It’s a beautiful sunny afternoon in Madrid, day off tomorrow and snooker on the TV – time for a drop of temper restoring fino.  

Fino Una Palma (literally, one palm) is the first of the range of four bottlings  selected by Antonio Flores, the superstar head winemaker at Gonzalez, which are named after the traditional barrel heiroglyphics used to indicate highly prized botas.

This one has been selected to represent the finos. It has an average age under flor of six years (compared to Tio Pepe’s five) and is an excellent example of the breed – a silky, fatty texture and it smells and tastes like the epitome of fino. Loads of minerals, nutty (raw, not roasted) and a slight hint of apple/citrus. It is a full bodied wine but probably works best a little cooler – say 9/10 degrees rather than 12/13. 

Here, in fact, is a nearly complete family photo – can’t believe I don’t have the Tres Palmas but you probably get the idea (yet another blogging fail)