Alvear Pedro Ximénez 1927

Bodegas Alvear was founded in 1729 in Montilla-Moriles and is the oldest winery in Andalusia, still in family hands. This wine is made entirely from Pedro Ximenez, the white grape grown on the chalky albariza soils of the region under a hot, dry climate. The grapes are laid out to dry in the sun after picking, a process that raisins them and concentrates their sugar to extreme levels before pressing. The thick must is fortified and then aged for five years in American oak through the traditional solera system, where wine is drawn from the oldest casks and replenished from younger ones in a fractional blend. This slow oxidative ageing across the criaderas and soleras drives the deep colour and the layered caramel, coffee and dried-fruit character. The colour is dark mahogany with iodised edges, clean and bright. The nose is intense, with raisin, coffee caramel, cocoa, date and molasses. The palate is sweet, large and unctuous, dense and viscous in the glass, the sweetness carried on a savoury, nutty depth to an extremely long finish. Serve lightly chilled or at cool room temperature in a small glass. Pour it over vanilla ice cream, or serve.