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| HOME | STORY | WINES | LABELS | CONTACT | AWARDS | LA BOTA DE FINO (nº 18) “MACHARNUDO ALTO”, saca of December 2009 D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry 15% alc. Limited release: 4,000 bottles (75 cl.) Bodega: Valdespino, Jerez de la Frontera
La Bota de Fino (18) "Macharnudo Alto" is a new release—extracted in December 2009—of the soleras that already yielded similar ventures in June 2006, April 2007, and June 2008. As always, our aim has been to reflect with as much authenticity as possible the essence of the wide array of soleras and criaderas of the oldest and most complex fino available in the centuries-old Valdespino cellars, in this case as of autumn 2009. For this purpose we have chosen from three different groups of butts—in almost identical proportion: solera butts whose average age is 10 ½ years, with a wine marked by a hint of oxidation and the fat derived from the autolysis of “flor” yeasts; second-criadera butts of average age 8 ½ where the wine is closer to the apex of biological ageing and therefore shows a pleasantly pungent nose; and finally first-criadera wines whose character and average age are somewhere in between the other two. Valdespino is one of the few Sherry houses, if not the only one, that still today lets its finos ferment following a traditional practice: in the butts where they are to remain afterwards to complete the biological ageing process under the veil of flor. Much of the credit of this achievement must be given to Maribel Estévez, one of the owners as well as oenologist in this House. La Bota de Fino “Macharnudo Alto” is also a terroir wine, since its scales are refilled exclusively with musts from the Macharnudo Alto vineyard, a truly privileged terroir to the north of Jerez, in the best area of the mythical Pago Macharnudo, that has belonged to Valdespino for centuries. This is a wine for connoisseurs, bottled unfiltered in order to preserve its intense color and racy character. It can be enjoyed upon release, but its evolution in bottle will continue to delight consumers for quite a while, provided it is carefully stored. Some of us fondly remember bottles of this wine opened after 35 and 45 years of storage. It performs best at temperatures ranging from 9/10º C, where it shows a lighter and fresher profile, to 14/15º C, where it fully displays its complex and rich aromatic range. On the table it is a most versatile wine: scargots a la llauna, lamb sweetbreads al ajillo, red tuna sushi, cap i pota, fried fresh bocartes, sférico olives… Note: An initial selection and saca of this wine was made in September 2009 which was finally discarded and entirely replaced by this December 2009 edition. TASTING NOTES: Jamie Goode: “Intense, taut, complex nutty nose with bracing freshness. The palate is complex with intense nuttiness and hints of mushroom and spice. Amazing depth and a long finish. Brilliant." (at www.wineanorak.com) Peter Liem: "This is racy and energetic, its deftly balanced flavors showing complexity while still feeling tightly wound. There’s a slight butteriness persisting throughout the long and salty finish. This should become even more complex with time, adding a silky finesse to the power and intensity demonstrated by previous editions such as No. 7 and No. 2." (in The World of Fine Wine, issue 29, September 2010) Pedro Carroquino: “Clavada y cera cubierta de limón. Estaba de seda una fina sencillez de frutos secos, miel y manzana madura. Un poquito de concha fina, salitre, limon, paso seco, aromas de frutos amarillos, los cítricos tiemblan, es muy lejano, no te das cuenta y la copa sigue en la mesa como esperando tu mano." (at www.verema.com) REVIEWS AND RATINGS: Margaret Rand (Decanter, May 2010): ***** 19,5 pt "An extraordinary nose of burnt toffee, green olives and black chocolate on a silky palate." Guía Peñín 2011: 98 pt Jamie Goode (www.wineanorak.com, May 2010): 93 pt Jancis Robinson (www.jancisrobinson.com - February 2010): 18,5+ pt Verema.com: 9,5 pt (averaged after 9 tasting notes, by 26 november 2010) |
