They Learned to Love Again Paul Marcus
Sometimes, there'south simply no disarming the people. Though sherry is a relatively contempo discovery for me, I've been singing its praises for more than a decade–with little success. I hear all the familiar refrains: "My grandmother used to love her $6 sherry," or "Who are you, Frasier Crane?" That's fine–more for me.
A solera at Bodegas César Florido
Made primarily from the palomino grape, grown on a chalky, limestone-laden type of soil known as "albariza," sherry is an incredibly versatile and nuanced type of wine. Its homeland is Jerez (hence the name sherry), located on the Atlantic coast in Spain's southwestern Andalusia region. Sherry can be mellow and easygoing, sharp and bracing, and everything in between. Some are as friendly and relaxed as an old dog; some take enough power and intensity to transport ol' grandma into cardiac abort.
Sherry is produced using what's known every bit a solera organization, in which barrels are stacked in tiers to allow for fractional, cross-vintage blending. When the older stuff at the lesser is removed for bottling (a process called the "saca"), it is replaced at the peak by the latest vintage.
The lightest, driest, and tangiest sherries are fino and manzanilla, which spend their aging regimen nether a layer of yeast known equally "flor" (a process known every bit biological aging). Amontillado and palo cortado begin life as a fino or manzanilla, only are allowed to oxidize after the yeast dies or is killed off by fortification–a combination of biological and oxidative aging– imparting a nuttier, more caramel-similar tone while still retaining tang and freshness. Oloroso sherries are fully oxidative (no yeast) and are rich with toffee and dried fruit flavors, yet withal mostly dry. Finally, there are sweet sherries fabricated with grapes such as Pedro Ximénez (PX) and moscatel.
The iii poles of the Sherry Triangle are Sanlúcar de Barrameda to the northward (domicile to manzanilla), Jerez de la Frontera to the e, and El Puerto de Santa Maria to the south. At Paul Marcus Wines, we are proud to feature sherry producers from throughout the region (and even a couple that are technically exterior the triangle).
Up in Sanlúcar, the venerable Bodegas Hidalgo-La Gitana has been making sherry since the 18th century. Their budget-friendly, young Amontillado Napoleon is bright and dry, with subtle hazelnut notes and a long, clean finish. For a special occasion, try the Amontillado Napoleon VORS, which is pungent, mouth-filling, and caramelized, yet still surprisingly focused and floral for a wine aged well more than than 30 years. We too take the Wellington Palo Cortado VOS, a sophisticated 20-year sherry that, despite its age, never lets you forget it started out as a manzanilla–information technology'south abrupt, salty, creamy, and nutty all at once, and a reasonably priced entry point into the world of high-end sherry.
Bodegas Faustino González was founded 50 years agone, merely its Cruz Vieja line is a newcomer on the sherry scene. The winery is located in the San Miguel neighborhood of Jerez de la Frontera, where the higher top invites the Atlantic breezes in from the due west. They source their grapes from the celebrated Pago de Montealegre vineyard, and they own soleras that date back nearly 250 years.
All of the Cruz Vieja sherries are bottled "en rama" (unfiltered), including a delightfully circuitous, persistent, and mineral Fino En Rama, aged under flor for six years, and a lightly toasted, elegant, amber-hued Amontillado En Rama, which spends half dozen years under flor plus another six aging oxidatively. Their Palo Cortado En Rama spends but the outset of its 12 aging years under the veil, but nonetheless exemplifies their lighter touch and commitment to freshness. For a completely different experience, their Pedro Ximénez En Rama is raisiny and sweet as molasses, yet is as well highlighted past a few spicy, savory notes. Pour this one over a bowl of vanilla water ice cream.
Around since 1896, Bodegas Lustau remains 1 of the best-known and nearly-respected sherry producers in the world, offering a wide pick of bottlings. At PMW, nosotros offer two from their Almacenista drove–sherries that come up from small, independent producers. The Fino del Puerto González Obregón is a salty, citrusy, and edgy 5-year fino from a bodega in El Puerto de Santa Maria, while the Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia, from a solera in Jerez de la Frontera started by Emilio Lustau in 1921, is rich, woody, dark, and robust, ripe with stale fruit yet however mostly dry.
From El Maestro Sierra, which dates dorsum to 1830, we offer a 15-twelvemonth Oloroso, which balances its richness with a few higher-toned elements. Nosotros also have a few bottles left of some of El Maestro Sierra's most prized releases: the 70-plus-twelvemonth-old Palo Cortado and the Oloroso 1/14–wines of tremendous electricity and complication. In addition, at that place are a couple of VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry, more than or less) bottlings from Osborne, the Oloroso Sibarita and the Pedro Ximénez Venerable. Like the two loftier-terminate offerings from El Maestro Sierra, these offering unique, once-in-a-decade drinking experiences that volition make you wonder how grape juice can exist made to taste that manner.
From outside the official Sherry Triangle, nosotros accept wines from Chipiona's César Florido. Chipiona, located v miles west of Sanlúcar, is known for moscatel, a grape that produces sweet wines (though non to the level of PX) counterbalanced with some acidity and gentle fruit and spice elements. Florido'southward Moscatel Dorado is a neat introduction, with its notes of orange peel and dearest. Florido'southward Fino Cruz del Mar is a three-twelvemonth en rama fino that is quite dry out, yeasty, and smoky–bright, just laid-back.
Bodegas Alvear can exist establish in Montilla, about two-and-a-half hours to the eastward of the Sherry Triangle. PX is king in Montilla-Moriles, and Alvear's Oloroso Asunción is made with saccharide-filled PX instead of palomino. Fermented into a welcoming off-dry style (19 percent booze, without any fortification), it combines sumptuous dried figs with a surprisingly lucid and lively finish.
Finally, PMW nevertheless has a few options from the Alexander Jules line. Alex Russan had been releasing his butt-selected sherry since 2012, just recently moved on to other endeavors. Luckily, at that place are still a few bottles of his Amontillado Sin Prisa 1/42–all culled from a single barrel of a long-forgotten 42-barrel solera in Sanlúcar. Only 400 half-bottles were produced of this vigorous, dynamic, even so unexpectedly polished nectar.
With such an assortment of producers and styles, there's a sherry that'due south perfect for pretty much every part of the meal. As the old proverb goes, "fino or manzanilla if it swims, amontillado if it flies, and oloroso if it runs." Of course, it can exist clumsily rewarding every bit an aperitif or, especially, a digestif–a wine of reflection, if yous will. Once you discover the wonders of sherry, trust me, y'all'll be hooked.
Just don't tell anyone else…
Source: https://www.paulmarcuswines.com/blog/
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