Toro Albalá

These extraordinary dessert wines come from deep Andalucía, 50 km south of Córdoba; and PX, an acronym for Pedro Ximénez, is both the grape variety and the name given to the wines. Legend has it that the variety was brought from northern Europe by a soldier named Peter Siemens, from Flanders; and that Pedro Ximen was about as close as the locals could get to rendering his name. The suffix ez was added, following the old Spanish tradition of using a father's surname to create his son's name by adding this; and in the meantime the grape adapted very well to the scorching, sunny lands of Montilla, where it is justifiably considered they key element of sweet wines.

The Toro Albalá winery, meanwhile, is located in Aguilar de la Frontera and though originally located in an old mill (hence the name La Noria) in 1922 it moved to a former electric power station, which is its present location (also hence Eléctrico applied to its most special wines).

It is therefore no surprise that locals tend to ask for an electroshock when ordering TA´s wines, going on to discuss their voltage when referring to alcohol content - demonstrating just how attuned everyone is: for this is a veritable local institution - with its spectacularly oddball museum, regular open-house day in mid July that runs through into the seriously wee hours, and even an all day picnic on a duly appointed day in May for all the Guardia Civil of the province and of course their families. The man behind all this is marvellously self-effacing Antonio Sánchez - arguably the Heston Blumenthal of PX - who not only has one of the most important collections of wine books on the planet (including original Pascals), weird primeval stones, and a London taxi-cab - but designs wonderful gizmos such as low pressure helicoidal wine filters that run into cubic oak casks with replaceable staves.

Inevitably, some of these inventions have never worked, but the irrepressible Antonio slaves away from day to day at his curious investigations and ultimately produces the best PX in the world, with more than half a century of experience on his side.

He also carefully monitors the evolution of each particular cask in his cellars, some of them dating back to the 19th century; and only recently released a PX from the 1910 vintage: Ginés Liébana. With almost a century spent in barrels, this wine is a remarkable and unique experience - also a homage to a local painter of the same name born in that year who in true local fashion is still very much alive and kicking, and dedicates himself to painting angels like the one that adorns the label of this unique wine. Toro Albalá owns 37 hectares, all planted with the Pedro Ximénez (PX) grape and of these 7 hectares are organically grown and used to produce La Noria - of which Monsieur Parker says 'the brown-ambercoloured 2003 Don PX "La Noria" Pedro Ximenez Single Vineyard Organic offers aromas and flavours of figs, dates, toffee and caramel. Viscous and sweet, with superb concentration, this elixir is a fine way to end a meal. 90 Points.

Dulce de Pasas is its similar, more youthful cousin - a fresh, fruity style redolent of liquid raisins and apricots; while the opulent black, individually barrique-aged Gran Reserva 1979 is an altogether different proposition; black in colour, and imbued with overtones of coffee, molasses and figs, though sweet it is also fresh, upbeat, and sappy.’ Unsurprisingly, Gran Reserva vintages are not released in chronological order but when Antonio Sánchez considers them ready to be enjoyed. Quality is the only and first rule is the house motto. For back vintages of Eléctrico and other styles, please contact Alastair Moss at Moreno Merchants - Fine & Rare.