Great post here about the short-comings and failings of tasting notes. Not going to stop me though – I enjoy the process too much.
Author: sharquillo
Taberna Palo Cortado
I have finally made it to Palo Cortado, Madrid’s latest sherry destination.
It is an old school tavern in one of the quiet streets a stone’s throw from the palace and opera-house. The menu is full of Andalucian classics and standards – we had an excellent salad of partridge of escabeche in particular.
But the main attraction for sherry fans is the wine list – I didn’t count them (or take a picture, I really am a shocking blogger) but I reckon there must have been 60-odd sherries available, examples of every area and style and excellent prices (even for the blockbusters). Even better is the person behind that wine list, Paqui, one of the Sherry Women and a much loved member of the Madrid wine scene. Because when you have a list as long as this one you really need some expert advice.
In my case, I opted to go a vertical of manzanillas that I don’t know well from Bodegas Argueso.
First up was this manzanilla – Las Medallas – with five years under flor. It had aromas of straw and a big, meaty body to it. Really broad and robust for a manzanilla – amazingly meaty and chewy, like a very doughy loaf of bread, with more toasted bread than almond but a lot of umami. I really liked it (15/20).
Second was this, the San Leon, a more typical manzanilla – again with five years under flor. Also hay bales and herbal tea on the nose, much finer, more elegant but not quite as meaty as the Medallas. Bit quiet on the finish. (15/20)
Last but not least, comes the San Leon, Reserva de la Famila. This has had seven and a half years under flor and is recognizeably more refined – maybe lacking a little less scent compared to the junior version but a more elegant, powerful and compact wine. (16/20)
Three excellent glasses of wine – for a combined total of €8.70. There is no doubt that Palo Cortado is an essential visit for any sherry fan (and an excellent alternative even for laymen).
Fino Cuatro Palmas
Apologies for the repetition but I do believe that any time you drink a wine of this quality you should take time to appreciate it.
The colour is a beautiful deep brown – just a hint of orangey chestnut and it is as clear as a bell (unlike the bottle it came out of – which looks distinctly primeval at the bottom). On the nose there are a lot of notes: toffee, refined sugar and orangey fruit, maybe even Terrys chocolate orange – and some alcohol. You could almost say there is a bit of Glenmorangie about it.
First sip, not big or fat on the tongue and maybe a little bitter – a bit of acidity, heat and burnt toffee. But it is not at all astringent or unbalanced and the toffee and even nearly chocolate flavours come through as it goes on, and on. It is so long it is unbelievable – and keeps its full shape too.
Really a very fine wine.
Mirando al Sur
Definitely a ringer but a lovely one. A Rioja white wine – 100% viura – by the livewire man of the moment, Olivier Riviere, which makes it onto this blog because it spends 18 months in oak botas used to make jerez.
It is a rich gold in colour – not un-sherry like (indeed not unlike a good white Rioja). On the nose it is rich and fruity – maybe just the slightest suggestion of almonds and bread in the background. On the palate it has nice acidity, plenty of body to it and maybe just a bit more spice than you would expect – it is certainly long and fading towards the nutty flavours (maybe more hazelnut than almond).
The sherry influence is subtle – in this day and age of florpowers and aged palominos (of which more another time) this is more of a finished product. Overall, a (very nice) white wine with some sherry styling (and all the better for it).
Surtopia in excelsis
An absolutely cracking lunch today in Surtopia where the food seems to be getting better and better, and the list of sherries (and even more manzanillas) has always been amazing.
My fellow trencherman and host, Chicho (a Jerezano in body, soul and inclination) started with a glass of Inocente and I an 11540 with some delicious marinated sardines and Almerian tomatoes – absolutely magnificent stuff.
We then had one of the best tuna tartare I have ever had – with a lovely combination of mustard and (sherry) brandy – with this little gem of a manzanilla: the appropriately named Alegria, by Williams & Humbert.
The pairing was good but not magic – more an excellent wine and an excellent dish than an excellent combination. The wine is excellent though – light and aromatic, integrated and balanced, a really enjoyable glass by any standards.
We then ploughed on with more tuna – a confit of tuna in “manteca colorao” (literally coloured lard with an andalucian accent – but much nicer than it sounds). Again, a fantastic dish – probably the best of its kind I have had, meaty in texture and flavours. We had it with La Maruja, again an excellent nutty, sea-air laden manzanilla, although for my money not quite as aromatic and lively as the Alegria.
All in all a magnificent lunch with a great deal of laughter, some excellent manzanillas and some quite outstanding food.
Up in the air
Iberia have played a blinder here. What a joyous sight these two little fellas are for a thirsty traveller after a dry day. (Doubly so since there is normally nothing worse than the 21:30 flight home – always delayed – so this is most welcome.) In the circumstances I am going to overlook the stemware and just enjoy.
These little lads seem less aromatic than yesterday’s (see previous sentence) and with these salty nuts a lot of the flavour and salinity seems to blend to the background: the wine seems to have a bigger mosto component and more pronounced alcohol. Once the (salted, packaged) nuts are out of the way though you start to taste the full range – still a touch of mosto but also the olives, yeasty bread, and (unsalted) almond.
A little gem of a wine and like a true friend (or a motown singer) always there when you need him.
And just look at this lad! As we begin our descent towards Madrid, an Alfonso Oloroso – all burn and caramel. If only the flight were longer etc.
Brothers at arms
I thought (inspired by the pugnacious tweeting of @Harley1199) that it would be interesting to see if I can tell these two lads apart fully blind.
On the left, a halfie of the famous Tio Pepe – a classic fino with five years under flor with a street value of €3.47 (it is a halfie remember). On the right, its flash, fashionable unfiltered brother – recently bottled, limited in production and available at €15.25.
Bit of a false start because the first attempt was not blind enough. The en rama is a deeper gold (it is on the left below) – actually more obvious from a distance, curiously.
So in the end this is the set up (with lights off just in case).
Still clearly distinguishable.
There is a nutty aroma and flavour to the original Tio Pepe that is not there in its, maybe more herbal, but not as nutty, brother. In fact it was easier to identify the Tio Pepe than the en rama (I have after all been drinking the original for over ten years). It is a lovely wine – dry, elegant, aromatic. A real treat. But well done to the plucky runner up!
Solear en rama – Saca de Verano 2015
There she is – this summer’s drawing of unfiltered Solear, seen here soaking up some rays on my bookcase (purely for photographic purposes).
The colour is gold with the merest suggestion of green. On the nose it is very aromatic – well past chamomile tea and into salty herbs. I always think these manzanillas smell like sand dunes covered in wild flowers and this is no exception.
In the mouth it is saline and pungently herby, really a forceful mouthfull. I find this one just a little bit bitter and spicy – a green, raw olive type bitterness – and really not juicy (unlike last winter), more of an aromatic, dry herb flavour than anything. Really a racy little wine.
A flock of Solear en rama
As keen/bored followers of this blog will know, I am both an amateurish sherry blogger and an equally half-arsed Birdwatcher.
As such it is no surprise that I just love these little bottles of en rama manzanilla with our feathered friends on. If, like me, your other half is not a sherry drinker, these half bottles are perfect for an aperitif or cheeky snifter and the wine inside is really enjoyable. The pretty labels also add another dimension to the debate about whether to cellar or just have at them. I must admit that I have been almost unconsciously squirreling these away (in fact I was surprised I didn’t have a couple more species in the wine cabinet).
Sadly, no time to open one now but will report anon.
Uncle Joe on the branch (Fino en rama Tio Pepe, 2015)
Is worth two in the bush or something like that. I may be the last person I know to try the 2015 en rama fino by Tio Pepe but better late than never.
Beautiful colour to it – a not too shiny gold and clear as an alpine lake. On the nose it is herbal, in the mouth it is rich and velvety in texture and the flavours are of dry herbs, roasted fruit and uncooked bread – really long and juicy too. Very nice indeed.
It also is immediately recognizable as Tio Pepe – itself a much better wine than it gets credit for.
undertheflor.com 