I had another glass of this at the bar of Angelita and it left me in two minds. On the one hand, I feel privileged to have had the chance to try another glass. It confirmed my growing impression that it is a wine of some stature and getting better: an aromatic butterscotch and hazelnut on the … Continue reading Encrucijado 2014
A top wine, getting better every time I try it – and seems to show something different too. Today (and maybe in this glass) it is amazingly aromatic and has a more vertical feel on the palate too. Lovely – and as those in the know can see, still available at Territorio Era.
Another taste of this – currently available by the glass at Angelita – and it seems to be improving by the day. I enjoyed it the first time I was able to try it a couple of months ago, but really enjoyed it in Palo Cortado at last week’s tasting and am loving this too. … Continue reading Encrucijado 2014
Here it is, the second edition of the most unique wine being made in el marco. It is by Ramiro Ibañez‘s Cota 45 label and is an evolution of the Encrucijado 2012: whereas that was 50% palomino and had six varietals in total (10% each of Beba, Cañocazo, Mantuo Pilas (aka “Uva Rey”), Mantuo Castellana … Continue reading Encrucijado 2014
Encrucijado is one of the projects of Ramiro Ibañez’s Cota 45 and touches on many of the threads of the history the guy is trying to recreate. A multivarietal, vintage specific wine that corresponds to what was once called palo cortado (before that term became synonymous with the more marketable olorosos). This is the third … Continue reading Encrucijado 2015
Yet another cracking project from Ramiro Ibañez (he of Encrucijado, the Manzanilla de Añada and other projects) and something I am really looking forward to getting to grips with. Called “Pitijopos” it consists of a case of six examples of “mosto de pago”. Mosto is the name given to the unfortified palomino wines that are … Continue reading Pitijopos Volume 1 – 2014
A brief visit to an absolutely cracking wine bar in Bilbao – the legendary Cork, which was already a temple for sherry lovers when this blog was in short trousers and, despite the proliferation of competition since, has a selection of wines of the highest class. It is not often I go to a place … Continue reading Cork, Bilbao
The guys at elmundovino unveiled their wines of the year this morning and I am glad to say I have all three (one of them only since this afternoon it must be said). But I am particularly glad to see that the Oloroso la Barajuela 2013 – my own wine of the year – has … Continue reading Three Kings: The elmundovino wines of the year 2017
Looking back at what was a pretty fun 2017 as a blogger it dawned on me that I had never properly written up what was probably the best night of the year, an absolutely unforgettable evening in Corral de la Morería. The Corral de la Morería is Madrid’s and the world’s most famous, and probably … Continue reading The Greatest Show on Earth: the wines of el Corral de la Moreria
A quite outstanding masterclass, by the Master himself, appropriately enough in Taberna Palo Cortado. Many of the points were not new, but it was an excellent presentation bringing some much needed factual clarity to an area too often given to folklore while at the same time deftly comparing the industrial present to a past that was … Continue reading Ramiro Ibañez and the History of Palo Cortados
