Description
Equipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex.
The Equipo Navazos project was started by a group of Spanish Sherry lovers led by wine writer and Sherry guru Jesús Barquín. These “Sherryphiles” were aware, through their own extensive tastings, of a treasure trove of brilliant Sherries that were sitting, unbottled, in the bodegas of Jerez, Sanlucar and Montilla. Bodegas often have butts or casks (bota) of Sherry whose small volume makes it commercially unviable to bottle separately. The concept behind Equipo Navazos (Team Navazos) was to select specific bota of such wines for individual bottling, unfiltered or lightly filtered. Originally these bottlings were made only for friends however the project was expanded to allow for a small ‘commercial’ release of certain wines to a handful of international markets. After three years, Australia started to get a tiny allocation.
“The wines by Equipo Navazos are a cultural contribution of the highest importance.” Juancho Asenjo, “La Sobremesa” at www.elmundovino.com
“Equipo Navazos make mindblowing Sherries. I’m drinking one at the moment, and it’s a life-enhancing experience.” Jamie Goode, www.wineanorak.com
“They are not cheap. But then nor is Grand Cru burgundy.” Jancis Robinson, Sherry as Montrachet – revelations. www.jancisrobinson.com
The Equipo Navazos P.X. Gran Solera is the result of ageing the pure, very sweet, fortified must of Pedro Ximénez raisins – harvested from vineyards located in the towns of Montalbán, Montemayor and Puente Genil (around Montilla) – for an average of 20+ years, “… or maybe even 25 years, the solera system hardly allows to be more precise,” says Jesús. It comes from a solera of 22 casks located in one of the finest bodegas at Jerez de la Frontera. Here it has been aged in a typical jerezano style (such as La Bota #36), that is, in casks filled only up to 5/6 of their capacity. This jerezano method results in a less fruity, more earthy, savoury and complex style of P.X. The source solera has come to be identified as “Solera Pedro Ximénez NO” and has never been bottled before.
It’s as unique as it is delicious. Saca de Mayo 2013 (bottled May 2013). Serve this extraordinary nectar in a white wine glass…. even after opened just continue to improve!
93 points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate #208 “The NV P. X. Navazos Gran Solera May 2013, produced from Pedro Ximenez raisins, aged in the Jerez style (the botas are not filled up), originally fortified to around 18%, but with age the alcohol decreases, and at the current old age (15-20 years) it is 16.5% alcohol. The color is dark mahogany with a green-amber rim, a concentrated nose of raisins, dates, coffee, chocolate and spices with hints of mint that gives it a fresh profile. The palate reveals a thick, very dense wine, with penetrating roasted flavors of chocolate and tar. Very long, intense and persistent. These old sweet PX can last forever, and they even improve once the bottle is opened. It has 425 grams of residual sugar. Drink 2013-2025.”
RRP: $58
