Valdespino 'El Candado' Pedro Ximénez
The story behind the Valdespino El Candado Pedro Ximénez begins with its name, which translates simply to 'the padlock'. It is a nod to an old cellar tradition where the finest, sweetest barrels in the bodega were so tempting that the family had to physically lock them away to stop the winery workers from helping themselves to the liquid treasure. To create such an intensely sweet sherry, the freshly picked grapes are laid out on mats and left to bake under the fierce heat of the Andalusian sun. This natural raisining process evaporates the water and concentrates all the natural sugars inside the fruit. The result is a beautifully thick, dark, and unctuous drink that pours like velvet and heavily coats the glass. It delivers a massive, mouth-coating punch of dark molasses, dried figs, roasted coffee, and raisins. Because it is so wonderfully rich, it acts as the ultimate dessert wine. It is phenomenal poured generously over a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, or served alongside classic, warming comforts like sticky toffee pudding or a dense chocolate brownie.
