Jorge Ordonez & Co. No 3 Old Vines Moscatel 2023

No.3 Old Vines comes from Jorge Ordonez in the Malaga region, made from Moscatel de Alejandria grown on old vines of eighty to a hundred years. After a rigorous selection, the grapes go through a slow, even natural drying that can last around two months, which dehydrates the fruit and concentrates both sugar and aromatic intensity. The selected fruit is then cooled to fourteen degrees before a gentle pressing. Fermentation runs for twenty months in French oak barrels, an unusually long fermentation that converts part of the sugar while the cask adds a light spice and structure; production is limited to around 1,500 bottles. The great vine age and the slow drying give the raw concentration, while Moscatel de Alejandria keeps the lifted floral and citrus perfume that defines the grape. The colour is bright gold. The nose is honey, apricot and dried apricot with orange marmalade and a clear citrus lift. The palate is sweet and concentrated but balanced by a firm acidity that keeps it fresh, running white peach and candied peel into a long finish. Serve well chilled in a small glass with fruit desserts, almond cakes or a wedge of blue cheese.