Lustau Pedro Ximénez Murillo Centenario

Murillo Centenario Pedro Ximenez comes from Bodegas Lustau in Jerez, drawn from a meticulous selection of the best vintages and bottled only once each year, which gives it a distinct character from release to release. It carries more than 400 grams of residual sugar per litre, putting it at the dense, syrupy end of the style, a dessert in itself. The Pedro Ximenez grapes are sun-dried to concentrate their sugars, then pressed and fortified to hold the sweetness in place. Ageing takes place in the semi-darkness of the Bodega Murillo, from which the wine takes its name, where long oxidative time in oak under the criaderas and soleras method darkens the colour and builds roasted, savoury depth over the dried fruit. The colour is near black and the texture coats the glass. The nose is raisin, date and fig over molasses, with dark chocolate and coffee from the cask. The palate is thick and velvety, intensely sweet but framed by a faint bitterness that keeps the long finish in balance. Serve lightly chilled in a small glass after a meal, poured over ice cream, set against dark chocolate or, as the maker suggests, alongside a strong blue cheese.