2020 Toro Albala Don PX Half Bottle 375ml, Andalucia

17% ABV. The Don PX wines come from the youngest sweet vintage wines of Toro Albalá. The carefully selected Pedro Ximénez grapes were hand-harvested and left to dehydrate under the sun on straw mats for about seven days. The grapes were then pressed and, when the perfect balance between sugar, alcohol and acidity was reached in tank, the fermenting must was stunned with Aguardiente (clear local brandy) to stop the fermentation. The fortified wine was decanted into stainless steel and large cone-shaped amphorae known locally as tinajas. Due to the richness of the wine, it must be naturally settled to avoid filtering, so it's bottled straight from these holding vessels.

As these early-release wines are neither barrel-aged nor blended, they are wonderfully pure, grapey examples of PX that capture all the delicious raisin and honey hedonism and the racy acidity of the variety before the rancio sets in. The amber nectar glows with concentrated fig, honey and muscatel raisin notes and finishes warm, lingering and sweet. Despite this natural sugar level, it remains remarkably bright and fresh.

Pedro Ximénez’s affinity with chocolate-based desserts is well known. Perhaps less well-known is how well the wines pair with salty blue cheeses. This is particularly the case with Toro Albalá’s younger vintage wines. This will match well with fig-based desserts and sweet pastries, too. It can be kept open in the fridge forever, by the way, which makes it perfect for pouring by the glass or keeping. The Don PX has also become popular as a cocktail mixer due to its depth of flavour and price point.