M. Ant. De La Riva, Manzanilla Pasada Balbaina Alta, NV (Pre-Sale, Wine Arrives 2/19)
is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
"There is a new bottling from June 2024 of the NV Manzanilla Pasada B.A. (they had to remove "Balbaína Alta" from the label) that was released in 2019, which is not evident but shown as a lot number on the back label. The front label is different, and the wine is also different. It's five years older, now possibly over 20 years of average age, and was not moved for five years, still with flor but a thin layer. It's textbook Manzanilla Pasada, the dark golden color, the pungent nose, extreme creaminess, a killer mouthfeel, with power and finesse. There are some 1,200 bottles of this saca. There is a butt remaining that might be released in the future as Amontillado. 97+pts" — Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
"...sourced from palomino situated 10km from the sea, from a family parcel which was ripped out after the 2012 harvest. Grapes were hand-harvested in mid- September, pressed whole cluster and wild yeast fermented in bota on the lees, and then biologically aged under flor for an average of 3.5 years in a traditional 1/20 solera system. Ramiro and Willy purchased the solera, and this wine is the only saca which is entirely from that vineyard, bottled from 7 botas with the most Manzanilla character, and the remaining botas will go toward a future Amontillado." — Jose Pastor Selections
(Pre-Sale, Wine Arrives 2/19)
