Equipo Navazos La Bota 117 Amontillado Navazos, Montilla-Moriles

The NV La Bota de Amontillado Montilla 117 is a new Amontillado from Montilla-Moriles that was never bottled before. Selected from the cellars of Pérez-Barquero, the wine is between 25 to 30 years of average age, not fortified but bottled at 20% alcohol from pure concentration from evaporation, as the Fino that is the base for this wine was never fortified, which is the tradition in Montilla. It's a medium-age Amontillado with textbook characteristics and the evolution of the Fino Amontillado but with some 10 to 12 years more. It's nutty, pungent, intense and sapid, with a saline, iodine twist

96 points Luis Gutierrez, The Wine Advocate

Intense and salty, yet with elegance that shows even on the nose. Electric complexity and layers with salted caramel, iodine, toffee, sweet potato, spices and iodine. Super intense and creamy, with dissipated flavors in the back of the palate that grow and extend. Lots of finesse after lengthy aging of around 30 years. Endless. Saca from October, 2022. Drink now.

96 points James Suckling

A natural successor to the series of Amontillados that have formed the backbone of the Equipo Navazos project since it began in 2005. From the mythical No. 1 that started the journey, through Nos. 9, 37, 58 and 95, each Navazos Amontillado has represented the ideal balance of complexity and freshness that makes this wine style the king of Sherries.

This time the search moved from Sanlúcar de Barrameda to Montilla, drawn by the opportunity of a spectacularly fine and lively Amontillado: delicious, fluid, yet full of character. It's a wine from Altos de Moriles with an average age of more than 20 years, aged for a long period as a fino before entering its first oxidative stage at a prestigious winery in Lucena, followed by a final stage at Pérez Barquero. Never fortified, with alcohol kept below 18%, only contributing to its freshness and digestibility.

Equipo Navazos has transformed the way wine lovers think about the traditional wines of Andalusia. Founded in 2005 by Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, the project began with a search for extraordinary casks hidden away in the region’s historic bodegas. Rather than blending these treasures into a consistent house style, the pair began releasing individual selections under the numbered La Bota label. No. 117 continues that adventurous tradition, exploring the extraordinary complexity of mature Amontillado from Montilla Moriles.

Montilla Moriles lies south of Córdoba, where Pedro Ximénez thrives in the hot, dry climate and brilliant white albariza soils. Although the grape is famous for producing intensely sweet wines, it is equally capable of making some of Spain’s most compelling dry fortified styles. Amontillado begins its life ageing beneath flor, the protective yeast layer that gives Fino its distinctive freshness, before continuing through oxidative maturation. This combination of ageing methods develops remarkable depth, bringing together the savoury, saline character of biological ageing with the roasted nuts, spice and complexity of oxidation.

Deep amber with copper highlights, opening with toasted hazelnut, walnut and bitter almond. Orange peel, chamomile and dried apricot follow, joined by tobacco, polished wood and a little roasted coffee. The palate is completely dry, concentrated and wonderfully savoury, with roasted nuts and citrus peel carried by a firm, almost salty structure. There is a lovely tension between the wine’s richness and its more austere, penetrating character. Walnut, bitter orange, dried herbs and subtle rancio notes linger through a long, complex finish.

Jamón Ibérico and aged Manchego would be excellent companions, while wild mushroom croquettes, grilled prawns with garlic, roast cauliflower with almonds or porcini sautéed in butter and thyme all complement its savoury depth. It is equally rewarding enjoyed slowly after dinner with a handful of toasted Marcona almonds. Serve lightly chilled in a generous wine glass and give it time to unfold.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2040+. Once opened, reseal and refrigerate. Its oxidative ageing makes it relatively resilient, although the most delicate aromas are best enjoyed over the following weeks.