Amazing Grand Cru, great intensity and lusciousness, raspberry and cherry, yet savoury/earthy too with noticable minerality. A firm structure, yet rounded and supple, with lovely length. Enjoy young now or cellar for up to ten years.
Sherry is one of the treasures of the wine world, but for a while now it has been woefully under appreciated. This “introduction to sherry” explains how the miracle of sherry and its myriad of styles come to fruition. Some of the finest examples are produced by the Valdespino and Barbadillo families, producers of the finest sherries since the 14th century. They represent some of the very best from the region and we are delighted to showcase them here. Such extraordinary aromas, flavours and textures, a unique line-up ranging from the very dry to the very sweet. We hope you enjoy them. Read the rest of this entry »
Limited stocks of four very old and rare sherries have been released for sale as part of our sherry promotion, following a recent sale at Christie`s. Details below.
Antonio Barbadillo SA, the famous Manzanilla house, has recently released a small amount of very old and rare sherry. These wines are known in the Barbadillo bodegas as the “Reliquias”, or relics, due to their great age and extreme scarcity. Traditionally they were wines that were offered on special occasions to honoured guests of the Barbadillo family and have been lying in the bodegas for several decades. At Christies on Thursday 20th May 1999, 12 bottles of the Relics (3 of each style) were sold from between £360 and £420 per bottle, and according to Christies, achieved record prices for any Sherry sold at Auction. The buyers are known to be private collectors from the UK, continental Europe and the United States.
It is difficult to say precisely how old these wines actually are, but Barbadillo’s records report that they are in the region of 150 years old. The extreme concentration, austerity and complexity of these wines definitely substantiate these claims. Read the rest of this entry »
Luscious raisin and fig delight! On the palate it is rich and silky-smooth, a great after-dinner tipple.
Fine slightly sweetened Amontillado, the Pedro Ximenez providing a delicious fruitiness with a sweet spot, dried-fruit character and spice.
Essentially a sweetened Fino with 100% Palomino grape and “flor” ageing in oak casks for 4 years or so. Pale straw in colour, an aromatic grapey nose and light, refreshing, sweet-tasting palate. Should be served chilled as an aperitif, or with desserts. Also ideal “on the rocks”.
Grand old Oloroso, an intense, powerful and complex Oloroso, mahogany in colour, expressive and complex oxidatitive characteristics, caramel, almonds and apricots, long and persistent on the palate. This is one of the very best.
This superb aged Fino was allowed to develop into an Amontillado, maturing in oak casks for eight years under its natural “flor” veil, then for a further eight years developing oxidiatively, having lost its “flor” , resulting in a sherry with amber colour, medium intensity and hazlenut flavour, dry yet delicately grapey with a note of vanilla-oak for background.
This is an intense, rich and seductively sweet Oloroso. Olorosos develop in barrel oxidatively without the protective “flor” layer so they are almost always nutty with interesting oak spices. This one, sweetened by 15% Pedro Ximenez, is a fine example, mahogany colour with a lusciousness and dried fruit character, then a long, sensual finish. Aged a minimum of 25 years, this is a perfect match with full flavoured cheeses, game, rich puddings, nuts and dried fruits.
Valdespino bought the old Calle Ponce bodega in the heart of Jerez in the `60s and this Palo Cortado Viejo is a result of the solera system from the bodega`s original sherry casks. Winemaker Eduardo Ojeda tops up the solera with Inocente Fino barrels which are of exceptional quality and not showing typical Fino characteristics. A 25 years+ sherry, Palo Cortado is a cross between Fino and Amontillado, a result of maturing Fino losing its “flor”. This is a classic: amber-copper in colour with characteristic dried figs, salty almonds and walnuts. Savoury, nutty and complex, this is very dry and firm on the palate, perfectly balanced with a long-lasting finish.