La Inglesa Palo Cortado

La Inglesa is a traditional winery in the north-east of Andalusia, within the D.O. Montilla-Moriles, where this Palo Cortado is made from Pedro Ximénez grown on the limestone-rich albariza soils of Moriles Altos. In Montilla-Moriles, Pedro Ximénez rather than Palomino is the base grape, and the warm inland climate ripens it fully. Palo cortado is the rarest sherry-style wine, beginning under a veil of flor before losing it and finishing oxidatively. This wine spends twenty-five years ageing through the criaderas and soleras system, a fractional blending where wine is drawn from the oldest casks and topped up from younger ones, so the bottled wine carries the character of decades. That long oxidative ageing in old oak deepens the colour, builds nutty complexity and concentrates the wine as it slowly evaporates. The nose shows roasted hazelnut and walnut, a touch of orange peel and an elegant oxidative depth. The palate is dry, firm and structured, with savoury nutty length and a long, dry finish. Serve cool in a white-wine glass. It pairs with hard cheese, cured meats and rich savoury dishes.