N.V. Navazos La Bota No.125 Amontillado

Amontillado is a category of sherry that begins life as a Fino or a Manzanilla, aging biologically under a layer of flor yeast. That aging period can last anything between two and eight years. After that, a second period of maturation begins, in which the sherry (no longer under flor) ages oxidatively, developing nutty, herbal and tobacco-like notes as an overlay to the dry, saline-and-citrus notes characteristic of biologically-aged sherry. No.125 is labelled ‘Viejisimo’, ‘extremely old’, and it is from a barrel found in the cellars of the cooperative Albarizas de Trebujena. What is unclear is how it arrived there, since the barrel is clearly a great deal older than the cellar it was found in (the cellar dates to 1977). This is intense and immensely complex and concentrated. Despite the evident age, it also retains a very focussed line of acidity. Very much a meditation wine to be savoured sip by sip, it will stay alive in your fridge for as long as you care to keep it. Vinous treasure from the Spain of yesteryear. (NT 02/02/24)