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Jerez de la Frontera. The pioneering Navazos-Niepoort project–which originally included the expertise of winemaker Dirk Niepoort and Quim Vila (owner of legendary Barcelona wine merchant Vila Viniteca), continues to go from strength to strength. Now in its seventh vintage, Niepoort is no longer involved but the label carries his name as a recognition of the role he initially played.
The current 2015 release is a thing of beauty. It was sourced entirely from a parcel of 30-year-old Palomino grapes harvested from Jerez’s great pago (single site), Macharnudo Alto. Dubbed the ‘Montrachet of Jerez’, the albariza chalk here–called Tosca de Barajuelas–results in in low yields of thick-skinned grapes and a particularly fine, chalky and saline Palomino.

The wine was naturally fermented in a 40-year-old bota (sherry cask) that was filled 5/6 to capacity in order to encourage flor. It was then matured for some 11 months under a veil of flor before being bottled unfortified. This release had a little more time in vat than previous vintages and the result is a wonderfully textured, complex and mineral white. It’s weighted a bit like a cool climate Chardonnay but with a totally different personality–it’s far more savoury, with dried citrus, iodine and salted almond notes and a long, driven, chalky close. Great precision too. In fact, it’s likely the finest and most precise Navazos-Niepoort we have seen. As such, it offers brilliant value.

“The latest vintage of the unfortified, flor-aged white from Jerez (aka Fino) is the 2015 Navazos-Niepoort. This is a collaboration with Portugal’s Dirk Niepoort that started in 2008 and sparked interest for this style. It’s produced with grapes from one single vineyard (Pago Macharnudo) from a normal year in the region, fermented in oak casks like yesteryear, aged under flor for 11 months and bottled bone dry at 12% alcohol. It’s expressive and open and has certainly overcome the closed cycle it usually goes into after bottling, even with some pungent hints, getting a little closer to Florpower but with muscle and power. The palate is very tasty, with chalky minerality and a long finish.” 92 points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate

“Pale gold. Delicate aromas – more pronounced on the second day – of spiced yellow fruits, yellow plum, and a yeasty note, but mostly the yellow fruit, slightly sour, just a little toasty on the palate, more so with air. The flor influence seems restrained but it adds a salty, mouth-watering intensity to the fruit, and the terroir shows in a salty, long finish. These Equipo Navazos and Navazos-Niepoort wines are so complex and require real concentration even while they offer intense pleasure. This too is really persistent. It is more subtle than the Florpower MMXVI, more creamy in aroma and flavour, even though it is dry. So fresh on the finish. How do they get such freshness from Palomino Fino?” 17.5 points, Jancis Robinson.com