La Bota de Palo Cortado Viejisimo, No. 48 “ Bota Punta ”

Something special for the festive season…

Now and then we simply have to treat ourselves with a little extra, and there’s no better time to share a special glass with your beloved ones than the days around Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

An old cellaring facility in the heart of Sanlucar de Barrameda, Andalusia, was the home of two particularly old solera systems, looked over by Gaspar Florido. The buildings were sold, as were the wines, real estate mechanisms took the better of the stunning location and their vinous contents. All the butts were moved out of the town’s “Barrio” to the new home along the road from Sanlucar to Trebujena.

There, the gentlemen from Equipo Navazos, a very specific Sherry project (and beyond) that we will have to tackle in more detail -but that’s another story, had sampled two outstanding expressions of Palo Cortado back in 2006, shortly before Gaspar Florido was purchased by Pedro Romero the following year.

Now stored at the Sacristia of Pedro Romero, the butts were transported back to Sanlucar’s centre, re-sampled and cherry picked. Only the very finest examples were chosen for La Bota de Palo Cortado Viejisimo, Nο 48 “ Bota Punta ”.

With an average age of multiple decades, this wine shows enormous concentration, depth and complexity, a never ending finish but always a whiff of freshness, liveliness and elegant finesse. The nose is super pungent, crisp, nutty and briny-salty to the brim, one could get lost in the effervescing smells and aromas.

On the palate the minerality and focus the wine shows is exciting and thrilling, again, overripe fruits, dried figs, apricots and bitter almond. Dark nuts, caramel and a saline crisp texture, well balanced by acidity, roundness -and yes, you may say I’m biased- utter deliciousness. The alcoholic strength of 21,5% volume is perfectly integrated, every sip feels light as a feather but with the tasteful weight of a bulldozer.

Well the finish, as I’ve mentioned before, you’ll be chewing this little beauty even the day after… no more to say! Beware, and take your time!

There are these special occasions, when you pop the lid of a truly unique bottle, take a sip of history and get lost in time and space. This is unquestionably one of the greatest wines in the world, another stunning example of the capabilities of Andalusia and their protagonists, and just right for the festive season and a solemn moment.

With the very best spirits,

Reinhard Pohorec