Lustau Pedro Ximénez San Emilio

Lustau Pedro Ximénez San Emilio is produced by Bodegas Lustau in Jerez de la Frontera, in the D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry. The house was founded in 1896 and works across the three towns of the Sherry Triangle, drawing fruit from albariza chalk vineyards. The wine is made entirely from Pedro Ximénez, sun-dried after picking so the berries shrivel to raisins and their sugar concentrates dramatically before pressing. The must is fortified and then aged for twelve years in oak under the criaderas and soleras system, where casks of different ages are blended fractionally so each bottling carries both younger freshness and older depth. The slow oxidative ageing in barrel darkens the wine and develops its dried-fruit and toffee character. It pours a deep brown. The nose is dominated by raisin and dried fig, with caramel, date and a touch of walnut. On the palate it is silky, soft and voluminous, full of concentrated sweetness yet carried by a long, persistent finish rather than turning heavy. Serve lightly chilled at around 12 to 14 degrees in a small glass. It is excellent with chocolate and caramel puddings, over ice cream, or with aged hard cheese.