Its starting to get cold in Melbourne now, cool nights and nice days. Even a bit of rain over the weekend (for non-aussie readers, most of Australia has been in drought for the past 5 years). To celebrate all this I've ordered in some PX to have a look at over the next month or so.
There has been a lot of confusion surrounding this wine and another Alvear PX 1927 that comes in 375ml bottles. Notice that Dolce Viejo is in the name of this one, thats your first clue. The 750ml size is the other clue. They are actually two different soleras, so really two different wines. The material for this solera has an average age of around 20 years and 405g/l of residual sugar.
Golden syrup, treacle colour in colour. The nose is full of raisins and dried grapes, intensely rich and concentrated. Viscus, rich and opulent in the mouth with extreme length and concentration. There is some old wood, orange peel, huge sweetness and raisiny goodness on the palate. It is kind of cloying, but that is the point. The acid keeps your mouth a bit fresh, but this is a one or two glass experience for me. Well, for one sitting anyway. 89 Pts.
Source: Toro/Woods Wines Price: Around $35 Closure: Conventional Cork
Web: www.grupoalvear.com
The 750ml is quite good, but the 375ml from the older solera material is a very large step up in quality. Probably the best Spanish PX in its style that I’ve had, and comparable in quality to some of the better Rutherglen gear. All my bottles are gone though!
This is now available in screwcap. Excellent.
I received a Christmas gift from a Snanish colleague of your Pedro Ximenez 1927. The bottle number is 365139. It has a screw cap which leaked badly in my wine cellar and ruined a number of labels of my vintage Porto. It is a disgrace. Corks please
Thank you. Dr. William Gouveia
Perhaps I am too cynical, but I suspect the cork industry PR machine is at work here.
PS, I’m not sure, sounds like he wants to make a complaint?
William, I am just writing about the wine, if you are trying to make a complaint to the producer you should go here: http://www.grupoalvear.com. Otherwise you preference is noted.
Cheers,
Dave
Yeah, you are probably right - just a consumer with a complaint. I wonder how long the learning process will be for Old World wineries with screwcaps and their correct application, tolerances etc. You’d think it should be quicker than it was in Australia. Hopefully that will address issues of consumers blaming the seal for a bottling process problem.
For Spain at least, they are picking up things quickly. Just about every bottling line I saw in Rioja (and there were a lot!) was doing both cork and screwcap. For some reason Zork seems to be very popular as well…more on all of that later