In just over a week have had two absolutely cracking dinners in Angelita. Absolutely delighted to see the place full to the rafters on both occasions (standing room only downstairs the other night) because if anywhere deserves to be full this place does. Can’t speak highly enough of their approach to sharing wines – a fun list of interesting stuff that always has me trying new things and almost always enjoying them.

There were a few of those this week but this wine I knew alright, and it is a cracker.

This wine is by Antonio Bernal Ortega, one of the mayetos that make up Ramiro Ibañez’s Mayetería Sanluqueña. I refer to that earlier post for details of the project – as so often with Ramiro the idea is in itself fantastic – because this wine deserves a post all to itself. It is 100% palomino from the vineyard “La Charanga” on Pago Maína near Sanlúcar, a “river influence” pago famed for an albariza rich in diatoms.

The wine came out at first with a touch of reduction, but nothing that a big glass and a swirl couldn’t cope with and once it settled down it was a gem. It has an attractive sea-air and apple tart nose and on tasting shows a lovely salinity and shape. Fresh at the beginning and mouthwatering at the end, not heavy by any means but a nice splash of almond, apple, and herbs, fading to that salinity and a touch of peppery spice.

A lovely little wine all told, and it was a big hit with my sister in law – who despite being a newcomer to my little world of palomino white wines took to it like a born winelover, calling the salinity and flavours perfectly. A wine for all seasons and all publics. If only there were more of it …