Ximenez-Spinola is an astonishing winery, and a Spanish treasure. They have been on the scene since 1729. They have 16 hectares of their own vineyards and manage another 16 across the ‘sherry triangle’ between the towns of Jerez, Sanlucar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria. These chalky soils and reclaimed salt marshes near the mouth of the Guadalquivir River are the defining Sherry terroir. The winery is a beautiful old building in the sherry town of Jerez. They only cultivate one grape variety – Pedro Ximenez. PX is more than anything known for sweet wines. But while Ximenez-Spinola use it to make all of dry wine, dessert wine, sherry, brandy and vinegar, it is the potential of the variety to make some astonishing dry wines that truly excites Jose Antonio. Their Fermentacion Lenta bottling is made from PX grapes fermented to total dryness (no easy trick with Pedro Ximenez, which likes to hang onto some residual sugar), then given a stay in old French barriques. The Exceptional Harvest is made from PX grapes which are allowed to keep some residual sugar, then given a stay in old American oak barrels. These are fascinating, idiosyncratic wines. (NT 04/09/23)