LA BOTA DE MANZANILLA PASADA (no. 100)
“Botas NO”, saca of October, 2020
D.O. Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda
16.5% alc. – 50cl
Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Production: 2,600 bottles
La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 100 “Botas NO” is the result of combining the “Bota Punta” together with other two outstanding casks of the 1/15 solera, from which all the editions of “Bota Punta” and “Bota NO” of our manzanilla pasada come since the first one, number 20 of the series. This has allowed us to achieve three main objectives that we seek regarding this historic and iconic 100th edition: a) exceptional wine; b) reasonably high number of bottles so that everyone who so wish can access them; c) maintaining the tradition that all editions ending in zero, since number 10 in 2008, have been manzanillas pasadas from Misericordia.
This is a very special wine that shows a particular complexity due to an astonishing balance of finesse and chalky minerality, and roasted dry fruit nuances due to the start of the process of amontillamiento. This manzanilla pasada is actually in the border with a manzanilla amontillada, a traditional denomination that in our opinion is wrongly banned from labels.
What makes this wine truly unique and gifted with unmatched biological character (intense and steely salty notes on the palate) is that the butts are filled up to “a tocadedos” level—well above the 5/6 mark that is common in the Sherry district. In this fashion, the layer of yeast/flor inside these butts (much weakened by the age and lack of nutrients of the wine) is significantly smaller and thinner and can be kept alive on the sole basis of scarce periodic refreshments—acting as barely sufficient barrier between the wine and the intensely oxidizing effect of air. On the other hand, its very weakness implies that this protective effect is only a mild one, which is evidenced in the elegant oxidative notes of this manzanilla as well as the rising level of alcohol, climbing above 16%.
The average age of this wine is around 14 years. 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). Best served around 12º C, in moderately large stemware.