Lustau “Escuadrilla” Amontillado

Just a quick note today, I've got a load of painting to finish off before the end of the week. I'm mainly a fino/manzanilla guy, but I do enjoy a bit of older sherry action from time to time. Amontillado is a handy style as it goes well with cheese and is great with soup to start off a meal. 

In the glass its the colour of molasses. Fresh and vibrant nose of crushed almonds and peacans, coffee, and a touch of orange rind. In the mouth its savoury and mouth coating, but balanced by the acid and a touch of heat. Good length with an orange and coffee twist. Goes well with a wedge of hard cheese.  90 Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars Price: $19 (375ml) Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.emilio-lustau.com

Sánchez Romate “Marismeño” Fino

Its good summer's day in Melbourne today, not too hot, but sunny.  Perfect for fino.  Well any day is a good day for sherry really.  So out came the olives, jamon, white anchovies and a bottle of fino for lunch today.  Now this is living… 

Almonds, apples, honeysuckle, orange blossom, and yeasty flor character.  Tangy and fresh in the mouth with a slice of acid that really cleans the palate.  A lingering finish with sea spray and anise.  Almonds, tangy flor and a touch a anise and lemon peel on the palate.  Great with snacky cured meats and fish.  92 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $30 (750ml) Closure: Cork Stopper

Web: www.romate.com

Herederos de Argueso San Leon Manzanilla

I was out at lunch last week and ordered a glass of Manzanilla to kick things off.  One of the guys said "I'll have one too".  I was quite surprised, so I said "you know I just ordered Sherry?" "Oh, I thought you ordered a refreshing white wine" was his reply.  And he was right.  At 15% Manzanilla is about the same as a glass of chardonnay these days, and is the ultimate refresher in these days of climate change.

San Leon is new in town, adding to what seems to be a growing list of Manzanilla available in Australia.  Like most sherry houses, Herederos de Argueso has been around since the dawn of time and produces the full range of wines.  It is one of the leading manzanillas in the UK actually.

Very pale, almost colourless. Classic nose, salt spray, chamomile, roasted nuts and flor.  Refreshing and highly drinkable.  This is not a simple sherry, the palate is complex, but subtle.  More nuts, light sea salt and tangy apple. There is also a mealy character that I find very interesting.  You will need to order a couple of these, it goes all too quickly.  92 Pts.

Source:  Toro/Woods Wines Price: Around $18 (375ml) Closure: Screwcap

Web:  www.argueso.es

Lustau Solera Reserva Jarana Fino

I still have a fridge full of Sherry, it has been very civilised to come home from work to a glass or two.

What makes Jerez and surrounds such a good place to make sherry?  As always, there are a couple of things that make this area unique. Firstly the climate, but also the soil.  They call it albariza, and its a fine, chalky soil.  Its a start contrast to the other soil types in the area and is perfect for growing palomino in the hot dry conditions.

Lustau have been around for quite some time and produce a huge range of sherries.  This one comes from their middle tier range.

Fine and light on the nose, almonds and apple with a hint of salt and flor.  Its a fruit plate in the mouth, crisp apple and nuts with an orange like tang on the finish.  Fresh, light and zingy is a good way to sum it up.  So well balanced, its far too easy to drink. This would be a good introduction to dry sherry, as well as making the old hands very happy.  90 Pts.

Source: Rathdowne Cellars Price: $15 (375ml) Closure: Cork Stopper

Web: www.emilio-lustau.com

La Guitana Manzanilla

The gypsy girl, possibly the best known manzanilla, you could say she is the face of Manzanilla.  The picture on the label was painted byJoaquín Turina.  Again this is a very popular manzanilla, its the drink of choice in the bars of Seville, which must be the sherry drinking capital of the world.

This bottle is getting towards the end of its drinking life having been bottled in January this year, but it is still showing very well looks fresh. A fresher bottle (less than 6 months in bottle) may go up a point.

Very pale with aromas of sea spray and almonds with a great yeasty, flor character oozing the essence of good manzanilla.  Dry, refreshing and balanced in the mouth, more lightly salted nuts, bitter herbs and a touch of apple. 88 Pts.

Source: Rathdowne Cellars Price: Around $16.50 (500ml) Closure: Cork Stopper

Web:  www.vinicola-hidalgo.es

Valdespino Inocente Fino

Back to sherry, and a very good one at that. Valdespino Inocente Fino is renowned as a great fino, all the big names have given it the nod.  Valdespino claims to be the oldest bodega in Jerez, they have been making the stuff for 700 years so they could well be.  However, the current business has been going since 1875

Very pale, almost neutral in colour, with a slight yellow/green tint.  A beautiful sherry fino nose, green apple, almonds and a slight note of iodine.  Its dry and bursting with freshness in the mouth, jam packed full of classic flavours: a light bitter herb and a yeasty, woody character mixed in with some salty nuts.  Complex and refreshing. Nicely balanced, it has a prick of acid and a nice smooth finish.  A classic.  How can wine this good be so cheap?   92 Pts.

Source: Importer Sample Price: Around $17 (375ml) Closure: Cork Stopper

Importer: Negociants Australia

Tio Pepe Fino

OK time for some fino, manzilla's big brother.  Tio Pepe is the leading fino sherry in Spain, and indeed around the world. Fino is a good match to the spicier tapas dishes such as gabas al pil pil (Throw some medium size prawns in a cazuela with some slices of garlic, chili and plenty of olive oil.  Heat it up until its all sizzling.  Eat).

You've probably heard all about the shelf life of sherry, Tio Pepe doesn't have a bottling date on the back, so ask how old the stock is before you buy.  If its older than a year forget it, less than 6 months is ideal.  

Very pale in colour, almost clear.  The nose has some great almond with lemon and the classic yeasty flor character. In the mouth its very smooth and exceptionally balanced, yet at the same time its fresh and crisp. The nutty flavours from the nose show themselves in full on the palate, there is also a surprising green apple character.  The acid is great on this wine, freshening but not overly sharp.  A great fino, just make sure you get fresh stock.  92 Pts.

Source: Retail Cost: $28 (750 ml)  Closure: Cork Stopper

Web: www.tiopepe.co.uk

La Guita Manzanilla

Sorry for the shoddy label on this one, there is a bit of string that goes under the label for some reason.  Anyway, this is a very popular manzanilla in Spain, either that or the people who market it are very good, as it has been in the mini bar of just about every hotel I have stayed at in Spain.  Kind of like the Gideon bible, but drinkable.

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of this wine, but I can appreciate the style.  Perhaps it is a bit old whenever I drink it, but I wouldn't know as the bottling date is not stamped on the back (La Goya has it).

Very pale straw in colour, the nose has candle wax, a kind of citrus wiff and what can only be described as a flor character.  In the mouth it is quite fresh, if a little sharp, but nice and tangy. Almonds, candle wax and lemon make up the bulk of the flavours on the palate. It has a nice long finish that leaves you with a tart, grape tang.  Very good and at $10 for a stubbie, its well worth putting in your lunch box for some midday tapas in the park.  87 Pts.

Source: Retail Cost: $10 (375 ml)  Closure: Screwcap

Web: www.laguita.com

La Goya Manzanilla Pasada

I was reading GW's review of some sherry from Rutherglen over the weekend when I realised that I've only got one post on sherry so far.  Very embarrassing.  So, to rectify the situation a picked up a couple of stubbies of Manzanilla, this is the first.

For the uninitiated, Manzanilla is a style of fino sherry that is made in the town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, its close to the sea and the wine is said to have a salty tang as a result.  There are two types of Manzanilla: Fina and Pasada.  Fina is young, light and elegant and Pasada is aged for a longer period of time and gains more complexity.  You can then have an 'en Rama' version of the same wine, which is basically straight from the cask, unfiltered.  I haven't encountered an en Rama Manzanilla in Australia yet, if you know of one please let me know, they are usually a step up from the filtered wine.

A light hay colour, a nice nose of nuts and bread, some white flowers as well. Fresh and crisp in the mouth, load of tangy nut flavours.  You could imagine a small burst of sweetness on the back palate, but you would be imagining it, this is very dry.  There isn't a lot of saltiness here (a trademark of Manzanilla), just a touch.  Great lingering finish.  At 15% alc, this is same alcohol level and many table wines these days! Throw out that VB rubbish and replace it with this.  92 pts. 

Source: Retail Cost: $15 (375 ml)  Closure: Screwcap

Web: www.delgadozuleta.com