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PiXel
PiXel is a dry young wine from Andalusia that is harmonious, graceful and full of subtleties; a blend of Pedro Ximénez (90%) and Moscatel de Alejandría (10%)
The Pedro Ximenez grapes come from the albariza soils (white, chalky – often found in Jerez) in the region Moriles Altos, and the Moscatel de Alejandría from the slate soils of the Axarquía in Málaga
The harvest takes place in late July and August, when the grape is ripe but not over-ripe, to make sure a good level of acidity is retained. Fermentation at 15ºC achieves the desired fresh and aromatic character after which the wine gets a 4 month period of ageing on the lees.
It is bottled with a light filtering (there may be some sediment) using a Nomacorc closure – a natural ecological cork of sugar cane
Additional Information
Grape Varieties: Moscatel, Pedro Ximenez
Alcohol/VOL: 13.5%
Vintage: 2021
Other: Vegan , Vegetarian
Tasting Notes:
Its aroma reveals juicy flavours of white and citric fruits, crunchy apple. Concentrated white blossom and elderflower with a sweetly fragrant background of fresh pineapple and ripe pear. On the palate it is mouth-watering with an exquisitely smooth texture enhanced by hints of minerals and salt. Its limey crispness leads into a long aftertaste.
“There’s a lot of wine, and a very interesting wine, for a modest price. The lee ageing has given a depth to the texture and the flavour”
16 points: Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages (Julia Harding, May 2021)
Drink as an aperitif, with salted almonds, olives or fresh Spanish tapas; or with fish, seafood, sushi and ceviche.
The Producer
Bodegas Bentomiz is a boutique winery in the hills of Malaga – a rugged landscape of steep vineyards and spectacular views. Sheltered by the Sierra Tejeda mountains to the north, with the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the area provides the perfect conditions for producing fresh and delicate wines – the emphasis is to create subtle styles, eschewing high alcohol and too much oak in favour the mineral and saline character from the land and sea.
Dutch couple Clara Verjeij and Andre Both emigrated to Andalucia in 1995 in search of a warmer climate and more prospects for Andre’s building and engineering business, with Clara setting up a language school in nearby Competa. But as they built their new home in an area with centuries of wine making tradition, a new idea emerged. Their property in Sayalonga had an abandoned vineyard that, as wine lovers, they restored for personal use producing their first 700 bottles in 2003.
Starting with this ‘vino del terreno’ a simple, local, hobby wine they followed up instructions from locals about growing grapes and making wine. As soon as they saw the potential in the estates indigenous old vine Moscatel de Alejandria and Rome grapes they decided to be more professional. Clara became a full time winemaker, whilst Andre developed the restaurant side of their business in the Bauhaus-style winery built in 2005
The estates 80 to 100-year-old vines, with more recent additional plantings, flourish in the special Terruno Pizarroso slate soils, at heights of between 500m and 800m. There is little, though sufficient, winter rains (recently just 5 days!) and long, dry summers; but the heat is softened by sea breezes – being only 7k inland.
At Bentomiz, the vines grow in bush form, known as ‘en vaso’. This ensures that the leafy top branches of the bush afford essential shade to the fruit growing underneath. Due to the low humidity of the area, the grapes can ripen low to the ground without the risk of rot. Bush vines also grow very deep roots, reaching the water table that other vines would not achieve in this region of low rainfall.
The rugged landscape is not easy to work – mechanisation is not possible, harvesting the steep slopes is by hand and usually taking place in the hottest part of the year in mid-August.
Once harvested, the grapes are dried, like raisins, on paseros or on floating racks which allows the air to move over the top and underneath the grapes. Bentomiz has successfully experimented with a combination of modern and traditional vinification techniques. Many of their processes vary from the norm, with great success, but has taken a great deal of experimentation along the way. Wines are fermented in stainless-steel, temperature-controlled tanks. Some are aged in oak barrels; others ‘on the lees’ in stainless-steel tanks.
Over 20 Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe serve their Ariyanas wines.