La Riva Manzanilla Pasada Balbaína Alta

La Riva Manzanilla Pasada Balbaína Alta is a fortified wine made by Bodega De la Riva with the Palomino Fino variety in the D.O. Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda, in Cadiz, Spain.

Winemakers Willy Pérez and Ramiro Ibañez are responsible for reviving the old M. Ant.de la Riva (Manuel Antonio de la Riva) winery which at one point belonged to Bodegas Domecq. This is a very personal project where they make wines using traditional methods with grapes from traditional Marco de Jerez vineyards. Their wines have been awarded high marks from the most famous critics, like in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate publication.

The grapes used to make La Riva Manzanilla Pasada Balbaína Alta come from a small estate with closed coarse albariza which was planted with 45-year-old vines that were uprooted after the last harvest, in the year 2012.

These grapes were used to refresh a family solera with a few barrels, and then the five best, with the greatest Manzanilla character were chosen to make this extraordinary and unique La Riva Manzanilla Pasada Balbaína Alta, which is estimated to be between 15 and 18 years old and there are only 2,500 bottles of it.