Not a great day outside but always a good moment for a spot of fino and the second leg of the Spring 2016 3 en rama. In fact, a bit of controversy over the order – Carlos from Lustau here in Madrid would go Manzanilla, Fino del Puerto, Fino (which does makes sense in that the Manzanilla and Fino del Puerto share those seaside influences), whereas I prefer the Manzanilla, Fino, Fino del Puerto order because I think the flavours of the latter are a touch more intense than those of the Fino. Anyway whoever is right, this is what I am drinking right now.

This is another selection from a solera – this time in Jerez de la Frontera – and the wine has spent an average of five years under flor (compared to four for the Manzanilla and five for the Fino del Puerto).

In colour it is a pale goldish yellow – maybe a little less of the green tinge that the manzanilla had. On the nose, there are again some notes of green apple but less grass and more yeast and undergrowth. Then on the palate you get that yeasty flavour with a suggestion of apple at first, followed by punchy undergrowth and salinity, and then quite a long yeasty and sapid finish – maybe a little longer than the manzanilla.

A very pleasant fino -compared to the manzanilla it doesn’t scream freshness at you but it is certainly at the lighter, fresher end of the scale, with just a little heft to it.