Emilio LUSTAU - Pedro Ximenez - San Emilio
Bodegas Lustau is a famous sherry producer in Andalusia, Spain. La Bodega is arguably the most recognised fortified wine producer in the world. The estate was founded in 1896 by José Ruiz-Berdejo as Almacenista, and also cultivated his own vines. Almacenistas usually bought young wine (Ruiz made his own) and raised it in their own soleras, before selling them to larger houses, who mixed it with older wine or matured it longer in their larger soleras. It wasn't until the 1950s that Ruiz's son-in-law Emilio Lustau Ortega started bottling and exporting his own wine. Now based in Jerez, Lustau is the only winery to have sites in the three towns of the Sherry Triangle: Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Lustau buys grapes, while maintaining two of its own vineyards. The first is the Montegilillo vineyard, which is on white limestone albariza soil, local to the region. The second is the Las Cruces vineyard, which is found on sandy coastal soils.
Lustau Pedro Ximénez San Emilio is made with the Pedro Ximénez grape variety. The grapes were laid out in the sun after picking until they were practically raisins. After that, the fermentation starts slowly and is halted to maintain all the natural sugars. The resulting wine ages for 12 years in contact with the air in Jerez de la Frontera. The aromas of this very sweet sherry are reminiscent of figs, raisins and dates. It pairs greatly with strong blue cheeses, or with desserts. Ideal as a digestive or poured over vanilla ice cream.
Grape variety: 100% Pedro Ximénez