Saca of November, 2019
D.O. Jerez – Xérès – Sherry
18,5% alc. – 75cl
Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Production: 2,800 bottles
Since the 1980s and until a dozen years, the amontillado soleras of Rainera P. Marín were made of very different soleras labeled within the cellar as “Manzanilla Pasada”: from the third criadera of Amontillado “M. Pda.” all the way to the little shrine of 1/3 “M. Pda. Viejísima”, including solera 1/10 “M. Pda. Vieja”.
After 2007, the greater part of these traditionally labeled stocks was strictly restructured. The finest and deepest butts were selected, their contents refreshed with true (and unfortified) manzanilla pasada (this is a natural amontillado), in order to create an amontillado solera that was slightly over 100-butt strong and located at third and fourth in one same row.
Throughout June 2012 we picked a dozen of these butts for our release No. 37. More than half of that wine was put back into certain casks for aditional ageing separate from the rest, and this is what we present now as La Bota de Amontillado 95 “Navazos”. It has kept most of its characteristic freshness as well as its notes of aromatic herbs, baked sweet potato, and caramel show more intense than ever. It is still a delicious amontillado, extremely dry, long, serious, complex, but also perfectly drinkable.
The estimate average age of this wine is around 25 years. It is best enjoyed in a sufficiently large white wine glass towards 15ºC—so it should be served slightly below that to allow for aeration. An excellent aperitif on its own, it also works beautifully with some dishes: powerful crudités such as morcón orrice black pudding, sautéed lamb sweetbreads with garlic, fabada asturiana, spicy Asian food… Needless to say, it is an excellent match to a wide variety of cheeses, both hard and soft.