Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Jerez, 500ml

Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximénez is a naturally sweet Sherry from Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla in the historic centre of Jerez. It is made from Pedro Ximénez grapes that are dried in the hot September sun after picking, concentrating their sugars before pressing. After fortification the wine is aged oxidatively in the traditional solera and criadera system, with around 30 years of ageing behind it, during which its colour deepens from dark mahogany towards black. In keeping with the house style, it comes from a single solera and is bottled without blending, cold stabilisation or filtration.

In the glass it is an intense, deep mahogany. The nose is very aromatic, full of raisins and dried fruit, with notes of coffee, liquorice, sweet tobacco, prunes, figs and tea. The palate is very sweet, velvety and enveloping, yet with an outstanding balance between sweetness and acidity, leading to a long, lingering finish.

Serve at around 12–16°C, in a small glass. It is a classic partner for dark chocolate and chocolate desserts, foie gras and blue cheeses, and it is delicious poured over vanilla ice cream. A little goes a long way, so this 500ml bottle can be enjoyed slowly; it is ready to drink now and needs no further ageing.

Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla is a small, independent Sherry house in the historic centre of Jerez de la Frontera. Its roots lie with the Andrada-Vanderwilde family, who produced grapes and wine for Sherry for around two centuries. In 1972 Fernando Andrada-Vanderwilde created the Fernando de Castilla brand, first for a fine brandy and later for Pedro Ximénez and Sherry vinegar. In 1999 the bodega was bought by Jan Pettersen, a Norwegian who had worked in Jerez since 1983, including 15 years at Osborne, and who also took over the cellars of the neighbouring almacenista José Bustamante. The house now focuses on complex Sherries bottled without fining, clarification or aggressive filtration. Its Antique range of single-solera wines, aged for up to 30 years, has built its reputation, and the bodega has also revived the old Jerez tradition of vermouth.