Alvear Tres Miradas Paraje de Riofrío Alto 3er Año 2022

Paraje de Riofrio Alto is a single site white in Alvear's 3 Miradas range from Montilla-Moriles in Andalusia, made from Pedro Ximenez as a dry wine rather than the sweet style the grape is known for. The vines grow on albariza chalk, a bright white soil that reflects the strong sun and holds winter rain deep down for the dry summer months. The wine is fermented dry, then given eight months in clay jar and twenty four months in oak barrel, all under a veil of flor. The living yeast seals the surface from air while it feeds on glycerol and releases acetaldehyde, building the pungent, nutty, saline character of biological ageing, while the clay and oak add texture and a slow trace of oxygen. The colour is pale gold. The nose shows green apple, toasted almond, beeswax and camomile over a briny, yeasty depth. The palate is bone dry and savoury, with firm acidity, real umami weight and a long saline finish. Serve cold at 8 to 10 degrees in a white wine glass.