Alvear 3 Mirades Paraje de Riofrio Alto 2021

Alvear 3 Mirades Paraje de Riofrio Alto, organic methods, 100% Pedro Ximinez, dry white, salty, citrus, baked fruits, fascinating and complex and delicious with classic Andalucian foods, seafood, nuts, cured meats and olives.  This is a style of wine which will not be for everyone but if you holidayed in Andalucia regularly and have got a taste from its fantastic array of dry, salty white wines made under for yeast from both Palomino and Pedro Ximinez, then this is the wine for you.

Riofrio Alto is one of the highest parts of the  Sierra de Montilla de Calidad Superior, about 600 metres above sea level.  These vines are right in the centre of Andalucia, here is hot, hot, hot, even when its cold, its hot, with summer temps regularly over 40 degrees.  So soils need to be very good for vines, and the Albariza which is poor in organic matter with a crumbly consistency, very good for retaining water and then also drianing at the right time.  The vines for these wines are mainly over 50 years old so roots are deep, which is also crucial.  Farming is very low intervention although not certified organic.

This delicious wine is made using natural fermentation before being tranferred to tinajas for eight months and then racked to old fino sherry casks, where it rests for a further twelve months under the ‘velo de flor’, which gives it the distinctive salty twang.  Notes of baked apple and pear with subtle hints of feneel accompany the dry, fino sherry like palate.