$59.99
Moscatel de Alejandría grown from vines that were planted in 1902 and 1908 sits behind this late-harvest sweet wine from Jorge Ordóñez & Co. in Andalucia. The fruit comes from two old-vine parcels, El Panderón and Monte Faco, set on slate soils around 700 meters with a northern exposure. After picking, the grapes are dried at the winery to concentrate their sugars, then pressed and moved to a single French oak barrel where the 2023 fermented and aged. Yields fell below a quarter of the crop, which is part of why this bottling is the sweetest and most intense in the range, landing at 11% alcohol with a good deal of residual sugar.
The color is deep gold, and the nose runs through dried apricot, dried peach, quince, honey and raisin, with more savory turns toward caramelized orange peel, fennel and aromatic herbs. On the palate it is unmist
The 2023 Moscatel N3 Old Vines comes from El Panderón and Monte Faco. This was planted in 1902 and 1908 and the grapes fermented in a single barrel. A late-harvest wine, it offers dried apricot, dried peach, honey, quince, fennel and raisin on the nose, with a touch of volatility and hydrocarbons. Sweet yet fresh, with date notes on the finish, its acidity offsets the sweetness, delivering purity and drive. (Vinous)
Monte Faco and El Panderon are the two vineyards that go into the 2023 Vinas Viejas #3, all Moscatel de Alejandria, planted between 1902 and 1908. The grapes are dried at the winery in a cool room, then precisely selected, pressed, and transferred to one 500-liter French oak barrel for fermenting and aging. The barrel impact adds color but not oxidation, resulting in a finely tuned, richly layered expression of apricot and vanilla cookie that ends up at 11% ABV and 350 g/L, tasting full-bodied yet ethereal. The acidity speaks to plenty of aging potential, too. (Jeb Dunnuck, July 2025)
The 2023 Old Vines #3 fermented and matured in 500-liter barrels for 20 to 25 months. The grapes also have further dehydration and concentration than numbers 1 and 2, with yields below 25%, and the wine is sweeter and more intense. It was sourced from old vines on slate soils at 700 meters in altitude with a northern exposure. It has 11% alcohol, a pH of 3.15, 7.5 grams of acidity and 250 grams of sugar, with a golden color and a much more complex and nuanced nose with toasted notes, caramelized orange peel, balsamic tones and aromatic herbs. The concentrated and powerful palate is round and lush, very persistent and with a creamy touch in the finish. The wine should gain some more complexity with time in bottle, as it still feels pretty primary. 1,200 half bottles were filled in March 2025. (Wine Advocate, October 2025)