Fino

Fino en rama Santa Petronila, December 2016

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Two successive posts in relation to this, the smallest bodega in Jerez. On Thursday night a glass of cream, and on Friday night a glass of what to me seems their best wine – the fino en rama – this time in Taberna Verdejo.

The first time I had this wine I had the Saca of December 2015, with a good 10 months in the bottle and I was impressed by how expressive it was. This time it is is the saca from December 2016 with only three months in the bottle and by comparison this one is a shade lighter in colour and seemed a little more restrained and, if anything, fresh and fruity. Hints of green apples and fresh almonds on the nose – the haybales and bakery aromas and flavours are there but only in the background. On the palate again it is fresher – that suggestion of apple and fresh almonds – I didn’t detect the bitter almonds that I remembered – and a nice savoury, zingy edge and fresh finish.

A tasty wine and none the worse for that fruit – even Mrs Undertheflor enjoyed it.

 

Primitivo Collantes in Enoteca Barolo

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Primitivo Collantes is one of the true unsung heroes of the so called sherry revolution. He and his wines are from the Southernmost tip of el marco in Chiclana – outside the traditional centres of Jerez, Sanlucar and el Puerto – but the wines are as good as any that you will find from El Marco and on Monday Primitivo himself gave a masterclass on the new wine making in the region to a packed house in Enoteca Barolo.

A really excellent tasting in fact. As you can see above, we had explanations of the geography and climate, sobretablas from different soils, samples of the soils themselves (including from the famous Finca Matalian), wines of different styles and at different stages of ageing, explanations of the major choices made in making the wines and some really neat nuggets of technical wisdom.

Most importantly, the wines were cracking – Socaire, the Arroyuelo Fino en Rama and Amontillado Fossi you may have already heard of, but we also had the chance to try a Socaire with a touch of oxidation from an additional 8 months ageing and a frankly beautiful, elegant, light and spritely fifty year old moscatel.

As always, will take me sometime to write up my notes – for the time being my congratulations to Enoteca Barolo and the man himself. Bravo!

 

 

La Panesa – 1a saca de 2010

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An interesting couple of days for evolved finos alright. The Panesa is, for me, the special fino, and this is an example from what the bodega considers was a special saca. It is a fascinating wine any day of the week and this one, with its fifteen years in the bota and seven years in the bottle, is extraordinary. It was donated and opened in Territorio Era on Saturday by Juancho Asenjo, who very kindly asked them to keep me a glass – and to be fair to the wine I have kept it waiting a little.

There is no mistaking the age. Several shades darker in colour, and loads of haybales and almost sawdust on the nose – almond dust in the background, almost like marzipan (great shout from my man David), but also that sulphurish bitterness of a sherry with time in the bottle. On the palate it is a similar story – gentle start, soft and integrated sensations and toasted bakery notes, long finish with almonds that are just a touch gingery and bitter. Still spicey and zingy, but a touch more restrained.

We take our “work” seriously on this blog so I paired this regal old Panesa with a 2016 version – and just look at the visual comparison below. 


There is no doubt about the evolution and complexity of the old’un – it has developed characteristics of its own, and there is greater integration. On the other hand for me (and again, this may be my fault since it was open several days) it lacks the spring and spark of its younger colleague – and maybe has a shade more bitterness than I am looking for.

And the verdict? I am boringly predictable in this respect, so you won’t be surprised to learn that I preferred the 2016 – I am not saying that the bottle ageing doesn’t bring something (I have had crackers that were two or three years old) but maybe this one was just a little long in the tooth. Nevertheless, a fantastic opportunity for a close look at bottle ageing for which I am very grateful. 

La Bota de Fino 2 – Jerez de la Frontera 

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The first of the epic series of finos released by the guys at Equipo Navazos, of which I have had the good fortune to taste several (including the Nº35, the Nº54 and, my favourite so far, the Nº 68). This was bottled way back in June 2006 and as you can see from the ficha even back then the makers were thinking in terms of its evolution in the bottle.

As you can see, ten years later it is no longer gold with a greenish hue: a lovely rich amber instead. The nose is all hay bales and crusty bread – a real rustic bakery nose -, it has a nice profile of zingy/salinity and mouth watering finish and the flavours in between are savoury and rich in umami. A really class fino, even ten years later.

And yet there is a but here, because I can’t help comparing this refined, elegant old wine with the swashbuckling, punchy Nº68 that I enjoyed a few weeks ago. I may be in the minority, but not for the first time I find this glory (and there is no doubt it is delicious wine) to be a little faded. (Of course it may be confirmation bias: the excuse I am looking for to stop worrying about cellaring and drink up these cracking wines as soon as I can.)

I look forward to the debate on that. In the meantime, I want to take a moment to show my appreciation to Fernando at Cuenllas, who made it possible for me to try this and some other special wines during what was an absolutely phenomenal meal yesterday. Absolutely top drawer.

Fino Don Zoilo

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A very respectable fino this from Williams & Humbert – fresh but tasty, and with a bit of savoury body to it. 

Classic rich fino colour – would say it has a bit of age – and a punchy bitter almond nose. On the palate nice fresh salinity and that savoury, almost meaty bitter almond flavour. Nice long finish.

Only one glass (and I really needed that after a long week) but struck me as an above average fino. 

Fino Una Palma 

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The Palma range is a special selection of special wines by Gonzalez Byass – for background see this piece from April 2015 amongst others – and this is the first of the four, a nice fresh six year old fino (available by the glass in Territorio Era).

One of the defining characteristics of the range is the refined elegance of the wines and this is no exception. Nice punchy potency, almond flavours, just a touch of herb but all restrained and in a fatty, silky profile. 

A very easy sup.

Fino de añada 2009, Williams Colección Añadas 

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These wines were pretty rare and I almost feel guilty for drinking so many of them. In my defense, I was given this in Territorio Era and had the chance to explain it to some friends for whom the concept of vintage finos was new. 

It is a fino from palomino grown in the Añina and Carrascal (de Jerez) pagos and harvested in 2009. Rather than being fed into a solera it has been statically aged as a vintage wine, with populations of flor living and dying in the one barrel. It was released by Williams & Humbert as part of a fantastic boxed set. 

As I have opined beforw, this fino seems to have retained some glycerin and, while the minerals and nuts are there, it also seems to have seen some oxidation, giving it a sweet creamy character. It has a zingy buzz up front and a fresh finish but in between it is full bodied and there is a sensation of juicy, fleshy fruit.

A really fun wine all round. 

La Panesa 

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I literally never get tired of this wine – it is just spectacular. Sometimes I can get into a state of chasing my tail, always after the newest thing or something that hasn’t been on the blog, and as a result I occasionally bite my own arse, when what  I could be doing is having some of this masterpiece.

I have tasted it numerous times already and refer you to those notes. But this wine is one of those that makes you realize that writing about wine is like tap dancing about architecture. Words just can’t convey the perfection of elegance and balance in it. It is superb.

And they have it by the glass in Territorio Era, which is no more than a stone’s throw from my place of work. Almost makes you believe in a higher power. 

Fino Buleria 

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One of the standards on offer at the bar of Territorio Era and an old school fino. As you can see it has the typical rich straw colour with a slight green tinge. On the nose it has a touch of green apple and then nutty and bakery aromas. On the tongue it is big in volume and again has a flash of green apple and then bitter, almost burnt almond yeastiness. A good no-nonsense refresher though.