N.V. Navazos La Bota No.45 Fino Amontillado

The name means `a fino on its way to becoming an amontillado` - ideally they would have liked to classify it as both fino and amontillado because it is more of a continuum than two discrete categories. From Pérez Barquero, Montilla. Due to be bottled in June 2013. Average age of wines 15 years. Very smoky. Mid gold. Some walnut but has great salty freshness and amazing tanginess. There`s lapsang and all sorts of nutty aromas. Intense and so long. Swings between salty fino (when colder) and amontillado (as it warms up). Really savoury and roasted notes on the finish. Salty caramel. Fabulous. 18.5 points

The NV La Bota de Fino 45 is from Montilla-Moriles, produced with Pedro Ximenez grapes aged under flor for a very long time (maybe close to 15 years) on its way to becoming an Amontillado (it would be called a Fino Amontillado if such a category existed), sourced from the Perez Barquero winery. It displays a deep golden color and a nose of yeast, chalk and bread dough, showing its age, with a hint of caramel and roasted nuts. In the palate is has a slight rusticity, supple and saline, very long, ending dry. It reminds me of some previous Manzanillas Pasadas from them. A superb, unique wine. Drink 2013-2018. 96 points