Hauntingly Delicate, Seriously Intense: La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada #120 Bota"No"

For us, the Manzanilla Pasada represents Equipo Navazos at their best.

These releases are absolutely riveting. They deliver a chalky, saline cut with serious, nuanced complexity. The total package is jaw-droppingly impressive.

Jesús Barquin, sherry scholar and one of La Bota's founders, was in the store a few years ago and said this about the solera that it originates from: "This is very special. I don't know of anything else like it in Sherry Country." I once tasted through nearly all of the 15 barrels that make up the solera, and it was one of the most amazing tastings I've ever taken part in.

What's amazing is that the solera had never been commercialized until La Bota unearthed it. For decades, the "Capataz" (the bodega foreman) kept it going by drawing small amounts of wine and refreshing it to keep the flor (yeasts) alive. He couldn't let Manzanilla of such incredible quality go.

Manzanilla Pasadas exist in a liminal stage between energetic Manzanillas and deeper and darker Amontillados. What results is a thrilling minerality with a mesmerizing depth of complexity. Just to put some numbers to all of this, whereas most Manzanillas are between three and four years old, these boast an average age of fourteen years.

Each barrel in the solera takes on a life of its own. Out of this amazing solera, some barrels stand out as being extraordinary. The #120 is sourced from three of the best barrels of the solera, the "Bota Punta", and two barrels marked "NO". The "NO" designation indicates that it shouldn't be treated like the other barrels due to its special qualities. This barrel is drawn from and replenished differently, and this develops further complexity. The "Bota Punta" is the barrel at the end of the row. Because of its location, the "Bota Punta" is drawn from more often, and this causes it to take on a more intense character.

It all adds up to one of the most profound wines that Sherry Country has to offer. Few wines anywhere offer the sort of nuance and depth that special Manzanilla Pasadas do. I'm very happy to offer another great example of an exceptional Manzanilla Pasada.

To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits

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