2021 Toro Albala Don PX Half Bottle 375ml, Andalucia

Toro Albalá Don PX is one of the great treasures of Andalucía, a benchmark for Pedro Ximénez wines that have become legendary among collectors and sweet wine lovers. The estate, founded in 1922 by Antonio Sánchez Prieto in Aguilar de la Frontera, sits in Montilla-Moriles, the spiritual home of Pedro Ximénez. Here, the chalky albariza soils and fierce Andalusian sun create the ideal environment for PX grapes, which are harvested late and then left to raisin under the heat, concentrating their sugars and flavours.

The Don PX range is famous for its intensity and astonishing balance of sweetness and freshness. In the glass, the wine is jet black with amber highlights, offering intoxicating aromas of dried figs, raisins, dates, treacle, roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, and exotic spices. On the palate, it is unctuous and velvety, with extraordinary length and richness, yet held together by a thread of acidity that prevents it from ever feeling cloying.

Toro Albalá is also known for its library of rare vintage-dated PX bottlings, some of which have been aged in casks for decades. These wines are regularly hailed as among the greatest sweet wines in the world, capable of ageing indefinitely and often compared to fine old Madeira or Tokaji Eszencia for their complexity and longevity.

This style pairs decadently with dark chocolate desserts, sticky toffee pudding, or even poured over vanilla ice cream. For something more traditional, try it alongside Spanish blue cheeses like Cabrales or Valdeón, where the sweetness cuts through the sharp, salty bite. It also works beautifully as a contemplative wine on its own, best savoured slowly after a meal.