NV Alvear - Montilla Moriles Solera 1927 Pedro Ximenez Sherry HALF BOTTLE (375ml)

Bodegas Alvear was founded in 1729 by Diego de Alvear y Escalera in the town of Montilla, in the province of Córdoba, and remains under the control of the same family today. It is considered the oldest winery in the Montilla-Moriles region and one of the most respected names in Andalusian winemaking. The estate farms just over three hundred acres of its own vineyards in the Sierra de Montilla, the zone considered the region's finest for Pedro Ximénez, while also sourcing fruit from local growers.

This wine is made entirely from Pedro Ximénez grapes, harvested late and then spread on esparto mats to dry in the sun for several weeks, a process that concentrates their sugars into a nearly raisin-like state before pressing. The resulting must is fortified and aged oxidatively in American oak casks within a solera system that was itself established in 1927, so that a small portion of the blend traces back nearly a century. The wine that emerges carries an average age of several decades.

The color is a deep mahogany, almost black at the core. Aromas of fig, caramel, toffee, and coffee lead into a palate of molasses, dried fruit, and toasted nuts, with a viscous, unctuous texture balanced by a thread of acidity that keeps the sweetness in check. Pour it over vanilla ice cream, alongside a wedge of blue cheese, or simply sip it slowly at the end of a meal.