Gutierrez Colosia is a former almacenista and now producer from el Puerto de Santa Maria that has released some really nice wines – the fino en rama really stands out (one of the first really good Puerto finos that I had) but down there in March their standard amontillado was the best of a strong field at dinner one night (seeing off Equipo Navazos and Emilio Hidalgo amongst others). So good, in fact, that one of the friends I was at dinner with that night hunted this down and got me a bottle.

This is the kind of wine you treat with respect so I have endeavoured to do a bit of research and, although this wine does not appear on the website, the bodega have been very quick to answer emails and generous with details. The Gutiérrez Colosía family describe themselves as heirs to the long tradition of “criadores de vinos”. In the past all the production was destined for the big houses with exporting operations. This particular amontillado comes from the soleras that over 50 years ago used to supply Williams and Humbert but when Williams changed hands the wine stopped being sold because at that time nobody else was willing to pay what it was worth (with the exception of a small amount that was bottled for the “almacenistas” collection of Lustau under the name Mª Loreto Colosía. The botas of this wine are located in a corner of the bodega blessed with “special” climatic conditions and only small quantities are bottled each year. In total it is estimated to have an average age of above 60 years.

The wine itself is not quite crystal clear – even a little turbid – but is a lovely deep chestnut colour. The nose has that solvent like, ethereal volatile start, but is full of hazelnuts, toasted almond and burnt butter.  On the palate it has a nice bite of alcohol and zingy acidity, and is refined, drying and fresh but tasty and salty. Not as intense as I expected given its age but very pleasant wood, nut and even tobacco flavours and a long, dry finish that is not astringent.

A rare old wine with the woody character to prove it.