“Capataz Cabo”, saca of February, 2019
D.O. Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda
16,5% alc.
3000 bottles
This prodigious wine comes from a solera of fifteen casks that has become part of the wine heritage of humanity. It was never bottled until Equipo Navazos selected it in 2008 for its 10th release of ‘La Bota de…’, followed two years later by edition number 20 “Bota Punta”, and then a few more that have been celebrated by many wine lovers who are crazy for this superb manzanilla pasada. Under the direction of Eduardo Ojeda, along the last decade it has been carefully looked after by Capataz Cabo, a man from Jerez working in Sanlúcar who is one of the major exponents of excellence among cellarmasters in the Sherry District.
A feature that contributes to this wine’s singularity and unmatched biological character (intense and steely notes of salinity on the palate) is the way the butts are filled, always with musts coming from vineyards in Sanlúcar, almost up to a tocadedos (within finger reach from the top)—well above the customary 5/6 in the Sherry region. This way, the yeast layer or “flor” (truly weakened now by the wine’s age and lack of nutrients) in these butts is more reduced and can be maintained with those scarce refills. It still performs its function as physical barrier against the wine’s oxidation, but in its diminished state it cannot be fully effective and so this manzanilla offers elegant oxidation notes and a budding rise in its alcohol level, above 16%.
The real average age of La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 90 “Capataz Cabo” is around 14 years. It is a complex and powerful wine, of balanced freshness and elegant oxidation notes that make it truly unique. Stunningly versatile on the dinner table, it matches a wide variety of dishes, from the most easygoing (rich fish dishes, fish-based rice recipes, charcuterie) to the most difficult (scrambled eggs with boletus edulis, runny sheep cheeses, asian spicy food). Best served around 12º C, in moderately large stemware.