The ultimate sweetie
Bodegas Valdivia 15 year old Pedro Ximénez Dulce, Sacromonte, Sherry, Spain (£19.99 per 50cl bottle, Slurp.co.uk; Shill's of Station Street, 01900-826427; Liberty Wines, 020-7720 5350).
It is unusual for something new and innovative to emerge from Jerez. The famous, old brands continue to plod along, amazing our palates with their effortless skills and time-honoured, iconic wines. But when a new name, with an eye-catching label, comes along, curtains twitch and palates salivate.
The last time that PX was mentioned in this column was over two years ago. Welcome back, then, this extraordinary grape and its mind-bogglingly decadent flavour under the tutelage of a brand new boutique, Valdivia.
Loaded with impossibly intense, ultra-sweet, liquorice and toffee notes, this plum, raisin and fig-soaked wine is the ultimate sweetie. Drunk in tiny quantities with choccies or vanilla ice cream and brownies, this is a true hero's treat.
It is wonderful to know that regions like Jerez can innovate just as effectively as the fashionable hotspots like Piemonte.
• On another more serious note, please support the Fine Wine Auction for Earthquake Relief in Haiti – see
www.boozemonkey.com
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Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year.