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
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.
About the Producer
Bodegas Bentomiz
Bodegas Bentomiz is a boutique winery in the hills of Malaga – a rugged landscape, 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 owners moved to Andalucia in 1995, into an area with centuries of wine making tradition, their property having vines that they vinified for personal use. Clara then became a full-time winemaker with a passion for creating subtle styles, eschewing high alcohol and too much oak in favour the minerial and saline character from the land and sea.
Their 80 to 100-year-old vines flourish in 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 – they are onlt 7k inland. The rugged landscape is not easy to work – mechanisation is not possible, hoeing and harvesting the steep slopes is by hand.
The vines are maintained as ‘bush vines’: the previous year’s shoots are trimmed off at the end of the winter so that the new sprouts grow into branches with leaves that form a bush and provide the fruit with an essential shade. Humidity is so low that the grapes can ripen on the ground without any risk of rot.
Bentomiz has successfully experimented with a combination of modern and traditional vinification techniques. 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.
