Long overdue write up of a fantastic wine I had a good while ago in Taberna Palo Cortado – the Oloroso de Añada 1975 from Bodegas Tradición.

Bodegas Tradición are rightly famous for their VORS solera wines and I will always remember the tasting – also in Palo Cortado – when their enologist, Jose Maria Quiros, explaining how their biggest challenge was to keep the old wines tasting balanced and youthful. On that day this wine was one of the stars, and tasting it again nearly a year later it is still an exceptional wine.

The nose is very fine and brandy like, sweetness and spices in there with the furniture polish, and on the palate it is beautifully clean. I must admit that whenever I taste one of these vintage olorosos I am expecting so much acidity and concentration that they often come across as fresh and balanced but this really was. Again a nice acidity on the attack and then rich, gingery, spicey caramel flavours that grow in volume before fading away elegantly, and for a long time.

Really top class, and if you hurry they may still have some (they did last week).