FERNANDO DE CASTILLA. ANTIQUE PEDRO XIMENEZ

Tasting note:

The Antique Pedro Ximénez is a dark black colour with a slight dark brown tinge to it.

The nose is fabulous, exhibiting warm aromas of prunes, figs and raisins combined with liquorice, coffe, tea and tobacco.

The palate is luscious but not cloying. The aromas of the nose carry through but are combined with a refreshing delicateness of texture. This is a seductive sherry, with an intense range of flavours and a surprising lightness. 

About the wine:

The Pedro Ximénez grapes are harvested and dried for up to 2 days in the hot September Spanish sun.

Fernando de Castilla deals only in prestigious, premium wines. The sherries are all from individual soleras. They are bottled without blending, cold stabilization or filtration of any kind in order to preserve the subtlety, purity and distinctive aromas of these premium wines.

The products are all bottled in clear glass to show off the wonderful colour of the wines. After fortification, ageing takes place in a solera system. The initial wine has a sugar content of 300 grammes per litre and is very concentrated. Having spent a long time, around 20 - 30 years, in barrels the final sugar content of the Antique Pedro Ziménez is around 450 grammes per litre and the colour has developed over a period from a dark mahogany into an intense black.

About the producer:

One of the most exceptional of the small, independent sherry houses, Fernando de Castilla was revitalised in 1999 by Jan Pettersen - a Norwegian with a passion for top quality sherry and 15 years experience at Osborne.

After taking over the cellars of the Sherry shipper Jose Bustamante, located next door to the main facilities of Fernando de Castilla, Jan quickly established Fernando de Castilla as masters of the production and ageing of fine, unblended, untreated Sherries.

The bodega's reputation is based on the excellence of the Antique range of intensely pure and complex single solera Sherries whose award winning packaging makes them even more impressive. The Antique Palo Cortado was awarded 'Best Dry Fortified Trophy' at the 2011 New Wave Spanish Wine Awards, whilst the Antique Amontillado scooped the trophy for ‘Dry Fortified over £10’ at the 2011 Decanter World Wine Awards.

Awards:

Wines From Spain Awards 2012 - Best Sweet Fortified

International Wine Challenge 2012 - Gold

Sommelier Wine Awards 2012 - Gold

Decanter World Wine Awards 2009 - Silver

Sommelier Wine Awards 2009 - Gold List (Fernando de Castilla took 2 of the 4 Golds for Fortifieds in the Sommelier Wine Awards 2009)

New Wave Spanish Wine Awards 2009 - Top 110 Wines

Sommelier Wine Awards 2008 - Gold List

New Wave Spanish Wine Awards 2006 - Top 103 wines

International Wine Challenge 2006 - Gold