I find it difficult to describe sherry tastes and this wine (Equipo Navazos 58, La Bota de Amontillado) highlighted the difficulty.
Appearance – slightly hazy, tan colour. Nose – concentrated lemon, bruised apples and the smell of oxidisation. Okay so far. Then the taste becomes very elusive. Huge flavours, complex, dry, saline, penetrative and very long are my notes but flavours of what? Toffee – but it’s not sweet. So dry toffee? Doesn’t make sense. Counter-intuitively, molasses have got a dry taste, maybe that comes near.
Whatever it is, this was a lovely wine. Fascinating, and a great accompaniment to the big flavours that Spanish foods can deliver. It makes a mockery of those rather insipid, branded amontillados that range the shelves in supermarkets. Excellent.
[Richard: I thought the colder weather merited a move across from the fino/manza we normally taste – although in Jerez it’s noticeable how many locals drink amontillado, oloroso or palo cortado – always chilled of course. This was a big wine, especially on the palate, with a penetrating taste which filled the mouth. The source is a bodega in Sanlucar which doubtless accounts for the salinity G mentioned. Amazingly fresh for a wine with an estimated age of 22 years. From Gourmet Hunters and reasonably priced as 3,000 bottles produced.]