N.V. Navazos La Bota No.121 Palo Cortado

Palo Cortado is a hard-to-pin down but much appreciated category of sherry: according to the official definition from the Consejo Regulador, it should have ‘the aromatic refinement of an Amontillado and the body of an Oloroso’ (so Amontillado on the nose, Oloroso in the mouth). The traditional origin for this style would be Fino casks in which, for whatever reason, flor failed to flourish and the sherry developed oxidatively. The outstanding Bota No.121 is also a single vineyard, vintage sherry. It comes from grapes harvested in 2010 from very old vines (one plot 50+ years, another 80+ years) in the Sanlucar vineyard Pago Miraflores la Baja. It was raised in the cellars of Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin. It is delicate and complex, with an initial marine impression followed by notes of dried fruit and almond. (NT 02/02/24)