Toro Albala Don Pedro Ximenez Vieja Cosecha 1973 (750ML)

97 DE / 95 WA

Platinum Award: Best Spanish Fortified, Decanter World Wine Awards 2017

Lifted aromas of orange peel and flora overlay concentrated banana, treacle, caramel, licorice and honey. There is a savoury richness underneath extreme sweetness on the palate, coffee essence, creamy vanilla, and immensely long toffee and honey finish. - Decanter World Wine Awards, 2017

The 1973 Don PX Selección is part of a new range of more accessible old wines, not as extreme as the Convento or Convento Selección ranges of extremely old wines. This is slightly lighter in the palate with a little less sugar, some 320 grams per liter. The vineyards that produced these grapes do not exist today; they were on very soft marls soils. The dehydrated grapes fermented between 3% and 9% and then the wine was fortified and today bottled at 17%. It's somehow reminiscent of the 1987, very perfumed and aromatic, a little exotic, with even some minty notes. There are 16,000 liters of this wine, which is available in bottles and magnums. The palate is very concentrated, round, with an oily texture that fills your mouth. This is more elegant, but at the same time it's not as fresh as the 1987. The price is for one 75-centiliter bottle. Luis Gutiérrez – The Wine Advocate