TASTE: wonderful spiced floral notes when paired with dried apricots; on the light/delicate side of the spectrum; toasted pecans with a hint of orange oil; good acidity; very dry; really good, tasty, enjoyable, but I was honestly expecting more from this. Purchased about 6.5 years ago for about $60 – would not rebuy at that price today.
Sorry to hear it. I’ve had some wonderful Lustaus over the years but the quality is so all over the place that I’ve stopped buying because I have no idea which ones will be good.
We need someone to start SherryHound but I’m not sure that the 5 people who will subscribe can support it long term.
I like this site for Sherry reviews/news: https://www.sherrynotes.com/ It was dormant for a while, but seems to be active again. Unfortunately, coverage is nowhere near comprehensive. I don’t believe this Lustau is reviewed, for example.
I’ve avoided trying too many Sherry’s since we don’t seem to get very many that are fresh out here. I think for the sweet styled versions that’s fine. But for the dry I’ve understood you want them closer to bottling. When I’ve looked at the date codes they always seem to be 4 years in or more. Even the older versions I’ve basically enjoyed.
I do buy the Lustau East India Solera for late night sipping occasionally. It’s a solid value. When Total Wine did coupons it was a real easy pickup.
I’ve heard En Rama bottlings should be consumed as fresh as possible. We can set those aside for the balance of my post.
I’ve also heard dry sherries don’t improve with age, but won’t degrade very quickly, either. Perhaps that’s wrong, with exceptions. But I’ll never let it out of my memory the greatest wine I’ve tasted: a dry sherry that had been in bottle for 100 years after spending 46 years in barrel; given my experience with that one, I cannot imagine it was better younger. So, against that backdrop, I don’t hesitate to let my sherries sit in the cellar, as I’m currently operating under the assumption that they’re no worse for the wear.*
but not so much with Fino, which I do endeavor to drink soon after purchase.**
** on the Exceptions side of things: last year I had an 11 yo Fino that was flipping amazing. I aged it on purpose because I had reason to believe it would be an Exception; wish I had more.
I’m happy to be wrong on the Finos and such. I just have memories of learning that they were generally made to be drank within a year of bottling. And then being disappointed after translating the date codes on most of our local examples.
Dang. That’ll be a pass for me, but hopefully others here saw your post and seek it out.
I’m happy to be wrong on the Finos and such. I just have memories of learning that they were generally made to be drank within a year of bottling. And then being disappointed after translating the date codes on most of our local examples.
That’s certainly my understanding of Finos. I’ll do some digging re: the extent to which the same holds true for Oloroso, Palo Cortado, Amontillado. And now I’m getting nervous that I should be opening my Tradicion VORS Palo Cortado sooner (i.e.: tonight) rather than later. What a terrible conundrum to be in!
I think the warning on drinking Finos (and Manzanillas) young applies more to the common filtered versions than the unfiltered versions such as the La Botas. That said I had a 50 year old Tio Pepe last year which was still enjoyable and interesting though it had undeniably seen better days so I wouldn’t worry too much.
Thanks, I had given up following them due to lack of updates but there seems to be a lot more activity. Interesting article on the Fino/Manzanilla dispute. I really wish the EU would just leave well enough alone. That’s the sort of nitpicking bureaucracy that gives them a bad name.
La Ciagarrera Manzanilla states it should be consumed within one year of bottling, they also use a simple mm/yy format for bottling date. In PA, the most recent offering is 3 years past the bottling date, but if you’re not careful you can wind up with a bottle 7 years past the date. Proper storage can extend the life of finos and manzanillas up to 18 months and maintain their original character (Peter Liem).
Peter Liem has written that some sherries can age in particular fino and manzanilla, biologically aged sherries. By Peter’s own admission this is a somewhat controversial position that Jesus Barquin take in their book, Sherry, Manzanilla and Montilla. Think Valdespino Innocente.
The other sherries aren’t considered to benefit much from bottle aging. Palo Cortado seems like it may be a hybrid. However, Brian your Tradicion VORS is already 30 years old, so drink away.
Wow! I would have expected it to taste like tap water. That’s incredible. How the hell did you get your hands on a 50 yo Tio Pepe? And who aged it that long, and why? Mistake?
Ah, the joys of buying wine from the PLCB. I made the mistake last year of buying an oloroso from the online site. It was bottled 7 years earlier. I haven’t bought a bottle of fino in PA in years because of how old the bottles on the shelves are.
It was definitely way over the hill but not dead yet. Someone at one of our Sherry dinners brought it, I’m pretty sure he picked it up at Chambers which had some that they acquired as part of a cellar purchase.
A Sherry dinner will be one of my top 2 wine priorities once a vaccine is fully distributed. My delayed joint 60th birthday part is the other.
I’ve an old bottle of Valdespino Innocente I picked up a few decades ago. Has a driven cork. I’m guessing about 50+ years. Also a good bit of old Sandeman VVO Oloroso and Amaroso.
Very cool. I’m jealous of your access to Chambers ---- yeah yeah, I know I could order from them, too, but I am categorically opposed to shipping wine from out-of-state, let alone across the country. The exceptions I make to this rule are extremely rare — the only one that comes to mind right now is Cayuse, one time per year.
This thread, combined with a terrible shortage of white wine at our house, got me perusing some local-to-me retailers’ sherry selections last night. I’m currently trying to cull-down the list, but would love the input of folks here as to what I should definitely buy and definitely not buy. For the most part, I haven’t tried these:
NV Equipo Navazos #60 Manzanilla Pasada Bota Punta 500ml $65.99
Tio Pepe (Gonzalez Byass) Fino Sherry $16.99
Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda (500ml) $12.99
El Maestro Sierra Fino Jerez de la Frontera (375ml) $18.99
La Cigarrera Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda (375ml) $14.99
Hidalgo “Napoleon” Amontillado Sanlucar de Barrameda (500ml) $17.99
El Maestro Sierra Oloroso Jerez de la Frontera (375ml) $21.99
Valdespino “Inocente” Single Vineyard Fino Sherry 750ml $21.99
Valdespino “Tio Diego” Amontillado Jerez $25.99
Valdespino “Viejo CP” Palo Cortado Jerez $54.99
Valdespino “Deliciosa” Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda $21.99
Bodegas Yuste “Aurora” Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda 500ml $19.99
Bodegas Yuste “Aurora” Amontillado Sanlucar de Barrameda 500ml $19.99
Barbadillo “Solear” Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda $19.99
Hidalgo Pastrana Manzanilla Pasada Sanlucar de Barrameda (375ml) $13.99
Anything on here that is even partially sweet needs to be eliminated. Palo Cortado tends to be my favorite style, but I’ll enjoy anything not sweet. Examples that are light/delicate for their respective style, generally, are not my preference. Thank you in advance to anyone who can guide me a bit. I can’t buy all of these ---- as much as I love sherry, my wife doesn’t, so the list above represents what would probably be a 3 year supply. Last night I was thinking of conducting my own little sherry tasting(s), seeing as how these will last a good amount of time after opening.
NV Equipo Navazos #60 Manzanilla Pasada Bota Punta 500ml $65.99
Pricey but great, lay it down or follow over the course of the evening in the glass.
El Maestro Sierra Fino Jerez de la Frontera (375ml) $18.99
El Maestro Sierra Oloroso Jerez de la Frontera (375ml) $21.99
I recently had and loved their Amontillado. If the Fino and Oloroso are similar in quality then they will be winners. I’ve never had a bad Sherry from EM
Valdespino “Inocente” Single Vineyard Fino Sherry 750ml $21.99
One of the great values in Sherry
Valdespino “Viejo CP” Palo Cortado Jerez $54.99
Love this wine
Valdespino “Deliciosa” Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda $21.99
Never had it but it’s Valdespino so how bad can it be?
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Wow! I would have expected it to taste like tap water. That’s incredible. How the hell did you get your hands on a 50 yo Tio Pepe? And who aged it that long, and why? Mistake?