Pedro-Ximenez 1955 Solera Cincuentenario NV, Perez Barquero (1x75cl)

This is not a table wine. It is a sweet fortified wine made from the Pedro Ximenez grape in Montilla-Moriles, in southern Spain — near Jerez but its own appellation. The PX grapes are dried in the sun before pressing, which concentrates the sugar and is why the wine ends up so sweet and so dark.

A solera is a fractional-blending system where older and younger wine are continually mixed, so "1955" points to when the solera was laid down rather than to a single harvest. A small pour goes a long way, which makes it a good after-dinner bottle to keep for guests.

Tasting notes

Sun-dried PX wines are usually intensely sweet and near-black, typically showing raisin, fig, molasses and coffee. Serve it cold in small measures with chocolate, ice cream or blue cheese.