Sunday 16 July 2017

Amontillado "Sin Prisa" 1/42 22%, Alexander Jules

Appearance
Fairly deep old patinated mahogany with copper glints fading through amber to a green tinged rim.
Nose
Forthcoming and super complex with all sorts of nuances. There are notes of oak butts, autumn leaves, toasted nuts and very Sanluqueño traces of seaweed and brine. As it opens out there is a hint of caramel which is checked by volatile acidity then more nuts come through, even walnut. There is a slightly lean edge which comes from age, but in all it is very fragrant.
Palate
Crisp and fairly powerful with an attractive very slightly bitter salty tang, again very Sanluqueño. For a wine of this age there is naturally a little tannin but it is remarkably un-aggressive. It has some slightly savoury flavours too and they mingle with those of the salted caramel and wood leaving a bone dry tangy wine of immense class which lingers on the palate forever.
Comments
This is something special. It comes from one bota punta in the 42 butt Conde de Aldama Amontillado solera bought by Francisco Yuste in 2001. There was more than one Amontillado solera, and it would be interesting to know which this one is, but it probably dates from the XVIII century. It is stored in Yuste's beautiful old bodega Los Ángeles in Sanlúcar. The Aldama soleras have changed hands more than once but have always remained in Sanlúcar and retained the style. "Sin Prisa" means without rush, and the same could be said for the Conde de Aldama and Francisco Yuste, neither being in any rush to sell this treasure, indeed Aldama sealed the soleras for years to keep any inferior wine out. Since then the solera has only ever been topped up to replace "merma" or evaporation loss and the wine has an average age of at least 70 years, probably more. Only 400 half bottles were filled in November 2016 with virtually no stabilisation whatsoever, and sealed with a Diam cork. Now there is a rush - to get hold of some of this rare nectar!
Price
70 euros per half bottle, Guerrita


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