Ortega 'The Philosopher' 2016
Please note, this is an archive wine and not available to purchase.Some of these bottles may return in new guises, others will remain as memories but all mark a moment in time.
Description
The Philosopher. So called as the creation of this limited edition ‘sticky’ has required much thought, contemplation and understanding of how to get the right texture, sweetness profile, balance of acidity and length.
The best parcels of Ortega were selected for this late harvest wine based on health, exposure and vine yield. After rigorous sorting the best grapes were chilled to -8deg C and after a few days loaded in small quantities into our press to extract tiny amounts of juice. At this temperature it is like squeezing juice from a marble. As the water is locked away you get just the sweet nectar from between the pulp and skin walls.
Fermented in a 3-5 year old Burgundian barrel and a purpose-made new small barrel with bespoke toasting for 6 months.
Once the alcohol level had reached around 8.5% and around 150gr/l residual sugar the fermentation was stopped. Further richness has developed from barrel and lees ageing.
Notes of caramel and marmalade on the nose leads to a moreish quince and lemon sherbet lingering finish. A good acid balance ensures a lithe dessert wine that goes well with blue cheese and citrus-based puddings.
ABV
8.5%
Bottle Size
37.5cl
Closure
Screw Cap
Grape
Ortega
