Manuel Guerrero Pedro Ximénez Viejísimo

Wine: Manuel Guerrero Pedro Ximénez Viejísimo
Winery: Manuel Guerrero y Cia. (Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz)
Appellation: D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
Varietals: 100% Pedro Ximénez
ABV: [Not specified]

Winemaking
Specific production data is unavailable. Its extreme concentration and age suggest it originates from the estate's oldest soleras, akin to a modern V.O.R.S. (Very Old Rare Sherry). The bottle features two historic tax stamps (1.5 and 3 pesetas), suggesting it was bottled in the early 1950s and marketed in the mid-1970s. It has undergone approximately 60 years of bottle aging.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Dark iodized hue of high depth; it stains the glass like caramelized sugar, though slightly less viscous and extracted than other similar wines.

 

Nose: An olfactory journey into an ancestral apothecary. It reveals notes of mountain tea, dried chamomile stems, licorice root (paloduz), and aromatic herbs (sage, lavender, withered flowers), followed by dried shiitake, bay leaf, coffee beans, and Zara black licorice. Potent, evocative, and expressive, it possesses an almost vegetal, "wild" mountain character that is entirely unique. A beautiful and pronounced bottle reduction supports the extremely aged PX base, which still holds its raisined fruit in reserve. Subtle hints of carob, dates, and burnt coffee remain tightly woven into this profound, untamed aromatic profile.

 

Palate: A breathtaking surprise that defies the initial aromatic impression. Refined and in the style of the very finest Sherries—elegant, deeply complex, and fresh. A piercing acidity integrates the entire ensemble with architectural precision. It plays in the league of the greatest PX wines ever produced in the historic sacristías of Jerez. This is a spherical wine of immense breadth, featuring "divine" bitters and a complexity that leaves the taster speechless. It grips the palate for hours, saturating the taste buds in a way that is both "wounding" and magical. The retronasal power is more akin to an industrial extractor than a wine: medicinal touches, raisined fruit, and spices. Arguably the finest PX ever tasted; a true masterpiece that represents the pinnacle of human winemaking intelligence. It leaves one stunned, bewildered, and profoundly moved.

 

Personal Score: 100
Tasting Group Score: 100