Equipo Navazos La Bota 124 Fino "Un fino que va para Amontillado"

Tasting Note: A new Saca which follows on from La Bota 24, 45 and, more recently, 85, all of which have long since sold out. Elegant and complex, very persistent A fino on its way towards an amontillado from the Bodega of Pérez Barquero, Montilla.

Country: Spain  Region: Montilla

ABV: 16.5%   Bottle Size: 750ml Natural: Yes   

Additional Information:  A Fino on its first steps toward becoming an Amontillado, a wine traditionally labelled by winemakers and connoisseurs as Fino Amontillado, no matter how unfavourable the current legislation seems to be toward this ancient category. An old wine that expresses like no other, through the action of time, the stunning chalky soils of the best Pedro Ximénez vineyards in the Montilla range of hills

La Bota de Fino no. 124 “Un fino que va para amontillado…” has been sourced from the oldest fino solera in Pérez Barquero’s Bodega Los Amigos: a total of 63 butts located in third row, of which we had the privilege to choose twelve that represent the current state of the solera. Seeking a distinctive character we opted for those butts that most clearly showed an incipient amontillado while preserving the fino character as proved by its alcoholic content: 16.5%.

Tell tale notes of the early stages of Amontillado, as well as the concentration of aromas and flavours, evidence its notable age, estimated at circa 15 years. No question this is still a fino, aged under a fragile layer of flor that over time has darkened, weakened, and partly torn into patches. In many respects, this wine offers a striking conceptual resemblance to EQUIPO NAVAZOS’ La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada, but at the same time retains a distinctive personality all its own. La Bota de Fino (Amontillado) number 124 is a fascinating wine, deep and elegant, as well as exceptionally versatile with food. Taken from the casks and bottled in November 2023, unfined and virtually unfiltered, a beautiful golden colour is the one it exhibits straight from the butt.