Saca of October 2006
D.O. Montilla-Moriles
11% alc.
Limited release: 800 bottles (75 cl.)
Bodega: Pérez Barquero, Montilla
The third release took Equipo Navazos to Montilla, following the steps of one of the illustrious names in the history of Spanish science: Simón de Rojas Clemente y Rubio, scientist and liberal humanist, botanist and pioneering ampelographer. 200 years ago, after extensive tours of the Andalusian vineyards, he published Ensayo sobre las variedades de la vid común que vegetan en Andalucía (‘On the varieties of the common vitis species grown in Andalusia’). Among those was the variety pedro ximénez, the true star of Montilla-Moriles viticulture, for both dry wines (including finos) and sweet wines after the traditional process of partially sundrying the fruit. It was precisely as homage to this man that the wine was labeled “De Rojas.”
An old solera of sweet PX of the Bodegas Pérez Barquero (not including its truly mythical “Solera Fundacional”) can be found in their Bodega El Puente, in Montilla. This old PX was sourced from among those dozens of butts. It is extremely sweet, with high acidity and very low alcohol, all as a consequence of a process of concentration along decades. Unblended, and not fortified after fermentation, this is a pure PX of extreme concentration, a great illustration of the typical Montillan paradox of white wines that look black or black wines which in fact are white wines. And in any case, excellent wines…
An old and concentrated PX like DE ROJAS is an extraordinarily sweet and complex dessert in itself. Successful matches are ice cream and sorbets, as well as black chocolate. It will reveal fully its aromas toward 16/18º C, but the palate will find it more appealing at a slightly cooler temperature, around 12/14º C.