Amontillado, “La Bota 109”, “Bota Punta”, Trebujena

Part of Sherry’s allure is the sheer age of some of its raw materials. With La Bota #109, from a single cask raised by the small co-operative Albarizas de Trebujena (a town immediately north of Jerez de la Frontera whose production is within the D.O.), the liquid inside was already considered an old amontillado when the co-op was founded in 1977—so much so, in fact, that its specific origins remain unknown. “Bota Punta” refers to the barrel’s position at the very end of the bottom row of casks in its solera. As such, it is exposed to more airflow than any other barrel in the row, and thus to more humidity and more yeasts. Furthermore, as a Bota Punta, it receives different treatment from the cellarmaster than the other casks: whereas most casks are refreshed with new wine, the bota punta is refreshed only with wine from its solera row, and thus it develops more dramatically due to the age of the materials with which it is replenished. It is astonishing to reflect upon the years such a cask as this has endured. The spellbinding liquid the Equipo Navazos team pulled from it for La Bota #109 takes one far beyond the realm of useful descriptors, and it is nearly hallucinatory in its immense concentration and profound depth. 22% alcohol; bottled October 2021; 1,200 bottles (375ml) produced.