A chance to try a couple of these feathered friends one on one – bird vs bird, razorbill vs roller, winter v spring.

Wines from the same solera just a few months apart. It is unlikely they are from the same botas: more likely a different selection each time (there are 13,050 botas after all). I am pretty sure that they are of a similar overall age (around 10 years under flor) and have come through a similar number of classes – but would be happy to be corrected.

First impressions – nothing between them in colour terms. On the nose of the razorbill maybe slightly more of the hay bales/acetaldehide while the roller maybe has a touch more sea air but it is very marginal. They even out and get even closer as they warm in the glass.

Fresh pours now and impressions on the palate are similar – slightly more green apple on the razorbill, the roller just a little sharper, more mineral. It is really difficult to distinguish them though – such a distinctive, zingy and flavourful wine in each glass. (Looking now at the back labels and I seem to be in the majority opinion.)

What a wine this is. I love the zingy mineral spice of them both and it is so hard to choose between them. If I had to, that hair’s breadth more juice to the razorbill makes it my marginal favourite.