Primitivo Quiles Fondilln Vino Nobile Gran Reserva Solera 1948 NV

Details

Unfortified, this is just remarkably-managed in the cellar, to end up presenting as a wine of 16% natural alcohol + 60 years’ age character, and still beautifully lively, graceful and elegant. It is lightly sweet, rather than a blockbuster PX style. Very long and easy, it is as much suited to drinking as an aperitif/afternoon tipple on ice as it is to the more obvious after-dinner liqueur slot.

The 1948 Solera is 10 foudre of 1700 litres each, covering 3 age levels. 1/3 only per annum of the oldest foudre is bottled. Red fruit tea in a caramelised, developed aromatic cloud, with brilliant volatile touch. The palate has a drying grip after a generous red fruit palate, still varietal and floral. It gently touches all parts of the mouth, wandering low-down, and cleaning up after itself, exiting gently, and leaving a salt-spice touch and long deep lingering perfume. Mostly, a tannin-grained essay in textural journeying. Wonderful.