New sensation: Ximenez Spinola Exceptional Harvest 2019

We cracked open a bottle of an intriguing new wine that came in the other day. I didn’t know quite what to expect: I knew it came from the sherry region, a wine made with the Pedro Ximinez grapes, usually made into sweet sherry. However I knew this was an unfortified off dry wine. 

The nose opens up with aromas typical of PX sweet wine, raisins, figs and prunes and a hint of brown butter and honey. The palette is dryer that one expects but with a beautiful body and texture. There is a great interplay of the fruit, a savoury salinity, walnut and orange flower. The result is a wine that is on the one hand rich and concentrated but on the other subtle and elegant. (I obviously like it!)

With a little more research it was very easy to see how the natural characteristics of the grapes and the machinations of the wine maker translated to aroma, texture and flavour. The grapes are left of the vine until very ripe, intensifying the concentration of flavour. The wine is aged in barrels previously used for production of oxidative style sherry. It is also matured on the lees, the yeast and sediment from the fermentation, which brings body to the wine and the aromas of viennoiserie.

This is a really interesting wine with a stunning flavour. More versatile than you would expect for this style, it would work equally as an aperitif or paired with seafood or shellfish. I am particularly looking forward to drinking it with a bowl of clams barely adulterated with cream and with lots of fresh chervil!

Why not give it a go yourself and let us know how you get on. Click and collect.