Atlántida Moscatel Muy Viejo (Orleans Borbón)
A lovely Moscatel that was part of a Club Contubernio pack
The Atlántida Moscatel Muy Viejo comes from Bodegas Orleans Borbon, a house with deep roots in Sanlúcar. Today the company forms part of Torrebreva, a large agricultural firm that is primarily known for table grapes, yet historically wine played a much more central role. The Atlantic influence is never far away here: albariza soils close to the coast and humid breezes. While production volumes are modest, bottlings such as this Atlántida release underline the estate’s potential.
This Moscatel Muy Viejo is said to have been aged statically (without refreshments) for many years. The wine rests in three half botas of 250 litres each. José Manuel, who has been working at the bodega for 20 years, knows they were already there when he arrived and hasn’t been touched since. Although very little other information is available, we can be sure the wine is very old.
Expect a deep mahogany colour and a palate where sweetness is balanced by volatile lift and a faint saline edge, a reminder of its coastal origins. The absence of refreshment typically results in more intensity and individuality compared to solera-aged Moscatel. If you’re interested, here is the tasting video (in Spanish) that accompanied the release.
Atlántida Moscatel Muy Viejo (15%, Bodegas Orleans Borbón 2023)
Nose: as fragrant as it is dark, almost perfumed even. I’m getting frangipane, the pastry that combines almond sweetness with jammy apricot. Totally fruity and juicy. A lot of fresh oranges, even some cherries and hints of rose petals. Some polished oak. In the background there’s a big hint of cinnamon rolls and some peppery spice.
Mouth: wow, superb acidity which to me is always the key to sweet wines. Truckloads of dried apricots and figs, balanced with lime juice, sour cherries and even a hint of salinity. The concentration is superb, but also the beautiful contrast which makes this exceptionally salivating. Still a nice spicy layer as well – more cinnamon with mild peppery notes.
Availability: part of a limited series, so hard to get. A few bottles are still available from Club Contubernio.
Summary: There aren't many of these very old Moscatel wines in the sherry region, but this one is excellent. Very concentrated but showing such a great sweet-sour balance. Old but so easy to drink (on its own or paired with desserts). Exceptional sweet wine.
4.5
Excellent
About the Author
Ruben is a Certified Sherry Educator who fell in love with sherry some 25 years ago, but switched to a higher gear in 2013 and started writing about it. Lived in Madrid for a couple of years, now back in Belgium. I also run a whisky blog over at www.whiskynotes.be
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