass of 20) have been absolutely outstanding wines.

You can read all about this one on the excellent ficha on the web and it is not the first time I have had it. In my experience, each new bottle I have tried (see here for bottle one and here for bottle two) seems to be more aromatic, silky and intense. As you can see, it has a beautiful deep rich gold colour. On the nose there are sweet herbs and esparto grass (the stuff they sole your espadrilles with) and then on the palate it is a bomb of flavour and buttery salinity.

Elegance personified – lovely stuff.

Amontillado Tradición 

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No more than a quick snifter last night at Taberna Palo Cortado but there is always time for a classic wine like this. Potent but one of the most beautifully elegant wines around. A quick search reveals that I have not posted about this wine before, which is shockingly remiss of me. I can assure you there have been a few glasses over the last year or so –

Said to be of much more than 30 years old, it nevertheless has a finesse and balance that escapes many of the dinosaurs you find around. The nose is piercing but refined and brandy-like, and on the palate it is dry rather than bitter, sharp and crisp and with a zingy salinity that is integrated into the lovely nutty and fruity/figgy and spicey flavours. Above all there is none of the astringency or old barrel flavours you so often come across.

A thing of beauty and everything an old amontillado should be.

La Panesa 

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I literally never get tired of this wine – it is just spectacular. Sometimes I can get into a state of chasing my tail, always after the newest thing or something that hasn’t been on the blog, and as a result I occasionally bite my own arse, when what  I could be doing is having some of this masterpiece.

I have tasted it numerous times already and refer you to those notes. But this wine is one of those that makes you realize that writing about wine is like tap dancing about architecture. Words just can’t convey the perfection of elegance and balance in it. It is superb.

And they have it by the glass in Territorio Era, which is no more than a stone’s throw from my place of work. Almost makes you believe in a higher power. 

La Bota de Fino 68 – Macharnudo Alto 

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Lunch with an old friend in Asturianos – the new saca of the fantastic macharnudo alto fino by Equipo Navazos. They have produced no fewer than seven of these but I don’t remember a better edition than this. 

Absolutely spectacular, classy with a huge  atomatic nose and flavour profile. A cider vat in a hay barn on the nose. Zingy to the point of stingy, with a lush feel on the palate and big, spicey roast almonds to roast apple flavours. The salinity is beautifully integrated and the finish is long and savoury. 

World class fino – a real belter. 

Oloroso Extra Viejo 1/7 Maestro Sierra 

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After two quite magnificent Sanlucar wines (La Bota de Palo Cortado 41 – on the right in the picture above – and Amontillado Muy Viejo Don Paco) my week of sobriety’s horse has now bolted and rather than sit in an empty stable I am going to chase it downhill with this meaty old Jerez oloroso.

Even older than the others, with an average age north of 80 years, the contrast in styles is really fascinating. Compared to its old muckers from Sanlucar, here the nose has less salinity and ozone and far more polish and walnut. It is said to be a “fine” style of oloroso and it has tremendous elegance but it also has a much fuller palate of burnt caramel and spicey tobacco – with a dustier, tobacco finish.

Really excellent, maybe the best of the three, but time for something a little less potent or my evening will be over quickly!