No more than a quick snifter last night at Taberna Palo Cortado but there is always time for a classic wine like this. Potent but one of the most beautifully elegant wines around. A quick search reveals that I have not posted about this wine before, which is shockingly remiss of me. I can assure you there have been a few glasses over the last year or so –

Said to be of much more than 30 years old, it nevertheless has a finesse and balance that escapes many of the dinosaurs you find around. The nose is piercing but refined and brandy-like, and on the palate it is dry rather than bitter, sharp and crisp and with a zingy salinity that is integrated into the lovely nutty and fruity/figgy and spicey flavours. Above all there is none of the astringency or old barrel flavours you so often come across.

A thing of beauty and everything an old amontillado should be.