Tutored Wine Tasting ANDALUSIAN WINES...2018/07/31 · the valley of the Guadalquivir as they were taking their mission of kicking the Moors out of the Iberian Peninsula south of

Tutored Wine Tasting

ANDALUSIAN

WINES

« Back to the Future »

Speaker:

Eric LAGRE

EIC Head Sommelier

VT Norte

de

Almeria

VT Sierras

de las Estancias

y los Filabres

VT Desierto

de Almeria

VT Laujar-

Alpujarra VT Contraviesa-

Alpujarra

Norte

de

Granada

VT Ribera

Del

Andarax

VT

Torreperogil

VT

Bailén

VT Sierra

Sur de

Jaén

VT

Villaviciosa

de Córdoba VT Córdoba

VT Sierra

Norte de Sevilla

VT Los

Palacios

VT

Cádiz

DO CONDADO DE HUELVA

(1963)

DO MONTILLA-MORILES

(1985)

DO MANZANILLA DE SANLÚCAR

(1964)

DO JEREZ – XÉRÈS – SHERRY

(1933)

DO MÁLAGA

(1933)

DO SIERRAS DE MÁLAGAaa

(2001)

ANDALUSIAN WINES

Sierra Norte

La Axarquía

Montes

de

Málaga

Manilva

Serranía

de

Ronda

Doñana Sierra Nevada

ₒ ₒ

ₒ

ₒ

ₒ

ₒ ₒ

VT Suroeste

de

Granada

ₒ

HUELVA

CÓRDOBA

SEVILLE

CÁDIZ

MÁLAGA

JAÉN

GRANADA

ALMERÍA

COSTA DEL SOL

COSTA DE LA LUZ

Guadalete

Guadalquivir

Odiel Tinto

Genil

SIERRA MORENA

SUB-BAETIC SYSTEM

PENI-BAETIC SYSTEM

-TYPES OF MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATES:-

SUB-DESERTIC

SUB-TROPICAL

SUB-CONTINENTAL with warm summers

OCEANIC

SUB-CONTINENTAL with cold winters

MOUNTAIN CLIMATE

ₒ

ₒ ₒ

ₒ

ₒ

ₒ

ₒ

ₒ

LOWER ANDALUSIA = BAETIC DEPRESSION of the valley of the Guadalquivir

UPPER ANDALUSIA = BAETIC SYSTEM separated by the INTRABAETIC BASIN

SIERRA

DE

GRAZALEMA

SIERRA

DE LAS

NIEVES

SIERRA NEVADA

SIERRA DE BAZA

SIERRA DE LOS FILABRES

SIERRA

DE

CAZORLA

INTRODUCTION

Andalusia, with Seville as its capital, is the most populated and the second largest region in Spain. It is the only European territory with both a Mediterranean coastline and an Atlantic coastline. In the north, the Sierra Morena separates Andalusia from the plains of Extramadura and Castilla-La Mancha on Spain's Meseta Central. To the south, the geographic sub-region of Upper Andalusia lies within the Baetic system (where the mountain wines of Málaga are grown), while Lower Andalusia is in the Baetic Depression of the valley of the Guadalquivir (where Sherry is grown). The Castilian name “Andalucía” derives from the Arabic word “al-Ándalus” (the etymology of which is still contested). Muslim troops first landed in Gibraltar in 711 then conquered all of the Iberian Peninsula (except its northernmost part) by the end of the 10th century. The Moors called the country “al-Ándalus” and elected the valley of the Guadalquivir as the beating heart of a large Muslim Empire that reached as far as India. From the 11th century, the Christian forces in the north started fighting back. It is in the 13th century that they adopted the name of “Andalucía” to describe the valley of the Guadalquivir as they were taking their mission of kicking the Moors out of the Iberian Peninsula south of the Sierra Morena. The Moors retreated to the mountains but eventually surrendered in 1492. Now that “Andalucía” comprised both its lower and upper regions, the “Spanish Reconquista” was complete. “Andalucía” (as it was understood then) covered the same area as the territory known as “Baetica” under the Roman Empire and it is now recognised as a "Historical Nationality" according to the Spanish Constitution of 1978. Today, Andalusia is divided into 8 sub-regions, namely Huelva, Cádiz, Seville, Córdoba and Jaén in Lower Andalusia and Málaga, Granada and Almería in Upper Andalusia. The Andalusian climate can broadly be described as “Mediterranean”, yet it becomes more extreme the deeper one travels into the valley of the Guadalquivir away from the tempering influence of the Atlantic ocean and the higher one climbs up the mountains from the Mediterranean sea level. The land of flamenco, bullfighting and Hispano-Moorish architecture has traditionally been an agricultural land. As far as winegrowing is concerned, Andalusia counts 6 separate Denominations of Origin (or DO wines), all of which are located in the western half of the region (1 in Huelva, 2 in Cádiz, 1 in Córdoba and 2 in Málaga). Amongst them, Sherry and Málaga count as two of the great wines of the world with a history dating back some 3000 years. Cádiz, which was founded by the wine-trading Phoenicians in 1104 BC, is actually regarded as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe. To the exception of “Ronda Wines”, the bulk of DO wines is either dry fortified wine known as “vino generoso” or sweet fortified wine known as “vino generoso de licor”. This does not mean that no great deal of table wine is produced in Andalusia. 16 table wine appellations labelled as “Vino de la Tierra” (or VT wines) are presently grown all over the region. These unremarkable country wines are designed for domestic consumption and targeted at holidaymakers. Although beware, for the VT label can also be used as a platform for quality wines that can be of historical importance but simply do not conform to modern DO regulations. Andalusia has actually become the latest focal point of a burgeoning scene of “New-Wave Wines” in Spain. Sherry deserves a presentation of its own hence no Sherry will be showcased here. Sherry will only be evoked either through its cousin appellations of “Condado de Huelva” and “Montilla-Moriles” or through some innovative VT wines that either draw inspiration from primitive forms of Sherry or seek to revive long-lost indigenous cultivars. “Back to the Future” does perfectly sum up the approach of that new generation of winemakers in that respect.

ANDALUSIAN WINE TASTING Speaker: Eric LAGRE, EIC Head Sommelier

Tuesday 17th July 2018

Tasting notes by Eric LAGRE and Magda KOTLARCZYK, WSET Diploma graduates

(with the participation of Nora ESPINOSA CORONEL, WSET Diploma student)

(1) 2017 « Viña Barredero » Vino Blanco Joven / Contreras Ruiz

Denominación de Origen Condado de Huelva

(2) 2016 « Marqués de la Sierra » Vino Blanco Joven / Alvear (Bernardo Lucena)

Denominación de Origen Montilla-Moriles

(3) 2016 « UBE –de Ubérrima- Miraflores » / Bodegas Cota 45 –Albarizatorio- (Ramiro Ibáñez Espinar)

Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz

(4) 2015 « La Bota n° 77 de Florpower » Vino Blanco / Equipo Navazos


(5) 2010 « Selección » Gran Reserva / Bodega Vetas (Juan Manuel Vetas)

Denominación de Origen Sierras de Málaga –Ronda Wine-

(6) 2015 « MHV –Mankind Heritage Wine » / Finca La Melonera (Ana de Castro)

Denominación de Origen Sierras de Málaga –Ronda Wine-

(7) NV « Gran Barquero » Amontillado / Bodegas Pérez Barquero

Denominación de Origen Montilla-Moriles

(8) NV « 1918 Antonio Contreras Labrador » Condado Viejo / Bodegas Contreras Ruiz

Denominación de Origen Condado de Huelva

(9) 2013 « MR –Mountain Wine » / Compañia de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez

Denominación de Origen Málaga

(10) NV « Tintilla de Rota Noble –Una Selección de J. Martínez » / Bodegas El Gato


Wine Name: Viña Barredero, Vino Blanco Joven

Vintage: 2017

Producer: Bodegas Contreras Ruiz www.contrerasruiz.com

Indication of origin: Rocina, DO Condado de Huelva

Style: Dry white wine aged on lees in stainless steel tank over a short period of time 90% of the company’s own vineyards are planted with Zalema, which is the speciality of Contreras Ruiz and the most widely

planted white grape variety in Huelva. The old vines from 5 different plots planted back in the 1940s are grown on iron-rich,

calcareous soils on the edge of the Doñana National Park at 80 to 120 meters above sea level in the very Atlantic-influenced

Mediterranean climate of the coastal area of Huelva. The grapes are hand-harvested. The free-run juice is cold-fermented in

stainless-steel tanks for 2 weeks after a period of maceration on the skins. The wine is then aged on fine lees for 3 months.

Assemblage: 100% Zalema

Alcohol: 12%abv

Residual Sugar: 2.5 g/l

Total Acidity: 6 g/l

Stopper: Diam cork

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Alliance Wine www.alliancewine.com

UK retail price: £10.50 including VAT

What style of wine does one spontaneously associate with Spain? Chances are that a big red is the first thing that will spring to mind! What else could possibly

come out of such a hot and dry land? Spain is indeed the driest land in the Mediterranean. Andalusia counts Europe’s only desert for a start! So, it may surprise you

that white grape varieties represented 80% of Spain’s vineyard when the country joined the EU in 1986. Even today, white grape varieties overwhelm the viticultural

landscape of Andalusia. Each one of the four provinces where DO wines are grown is dominated by one single white grape variety. Zalema represents 86% of the

total area under vines in Huelva, Palomino 95% in Cádiz and Pedro Ximénez 95% in Córdoba, while Moscatel de Alejandría competes with Pedro Ximénez in Málaga.

Opening this presentation with a white wine from Huelva is appropriate, for fortune started smiling on the Andalusian wine industry thanks to key events that took

place there. Winegrowing in Huelva truly started in the 14th century with the repopulation of the region after the re-conquest of the valley of the Guadalquivir.

More importantly, it is from the port of Palos in Huelva that Christopher Columbus set forth for his historical voyage in 1492, the year when the “Reconquista” was

completed. His aim was to sail west and open a new sea route to India, but he eventually discovered America, thereby opening a new era of prosperity for the

Spanish crown who sponsored him. Columbus’ crew came from Palos and neighbouring Moguer hence the first wines to have ever travelled to the New World were

certainly Huelva wines. In the late 19th century, the phylloxera outbreak depressed a very successful and thriving local wine industry, to the point that, in 1963, the

industry had to reinvent itself through the creation of the DO “Condado de Huelva” and the promotion of its wines as “the Wines of the Discovery of America”. But

did the wines of the Golden Age have anything to do with the wines of today? In 1469, when Spain was unified through the marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and

Isabella of Castile, a great wealth of black cultivars was grown in Andalusia. But the Golden Age was such an era of prosperity that the opportunities offered by

global trade created a commercial divide that still endures today in Cádiz. Sanlúcar de Barrameda would grow “pale wines” for domestic consumption whereas

Jerez would carry on developing wines big and stable enough to travel abroad. That divide went hand in hand with the proliferation of targeted noble white cultivars.

Appearance:

This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale lemon-green in colour, with a watery rim. Legs and tears appear along

the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of youthful aromas. The fresh green apple and white peach

fruit displays confected notes of pear, lemon and pineapple drops. The combination of herbaceous notes of grass and

camomile together with flowery notes of citrus blossom and yellow flowers manages to restore a sense of freshness.

Palate:

This light-bodied wine tastes dry. The medium-plus acidity offsets the medium alcohol. The flavours of medium

intensity pretty much mirror the aromas identified on the nose, with notes of green apple, pear and white peach. The

oily texture does not give any weight to the wine, for the palate is underpinned by a salty quality of minerality and the

finish of medium-plus length is enlivened by refreshing notes of grass and zingy lemon and lime citrus fruit.

Assessment of quality:

This wine is very good. Its aromatic profile is subtle and full of freshness. It strikes a perfect balance between the

understated intensity of fruit, the mineral-boosted freshness of acidity and the medium alcohol. The wine is delicate

but not without complexity. All in all, it is an unpretentious wine that requires to be paired with equally unpretentious

food. I would very much see this wine served with sushi and sashimi. If one is not into raw fish, this wine will

compliment simply cooked shellfish or grilled fish equally well.

Wine Name: Marqués de La Sierra, Vino Blanco Joven

Vintage: 2016

Producer: Alvear S.A. www.alvear.es

Winemaker: Bernardo Lucena

Indication of origin: Castilla del Hospital vineyard in the Sierra de Montilla, DO Montilla-Moriles

Style: Dry white wine aged on lees in stainless steel tank over a short period of time

This single vineyard varietal wine is fermented a low temperatures in stainless-steel tanks after a short period of skin

contact. The aim is to achieve maximum freshness of fruit character together with a degree of complexity.

Assemblage: 100% Pedro Ximénez

Alcohol: 12%abv

Stopper: 1+1 agglomerated Cork

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Uvinum www.uvinum.co.uk

Bibendum www.bibendum-wine.co.uk Bibendum is now owned by C&C since Conviviality went into administration last April

UK retail price: £10.50 inc.VAT

Midway up the valley of the Guadalquivir, one will find Montilla-Moriles. This winegrowing region in the south of Córdoba is at the heart of Andalusia. If one points

at the very spot right in the centre of the map, that spot will actually correspond to the town of Montilla. It is therefore no surprise that the first wave of Muslim

invaders chose to found Córdoba as the capital of al-Ándalus just a few miles north of Montilla on the banks of the Guadalquivir. Whereas the mild climate on the

Atlantic coast helps Zalema and Palomino to ripen gently, the more continental conditions in Córdoba require a cultivar that can withstand bigger extremes of

weather; a grape like Pedro Ximénez. No style other than fortified wine can be labelled as Sherry. In Cádiz, table wine from Palomino will therefore have to carry a

VT label. In contrast, table wine from Zalema in Huelva and Pedro Ximénez in Córdoba can carry a DO label. But if the “Condado de Huelva” and “Montilla-Moriles”

denominations are known for anything, it is for wines similar in style to Sherry, so much so that Montilla-Moriles is often confused with Sherry or referred to as “the

poor cousin of Sherry”. Fortified wine in the style of “Tio Pepe” is sold as “Condado Pálido” in Huelva or “Fino” in Montilla-Moriles (see BIOLOGICAL AGEING). As for

fortified wine not aged under “velo de flor” but deliberately oxidised from the start, it is sold as “Condado Viejo” in Huelva and “Oloroso” in Montilla-Moriles. There

is one speciality for which Córdoba has some degree of reputation, which is PX. The sweet fortified wine named after the initials of the signature grape of the region

resembles black trickle. Pedro Ximénez does grow so rich in sugars in Montilla-Moriles that the wine it yields can be concentrated to luscious levels of sweetness

through extended ageing in wood, especially when made from sundried grapes mixed with arrope (juice reduced to syrup over wood fire). Pedro Ximénez cannot

achieve the same level of ripeness in Cádiz and since it suffered so badly from phylloxera in Málaga, the authorities decided that PX could legally be grown in

Montilla-Moriles then be used to produce Sherry and Málaga. PX notably serves as sweetener in the making of Cream Sherry, the style that Britons love so much.

Appearance:

This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale lemon in colour, with a watery rim. Legs and tears appear

along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The nose smells clean, though hints of smoky rubber suggest a degree of reduction from badly handled

sulphur additives. The wine exhibits a medium intensity of developing aromas. The peach stone, pear and

lemon fruit is somewhat yeasty, with out-of-place hints of bread dough. A scent of hay and herbal tea is

quite overwhelming. The brine from tinned food gives the nose a metallic edge.

Palate:

This medium-minus-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is medium, the alcohol is medium, and so is the

intensity of flavours. The lemon and lime citrus fruit matches the zing of the green apple. Salty minerality

and notes of yellow flowers and honeysuckle do not manage to instil any sense of freshness, for the palate

tastes rather yeasty and metallic. White honey develops in the finish of medium length.


This wine is good despite a noticeable degree of reductive taint. This wine is medium in every way and does

not convey any sense of balance. In that respect, it almost comes across as flabby and somewhat tired. Nora

likes the wine regardless, which will pair well with all sorts of fish dishes, including seafood paella.

Wine Name: UBE –de Ubérrima– Miraflores « Lentejuelas, Lustrillos y Tosca Cerrada »

Vintage: 2016

Producer: Bodegas Cota 45 –Albarizatorio– c/ Pórtico de Guía 68 - 11.540 Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Albariza soils were formed through the sedimentation of huge layers of shells of diatomous algae and radiolaria at a time

when Cádiz was still covered by sea waters. Cota 45 refers to the altitude at which the best terroirs in Sanlúcar are found.

Winemaker: Ramiro Ibáñez Espinar Head of winemaking consultancy « GLCERO » www.glcero.com Founding member of « Manifiesto 119 »

Indication of origin: Pago de Miraflores (la Baja and la Alta), Sanlúcar de Barrameda, VT Cádiz

Style: Primitive style of Manzanilla predating fortification and the Solera system

The UBE range aims at reviving a primitive style of Manzanilla historically described as “Vino Blanco”. Vino Blanco was a

still light wine aged statically in 600 litre butt of seasoned American oak with or without flor influence. Here, the focus is

not on flor character but on terroir expression. The wine is 100% made from Palomino grown on Albariza. Each one of the

3 wines within the UBE range is named after 1 out of 3 of the most iconic vineyard areas (or pagos) within the vicinity of

Sanlúcar, namely Miraflores, Carrascal and Maína (or Mahina). Each one of these pagos is characterised by 1 out of 3 noble

types of Albariza soils. UBE Miraflores comes from 5 different vineyard plots, 3 in Miraflores la Alta and 2 in Miraflores la

Baja. 80% of the Albariza in the Marco de Jerez is Albariza de Tosca Cerrada, which can be identified by its cement-like

solidity. Since Tosca Cerrada is the signature soil type in Miraflores la Alta, thereby forming the bulk of the blend in UBE

Miraflores, the round style of wine it yields will probably be the most familiar and easy-to-understand by most consumers.

In Miraflores la Baja, the Palomino grapes are grown on Lentejuelas and Lustrillos. Albariza de Lentejuelas, the purest type

of Albariza, yields wines of incredible finesse and marked freshness of acidity. As for the pink, iron-rich Lustrillos, this is not

a noble type of Albariza soil. Similarly to volcanic soils, Lustrillos is responsible for notes of mineral smoke. UBE Miraflores

is fermented in butt then it is aged in that same cask for 8 months, of which 2 months are spent under “velo de flor”.

Assemblage: 100% Palomino Fino

Alcohol: 12%abv

Stopper: Natural cork

Supplier: Direct from the producer [email protected]

Capacity: 75cl


If the British cannot get enough of Harveys Bristol Cream, Spaniards only have eyes for Manzanilla. Fortified wine is entitled to the “Jerez-Xérès-Sherry” DO so long

as it fulfils two requirements. First of all, Sherry must be made from authorised grape varieties grown within the local vineyard called “Marco de Jerez”. From the

17th century, producers in Sanlúcar de Barrameda started privileging Palomino while Jerez carried on growing a great number of grapes, many of them black. 119

Andalusian cultivars were recorded by Simón de Roja Clemente y Rubio in 1807, 40 of which were cultivated in Cádiz. The phylloxera outbreak forced the Marco de

Jerez to be replanted. Three white grapes were selected. Sherry can be made from Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel, though the later grapes only play second fiddle to

Palomino Fino these days. Secondly, Sherry must be aged in one of 3 towns that form the so-called “Sherry Triangle”: Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María

or Sanlúcar de Barrameda. If the wine happens to be aged under “velo de flor” in Sanlúcar de Barrameda then it can carry the “Manzanilla de Sanlúcar” DO on its

label. Ramiro Ibáñez and co-founder of Manifiesto 119 Guillermo Pérez (aka Willy Pérez of Bodegas Luis Pérez) explain how the modern Sherry industry became

thoroughly standardised. Vintage variation was eliminated through fractional blending with the development of the “Criaderas and Solera” system from the late

18th century onwards. As for Manzanilla, producers resorted in the 1970s to blending grapes from different origins within the Marco de Jerez, thereby going one

step beyond dynamic ageing towards perfect product consistency. In reaction, New-Wave Wines with a real sense of time and place are now being produced again.

That new generation of producers draws inspiration from the “Vino Blanco” of the late 18th century. “Vino Blanco” is a primitive style of Manzanilla made from one

single crop of Palomino grapes fermented to dryness in one single 600-litre cask of seasoned American oak then aged into that same “bota” for a year or two

maximum. “Vino Blanco” is not a fortified wine and it can be made with or without flor. The UBE series revisits the “Vino Blanco” Style (Simón de Roja Clemente

listed Palomino under the name of Ubérrima hence “UBE” and “Manifiesto 119” are nods to the father of Spanish ampelography). Here, the focus of Ramiro Ibáñez

Espinar is on terroir, not on flor. A decline in popularity of Sherry means that producers no longer have to grow the wine on lesser terroirs of sand or clay but strictly

on Albariza, of which there is several types. If the vineyard of Sanlúcar is four times as small as that of Jerez, Sanlúcar is four times as diverse as Jerez in terms of

soil structure hence Cota 45 is presented as an “Albarizatorio”, a laboratory where that diversity of Albariza soils around Sanlúcar can be expressed into wine form.

Appearance: This white wine looks clear and bright. It is medium lemon yellow in colour. Legs and tears appear along the side of the glass.

Nose: The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. The nose is dominated by the pungent smell of roasted

almond and smoke. A scent of sunflower lifts the aromatic profile. The underlying stone-fruit, yellow apple and lemon rind is dominated

by a smoky quality of minerality that Nora finds reminiscent of “escabeche”, a paprika-rich marinade used in many seafood-based tapas.

Palate: This medium-bodied wine tastes bone-dry. The acidity and the alcohol are only medium, but the palate is enlivened by plenty of mineral

freshness, almost salty in quality. The flavours of medium-plus intensity are both complimentary and contrasting. Char, plus roasted

almond and hazelnut bring dry bitterness, paprika sweet smokiness, lemon rind and orange peel plenty of tang and yellow flowers and

lemongrass tea added freshness. The finish of long length keeps on giving.

Assessment of quality: This wine is outstanding. It is a wine of great purity and perfect balance; a dynamic miracle of complexity, both layered and integrated.

It is probably best to serve it in accompaniment to barbecued fish, char-grilled white meat or Mojama (local air-dried fillet of tuna).

COTA 45 –ALBARIZATORIO-

SANLÚCAR DE BARRAMEDA

Los singulares cerros de albarizas del marco del Jerez

representan una marca geológica constante que se

repite en todos los casos. Esa huella sedimentaria se

encuentra a los 45 metros de altura, diferenciando

así los suelos de extraordinaria cualidad.

Wine Name: UBE –de Ubérrima– Carrascal « Albariza de Lentejuelas »

Indication of origin: Pago de Carrascal, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz

Style: Primitive style of Manzanilla predating fortification and the Solera system

In the aftermath of the phylloxera devastation of 1895, Carrascal was the first vineyard to be replanted with grafted vines

in 1903 hence Carrascal is the oldest pago in Sanlúcar. Three clones of Palomino are grown there on Albariza de Lentejuelas.

With its rather loose, crumbly and porous structure, this particularly calcium-carbonate-rich and pure type of Albariza yields

wines of incredible finesse and marked freshness of acidity. These wines are not the most commercial but they count

amongst the finest wines grown in the Marco de Jerez. UBE Carrascal is fermented in butt then it is aged in that same 600-

litre cask for 24 months, of which 3 months are spent under “velo de flor”.

Assemblage: 100% Palomino

Yet in the shape of three different clones: Fino, Jerez and Pelúson

Wine Name: UBE –de Ubérrima– Maína « Albariza de Barajuelas »

Vintage: 2015

Indication of origin: North of Finca La Charanga, Pago de Maína, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, VT Cádiz

Style: Primitive style of Manzanilla predating fortification and the Solera system Here, the grapes originate from one single vineyard in the extreme north of “La Charanga” estate in the pago of Maína.

Contrary to the coastal pagos de Miraflores and Carrascal, the pago de Maína is quite inland and does not benefit from the

ocean breeze as much as the costal pagos in Sanlúcar. Moreover, the vines are grown on Barajuelas, a type of Albariza soil

that is particularly rich in marine fossils (diatoms) but which has a tough structure to crack. Albariza de Barajuelas is indeed

characterise by a lamination of chalk and ochre that forces vines to work harder in order to grow their root systems. From

the resulting thicker-skinned grapes, serious wines of incredible power and concentration are produced. The earthy

character of these wines proves particularly difficult to the average consumer. UBE Maína is fermented in butt then it is

aged in that same 600-litre cask for 24 months, of which 3 months are spent under “velo de flor”.


Alcohol: 13.5%abv


Supplier: Les Caves de Pyrene www.lescaves.co.uk

Capacity: 75cl


Appearance: This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale gold in colour. Legs and tears appear along the side of the glass.

Nose: The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. The nose of this wine is far more

Manzanilla-like than that of “UBE Miraflores”, with marked overtones of bread dough and blanched and roasted

almond. Lemon rind and orange peel give it plenty of energy, while notes of dry wood and green olive bring an almost

savoury edge to it. Some warm-terracotta-like quality of minerality compliments the earthiness of camomile, rosemary

and thyme. Nora comments that, since those smells are so reminiscent of the air in the sun-drenched garrigue

landscape of Cádiz, it gives her an almost cinematic sense of what “terroir-driven character” means.

Palate: This medium-plus-bodied wine tastes bone-dry. Both the acidity and the alcohol are no more than medium, yet

balsamic notes and salty minerality bring a sense of energy, if not freshness. The flavours are quite pronounced in

intensity. The tang of lemon rind and orange peel cuts right through the nuttiness of blanched and roasted almond

and hazelnut, the savouriness of olives and the earthiness of garrigue herbs. The combination of the bitterness of the

oils in the skin of the citrus fruit and the dryness of walnut is what drives the finish of very long length.

Assessment of quality: This wine is outstanding. It is ever so pure and complex and offers a very dynamic wine experience with a real sense

of place. The wine is dominated by tertiary aromas and flavours but never to the detriment of freshness and balance.

If one does not like Manzanilla, they might be put off by this wine. UBE Maína will deliver its full potential in

accompaniment of dry nuts and cured or air-dried charcuterie, fish in a rich sauce, mackerel or white meat dishes.

BIOLOGICAL AGEING

Venencia

&

Catavino de Fino

(Jerez-Xérès-Sherry)

Caña

&

Caña de Manzanilla

(Sanlúcar de Barrameda)

Venenciadores & their tools Copitas

Fino de Jerez, Puerto Fino and Manzanilla is how biologically-aged Sherry is called depending on whether it is in

Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María or Sanlúcar de Barrameda that it respectively spends a minimum of

three years purifying under “velo de flor”, an active veil of yeast. Regardless of where the grapes are grown within

the “Marco de Jerez”, the Sherry winegrowing region, ageing the resulting wine within one of the above-mentioned

towns, which form the so-called “Sherry Triangle”, is what is going to give the wine its name. It all starts with base

wine, the end-product of the fermentation to dryness of the juice of Palomino grapes preferably grown on Albariza

soil in the Jerez Superior. Being porous and high in chalk, this soil type drains well in winter when it rains and retains

water in summer when conditions are very hot and dry. Albariza thereby helps yield healthy grapes, but it also

boosts acidity levels in a cultivar that lacks natural acidity. The base wine has a typical alcoholic strength of 11 to

12.5%. Its relatively neutral aromatic profile is the fruit of gentle pressing and fermentation at 28°C (fermentation

at high temperature gets rid of unwanted primary aromas and ubiquitous light esters). The herbaceous wine is dry

and tastes of apple. Acidity is low, yet the wine is expressive, enlivened by citrus fruit and some carbonic content.

as in Champagne. The resulting yeastiness is typically that of bread dough rather than that of biscuit or brioche.

The base wine having undergone malolactic fermentation in wood, diacetyl compounds also provide butteriness.

Yeast activity goes hand in hand with the gradual depletion of acetic acids, sugars and glycerol hence the most

delicate, dry and light-textured wine. A degree of salinity develops and brings a sense of freshness to a wine that

contains as low a level of acidity as one can get. Contrary to physico-chemical ageing in cask or slow maturation in

bottle, during which wine turns ever more brown in colour and dull in aromas and flavours the more polyphenols

become oxidised, biologically-aged wine becomes fresher-looking the longer it spends under flor. Paradoxically, at

6 or 7 years of age, just before the “velo de flor” starts breaking down as growth can no longer be sustained because

of a lack of nutrients, Fino qualifies as fully developed when it is at its purest, most delicate and pungent.

Sanlúcar de Barrameda benefits from a cooler and more humid maritime air. Good ventilation, constant humidity

and moderate temperatures induce optimum flor growth all year long. These privileged ageing conditions plus

lower levels of ripeness at harvest means that Manzanilla will display more acidity and greater delicacy of flavours

and colour than Fino. Manzanilla proves also somewhat saltier. Contrary to popular belief, this has nothing to do

with a closer proximity to the ocean but with that consistency of yeast activity. Its added finesse owes Manzanilla

an appellation of its own: DO Manzanilla de Sanlúcar. DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry applies to very other style of Sherry.

In Spain, Manzanilla and Fino used to be sold at an alcoholic strength of 15.5%. But under EU regulations, since wine

traded within the European market is taxed at a cheaper excise duty rate when its alcoholic strength is at 15% or

below, biologically-aged Sherry is now marketed at no more than 15%. This is one amongst many tricks of the trade.

Not only is Manzanilla aged in more sustainable conditions than Fino hence a level of finesse that owes it an appellation of its own, but it comes with different sets of traditions.

Over the ages, since it is so delicate compared to Fino, Manzanilla has either been counted as proper Sherry or simply dismissed as inferior. Fashion for lighter wines means

that it is now celebrated as the ultimate style of Sherry in Spain, but in markets like the UK where the taste is for fuller-bodied wines, Manzanilla is not favoured. The

Venenciador (as the cellar master in charge of checking on the condition of the wine in cask is called) uses a tool specifically designed to take samples without disturbing the

“velo de flor”. In Jerez, that tool is called a Venencia and it is formed of a stainless-steel cup attached to a fibreglass handle. In Sanlúcar, that same tool is called a Caña and

it is entirely made of bamboo. A caña is also the name given to the traditional drinking vessel used in Sanlúcar to enjoy Manzanilla. People drink Fino from a catavino in the

tapas bars of Jerez. Since connoisseurs like to be able to nose the wine, they prefer a larger tulip-shaped glass to those copitas. Try not to hold the body of the glass but its

stem or base instead so that the wine remains ice-cold and refreshing while drinking it. As soon as it is bottled, biologically-aged Sherry becomes susceptible to oxidation.

Manzanilla and Fino need to be drunk as fresh from the cask as possible, no more than six months from their having reached the market and virtually in the day of opening.

The base wine is then fortified to 15%, at which strength it becomes

bacteriologically stable without hindering flor growth (without flor,

biological ageing would indeed prove impossible). This fortified base

wine is called “mosto”. Mosto is stored on ullage in traditional 600-

litre casks of seasoned American oak called Botas or Butts. When

statistic data is compiled by the industry, a butt equals 500 litres of

wine, for it is only filled to 4/5 of its capacity to leave the surface of

the wine into contact with an air pocket. Biological ageing is the

result of the adaptation of the fermenting yeast to these new

conditions. The common yeast turns from fermentative to oxidative

and film-forming once it cannot turn any more sugars into alcohol.

As it develops on the surface of the wine, this active layer of yeast

breathes oxygen (that in the air pocket as well as that dissolved in

the wine), thereby preserving the wine from oxidation. Ethanol is

oxidised into acetaldehyde in the same breath. Acetaldehyde is the

actual compound that gives Sherry its signature smell. The primary

character of the base wine gradually gives place to milky aromas of

blanched almond and fruit kernel. The lemon remains, but in the

shape of the oils one finds in the rind. As yeast cells complete their

life cycle and die, they fall to the bottom of the cask. As the deposit

decomposes, it departs bakery notes to the wine through autolysis,

Wine Name: La Bota n° 77 de Florpower, Vino Blanco

Vintage: MMXV = 2015 this 4th vintage in the Florpower series was bottled in July 2017

Producer: Equipo Navazos www.equiponavazos.com

Indication of origin: Pago de Miraflores La Baja, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz

Style: Lower alcohol and unfortified, yet biologically-aged white wine. This white wine displays the full potential of biological ageing under flor at natural (unfortified) alcohol content. Palomino

Fino is grown on the finest type of Albariza. Following the path of the wine first produced by Navazos-Niepoort back in 2008,

this wine starts its life in the tradition of the “Vino Blanco” of the second half of the 18th century as it undergoes a phase of

intense ageing under an active veil of yeast for 8 months in the exact same 600 litre Manzanilla butt of seasoned American

oak where it was fermented with indigenous yeasts in the first place. The biological ageing then takes a more modern twist

as it carries on more quietly for an additional 12 months in stainless-steel tank to preserve maximum freshness till bottling.


Alcohol: 12%abv

Stopper: Screwcap with plastic-foam seal this type of closure suggests that the wine has no potential for ageing


Capacity: 75cl

UK retail price: £25.00 inc. VAT

When revisiting the primitive style of Manzanilla that is “Vino Blanco”, the main preoccupation of Ramiro Ibáñez Espinar is “terroir”, whereas for Equipo Navazos

it is “flor”. Ramiro Ibáñez Espinar ages his UBE series under flor to some degree but that touch of flor-influence is there to enhance the mineral quality of terroir

character in the wine, not to emulate the aromatic profile of Manzanilla or Fino Sherry. As much as a biologically-aged wine like “Florpower” can be understood as

“Natural Manzanilla” in particular or “Natural Sherry” more generally, it will never be labelled as such. Wine must indeed have a minimal alcoholic content of 15%

to qualify for a Manzanilla or a Sherry label. The temperate climate of Cádiz means that Palomino never achieves that legal threshold through fermentation alone

hence Sherry will always be fortified. Being lower in alcohol, “Vino Blanco” is labelled as “Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz” instead. Bodegas Luis Pérez is presently trying

to develop a “Natural Sherry” in Jerez but until then, there is no such thing as a “Natural Manzanilla” or a “Natural Sherry”. Funny enough, “Natural Fino” is

routinely produced in Montilla-Moriles. Pedro Ximénez is indeed so sugar-rich that by the time it is fermented to dryness it will have reached that crucial 15% level

of alcohol. Producers in Montilla-Moriles actually like to boast that their Fino doesn’t give consumers a hangover because it is “Natural Fino”, not fortified wine as

in Huelva and Cádiz. I cannot help but smile at the claim, for it reminds me so much of those Edwardian advertising campaigns built around the health benefits of

cigarette smoke. Regardless of whether Fino is natural or fortified, it is the fact that “Vino Blanco” is a lower alcohol wine that makes that primitive style of

Manzanilla so attractive. Lower alcohol levels are indeed more acceptable to modern consumers. It is unfortunate that the Sherry industry insists on a minimum

legal threshold in terms of alcoholic strength, for it is the potency of fortified wines that drives the decline of the category in today’s market. By delivering the profile

of Sherry at a lower level of alcohol, “Vino Blanco” has the potential to become the future of Sherry. Notably thanks to “Vino Blanco”, Andalusia is now regarded

as the latest focal point of Spain’s burgeoning scene of “New-Wave Wines”. Equipo Navazos first developed “Vino Blanco” in collaboration with Dirk Niepoort. They

are now spreading the trend east to Córdoba with “OVNI”, a project developed with Coalla Gourmet. Bodegas Alvear just put to market “3 Miradas”, the brain child

of the largest producer in Montilla-Moriles in collaboration with a group of experimental winemakers named Envínate (which translates as “drink wine!” in English).

Appearance:

This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale gold in colour, with a watery rim. Legs and tears appear along the side of

the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium intensity of fully-developed aromas. This wine displays all the trademarks of a

traditional Manzanilla, starting with notes of blanched almond, a degree of autolytic character in the shape of brioche, plus

some yellow apple and lemon rind. Undertones of white honey and mineral smoke are enlivened by the perfume of

geranium and rose petal.

Palate:

This medium-minus-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is only medium, yet a knife-blade-like steely quality of minerality

and some salinity both contribute some sense of freshness. The medium level of alcohol does not come in the way of the

delicate profile of this wine. The bread-dough yeastiness and the fresh nuttiness of blanched almond and green walnut

reinforce that liveliness of character. Some citric zing gives great energy to the finish of medium-plus length.


This wine is very good but it suffers the comparison with UBE Miraflores. In this instance, the wine feels much thinner

textured, for the film-forming yeast has been given more time to feed on the glycerine during the particularly intense phase

of biological ageing. The wine is complex-enough, yet each element is so clearly identifiable and somewhat mono-

dimensional that the wine comes across as simple. This wine will come into its own nonetheless when served well-chilled in

accompaniment of delicately flavoured poultry dishes or lightly cooked fish and shellfish, or lighter rice or pasta salads. The

traditional pairing is with prawns freshly caught along the coast of Cádiz.

Wine Name: Vetas Selección Gran Reserva

Vintage: 2010

Producer: Bodega Vetas www.bodegavetas.com

Winemaker: Juan Manuel Vetas

Indication of origin: Arriate, Serranía de Ronda, DO Sierras de Málaga www.wineronda.com

Style: French-barrel-matured red wine from international grape varieties

The grapes are harvested in September. Less than 1kg of grapes per vine is picked in order to maximise wine quality. The

grapes are crushed then fermented and macerated on the skins for 3 weeks in temperature-controlled tanks for maximum

extraction of aromatics, colour and fine tannins. The wine is aged in 2nd fill French oak barrel for 24 months followed by

5 years in bottle prior to commercialisation. Therefore, the wine is at least 7 years of age by the time it is put to market.

Assemblage: 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petit Verdot

Alcohol: 13.5%abv

Stopper: Natural Cork

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Bought direct from the estate


The early groundwork of the Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) appellation system first started in Rioja in 1926. At that time, Spain was under military

dictatorship. The Civil War that followed then World War II left the country’s economy in ruins. The national wine industry first tried to reinvent itself as a producer

of cheap bulk wine in the 1950s. Despite the international market showing renewed interest in Sherry and Rioja from the 1960s onwards, the industry would wait

until the death of Franco in 1975 to modernise and return to a more qualitative type of production. In the 1990s, many winemakers were flown into the country

from abroad to share some of their expertise. The main impact of this foreign influence will be the growing use of international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon

and Chardonnay, as well as a rise in the planting of black grape varieties to the expense of more traditional white grapes. There can be no greater example of that

phenomenon than Ronda Wines in the province of Málaga. It actually is thanks to producers of non-Spanish origin that Ronda Wines came into existence. Swiss

Conrad Stanffer and Austrian Martín Kieninger are prominent local figures, but it is German Federico Schatz who was the first to establish a winery in the Serranía

de Ronda in 1982. However, it is Juan Manuel Vetas who is generally hailed as the founding father of Ronda Wines. Juan Manuel Vetas is a Spaniard, yet it is in the

Médoc that he spent most of his life and trained. Vetas moved to Ronda in the late 1980s when Château Prieuré-Lichine offered him to run Bodega Cortijo de Las

Monjas on behalf of Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenlohe. The eccentric prince had decided to make wine in his country estate and, to that effect, he sold his Marbella

Club (La Costa del Sol’s first luxury hotel created in 1954) and asked his winemaking friends, Sevillian Carlos Falcó Marqués de Griñón and Bordelaise Sasha Lichine,

to turn his dream into reality with the help of consultant Michel Rolland. When Prince Alfonso died in 2003, Juan Manuel Vetas had already founded his own label

and since he was by far the most experienced oenologist in Ronda, he eventually became the driving force behind the creation of the Sierras de Málaga DO in 2001.

Appearance:

This red wine looks clear and bright. It is medium garnet in colour. Legs and tears appear along the side of

the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It is uncanny how reminiscent of a classic Claret the nose is! The scent exhibits a

medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. Development brings about savoury notes of roast meat and

bacon fat. The mineral-boosted blueberry, cassis and strawberry fruit is underpinned by contrasting sweet

and dry spices like Vanilla and clove.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes dry. The medium-plus acidity more than offsets the medium alcohol. The

medium-plus tannins are very fine and ripe. The spiced berry fruit is of medium-plus intensity. Notes of mint

and fresh herbs bring a sense of freshness to the finish of medium-plus length.


This wine is very good and probably more complex than the tasting notes suggest. Its elegance and freshness

is very reminiscent of that of a classic Bordeaux in a warmer vintage. The wine will come into its own in

accompaniment of a juicy piece of beef.

Wine Name: MHV

(Vinae Patrimonium Humanitatis -1807 SdRC- Mankind Heritage Vines) This trademark consisting of the silhouette of renowned botanist Simón de Rojas Clemente y Rubio was deposed by

Thalassa Taller de Vino S.L. in 2011. It is the brainchild of winemaker Javier Suqué Mateu of Castillo Perelada

(www.perelada.com), his cousin CEO of Finca La Melonera Jorge Viladomiu Peitx and two more investors. In 2003, guided

by the work of the father of Spanish ampelography, the team of La Melonera decided to revive the 3000-year-old vine

tradition of the Serranía de Ronda that had almost become extinct in the aftermath of the Phylloxera devastation of 1894.

Vintage: 2015

Producer: Finca La Melonera www.lamelonera.com

Winemaker: Ana de Castro

Indication of origin: Serranía de Ronda, DO Sierras de Málaga (= Ronda Wine)

Style: Unoaked, yet powerful and structured red wine from indigenous varieties The black grape varieties are indigenous to Andalusia. They are selected by hand on the vine and transported in 7kg

baskets. The healthy bunches are destemmed then crushed into large egg-shaped concrete tanks. The juice is fermented

at a controlled temperature of 22˚C. The wine is left to macerate on the skins for some time before it is eventually racked

back into the concrete egg tanks to age for 6 months. This is the 4th vintage in the MHV series. Every year, the winemaking

approach varies with the blend so that the grapes are shown at their best. Only 1,080 bottles of this wine were produced.

Assemblage: 40% Tintilla de Rota, 40% Romé, 20% Melonera

Alcohol: 14.5%abv


Total Acidity: 3.6 g/l


Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Hedonism Wines www.hedonism.co.uk

UK Retail price: £64.80 inc. VAT

Many are of the opinion that the Andalusian wine industry runs the risk of losing its individuality and sense of “national” identity if it persists in growing so many

international blends. The phylloxera devastation of the late 19th century then decades of civil and political upheaval in the 20th century forced the Spanish wine

industry to adapt to the demands of the global market. But a new generation of winemakers doesn’t think that it is the way to go. They take pride in 3000 years of

wine tradition and think that it is now time to go back to the roots. In Cádiz, “Manifiesto 119” was founded in 2015. 119 refers to the number of Andalusian grape

varieties that was listed in 1807 by founding father of Spanish ampelography Simón de Rojas Clemente y Rubio. Forlong and Luis Pérez, two bodegas within

“Manifiesto 119”, work at reviving some of the grapes referenced by Simón de Rojas Clemente to then use them to produce table wines. They already market some

Tintilla. Married couple Alejandro Narváez and Rocío Áspera are true Jerezanos, yet Alex being half French, Bodegas Forlong’s Tintilla is aged 6 months in traditional

clay tinaja and 10 months in French barrique. As for Bodegas Luis Pérez, Willy Pérez ages his Tintilla in amphora at the bottom of the sea, which is not without

creating some sort of mystic around the wine. But for Finca la Melonera in the Serranía de Ronda, the MHV blend is more than a question of reconnecting the local

wine production to its ancient history, it is a mission of preservation for the benefit of the future generations. MHV is a blend of Tintilla, Romé and Melonera. One

can easily research Tintilla and Romé in reference books or on the internet, but try and find information about Melonera! Melonera is so rare that no mention of it

is made anywhere. Finca la Melonera takes its name from the black grape, for it is the estate where the largest, if not the only planting of Melonera is now grown.

Appearance:

This red wine looks clear and bright. It is deep ruby in colour. Legs and tears appear along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The nose is quite closed in yet reminiscent of Port wine. The wine displays a medium-plus intensity of youthful aromas. The black

cherry and dark berry fruit is spiced with black pepper and dark bitter chocolate and underpinned by a rocky quality of minerality

(or is it sulphur?). The combination of the perfume of blue flowers and herby tones of mint and eucalyptus gives the nose an

almost medicinal edge.

Palate:

This medium-plus-bodied wine tastes dry. The medium-plus acidity just about offsets the medium-plus alcohol. The mineral-

boosted fruit of medium-plus intensity is dark yet full of zing, with notes of sour cherry, blueberry and cassis leaf. The rose and

violet flowers together with fresh garden herbs bring added freshness. The tannins are very fine and ripe, but they are incredibly

high and need to find some degree of resolution. At this stage of development, the tannic structure is so dense that it muffles the

fruit in the finish of medium-plus length.


The wine is very good, yet so young that it is almost a crime to pull the cork right now. Come back to it in no less than five years’

time or run the risk of being disappointed! I came back to the wine two weeks after the bottle was open. Not only did the wine

not show real signs of oxidation yet, but it tasted quite pleasant at last. The wine has the potential to match strong red meat

dishes. It is definitely a match for a tasty venison casserole.

Wine Name: Gran Barquero, Amontillado

Vintage: NV

Producer: Pérez Barquero Group www.perezbarquero.com

Indication of origin: DO Montilla-Moriles

Style: Amontillado; dry fortified wine aged is solera, first biologically then oxidatively. The Pedro Ximénez is grown on albariza soil in the sun-drenched hills of Montilla and Moriles Alto. The white grapes are hand-

harvested in September then transported to the winery is small crates to avoid oxidation and premature fermentation. It is

the free-run juice from the pneumatic press or “mosto de yema” that is going to be used for the making of the more delicate

Finos. The PX achieves such high levels of sweetness that the juice naturally ferments to 15%abv. The wine is fermented in

stainless-steel tanks before being racked off its lees into traditional earthenware tinajas for storage while one decides of its

future. This particular wine is aged in butts of seasoned American oak following the Criaderas & Solera system in the

cathedral-like bodega owned by the company in Montilla. It is aged biologically under a veil of yeast flor as a Fino for the first

10 years then raw grape spirit is added before the fortified wine undergoes a phase of oxidative ageing for another 12 years.

Assemblage: 100% Pedro Ximénez

Alcohol: 19%abv

Stopper: T-top cork

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: www.vinissimus.co.uk


In the present context of declining sales of Sherry and Málaga, are lower alcohol table wines the future of the Andalusian wine industry? While the question is being

debated, fortified wines still form the bulk of production in the region today. Not only are fortified wines the engine of the viti-vinicultural sector in this southern

corner of Spain, but of all the wine categories it is the one that is the most deeply rooted in history. The dry styles of Sherry-like wine produced in the valley of the

Guadalquivir are called “Vinos Generosos”. These dry fortified wines have been 300 years in the making in Huelva, Cádiz and Córdoba. As for the sweeter styles of

fortified wine, they are known as “Vinos Generosos de Licor”. These fully sweet or sweetened fortified wines are produced in the western half of Andalusia across

most of the quality-wine denominations of both the lower and the upper regions. These wines are still made using techniques brought from the East by some of the

most influential wine cultures of Antiquity, namely the Phoenicians/Carthaginians and the Greeks. When it comes to “Vinos Generosos”, Amontillado is technically

speaking an interesting example of dry fortified wine, for it is a hybrid between biologically-aged Manzanilla on the one hand and deliberately-oxidised Oloroso on

the other hand. “Amontillado” virtually translated as “in the style of Montilla”, for it is from Montilla-Moriles that the style originates. As “Vino Blanco” was being

developed in Sanlúcar de Barrameda in the second half of the 18th century, biological ageing under “velo de flor” was also being implemented further upriver in the

middle of the valley. Biological ageing is a form of oxidative ageing in its own right, yet by breathing the oxygen dissolved into the wine, the “velo de flor” effectively

prevents that wine from oxidising. However, in order to have that protective quality, the “velo de flor” needs to be active. Yeast activity requires good ventilation,

constant humidity and moderate temperatures. Whereas these conditions are guaranteed all the year round in Sanlúcar de Barrameda thanks to the town’s

proximity to the ocean, the veil tends to break down in the more continental climate of Montilla-Moriles as the season turns hotter or colder, thereby giving the

wine more weight and depth of colour through a degree of oxidation. The hybrid style was eventually replicated in Jerez by subjecting the wine to two consecutive

phases of ageing, first a biological one for finesse then an oxidative one for weight, the transition from one phase to the next being fully controlled by the winemaker

(the latter would render the layer of yeast inactive simply by elevating the alcohol content of the wine from 15% to 17% through a second addition of grape spirit).

Appearance:

This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale amber and the colour is slightly green-tinged. Legs and tears appear along


Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of deliberately oxidised aromas. The profile is quite nutty, with

notes of roasted almond, hazelnut and walnut. There is no real fruit character other than caramelised orange peel spiced

with vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom. The caramelisation verges onto burnt sugar and the dynamic ageing translates into

notes of dry wood. The latter character offsets the sweet spices. The overall effect is quite reminiscent of old brandy

underpinned by hints of bread dough and white glue.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes bone dry. The wine is fortified to a high level of alcohol, yet the acidity being medium-plus

and the flavour profile of medium-plus intensity being so nutty and tangy in character, some sense of balance is restored in

the end. There is no wood tannins to speak of. The medium-plus intensity of caramelised orange peel, lemon rind and nuts

seems to intensify in the finish of very long length.


This wine is very good. A long period of ageing under flor has yielded a wine of great elegance. This Amontillado’s delicate

and balanced profile is freshened up by layers of tang and dry nuttiness. The wine will pair ever so well with a range of

Spanish charcuterie, from cured or air-dried meats to chorizo. The wine is delicate-enough to match grilled fish and powerful

enough to stand up to strong blue or hard cheeses.

Wine Name: 1918 Antonio Contreras Labrador (The Oloroso style is known as « Condado Viejo » in Huelva)

Vintage: NV

Producer: Bodegas Contreras Ruiz www.contrerasruiz.com

Indication of origin: Rocina, DO Condado de Huelva

Style: Vino Generoso or dry fortified wine aged dynamically in a 100-year-old solera 90% of the company’s own vineyards are planted with Zalema, which is the speciality of Contreras Ruiz and the most widely

planted white grape variety in Huelva. This family reserve is made from top-quality grapes grown in the oldest vineyards of

the Contreras Ruiz estate. Those grapes were grown on iron-rich, calcareous soils on the edge of the Doñana National Park

at 80 to 120 meters above sea level in the very Atlantic-influenced Mediterranean climate of the coastal area of Huelva. This

dry fortified wine is aged dynamically in 600l casks of seasoned American oak. As the wine journeys down to the bottom of

the Criaderas & Solera system, the younger vintages gradually blend together with the 100-year-old mother wine.

Assemblage: 100% Zalema

Alcohol: 19%abv


Total Acidity: 5.2 g/l

Stopper: T-top cork

Capacity: 75cl


UK retail price: £26.50 including VAT

All the Sherry-like wines under the umbrella name of “Vinos Generosos” derive from the Manzanilla and Oloroso styles. A full range of dry fortified wines can indeed

be produced across Lower Andalusia by using two particular forms of oxidative ageing, either separately or in combination. The first one is biological ageing under

“velo de flor”, which is responsible for “Manzanilla” in Sanlúcar de Barrameda specifically or “Fino” in the Sherry DO of Cádiz and in the Montilla-Moriles DO of

Córdoba more generally or “Condado Pálido” in Huelva alternatively. Biological ageing results in wines with a pale colour, a “Sherry” smell (from a particularly high

aldehyde content) and a very delicate texture. The second form of ageing is oxidative from the start, meaning that the wine is not protected by “velo de flor” but

directly exposed to oxygen with all the physico-chemical transformations that the process entails. Deliberate oxidation is responsible for “Oloroso” in Cádiz and in

Córdoba generally speaking or “Condado Viejo” in Huelva alternatively. The procedure results in wines with a brownish hue of colour, a particularly nutty and tangy

character and a weighty structure. One can play with both those forms of oxidative ageing to create a hybrid style like “Amontillado”, but the truth is that

winemakers have no absolute control over the development of “velo de flor”. As much as laboratory tests now help producers predict the phenomenon, the tradition

has always been to store the wine for a few months and wait and see whether that veil of yeast would develop or not. Wine which would develop a veil of yeast to

its surface would be fortified to 15%abv and stored on ullage in wood to create an environment favourable to yeast activity, whereas every other wine would be

fortified to 17%abv and aged in fully filled casks to avoid biological as well as bacteriological spoilage. Some wines would develop “velo de flor” but then fail to

sustain it hence they would be reclassified from “biologically aged” to “deliberate oxidised” in the course of their maturation. That transitional style is known as

“Palo Cortado”. In Huelva, Condado Viejo is traditionally drunk in the accompaniment of mountain-cured ham. It is hard to ignore the politico-religious potency of

that food-and-wine pairing. The first 300 out of the 800 years of Muslim occupation formed the Golden Age of al-Ándalus. Judaism, Christianity and Islam cohabited

is relative harmony then. It was an era of such enlightenment, notably thanks to the rediscovery of the philosophers, writers, scientists and mathematicians of the

Ancient World, that some do not hesitate to describe it at the first “Renaissance” in continental Europe (the Moors notably introduced us to the art of distillation).

Unfortunately, tribal infighting led to Islamic fundamentalism and jihad. The Catholic response was equally militant and fervent, not to say bloody and unforgiving.

As soon as the Reconquista was completed, the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492 then the Moors in 1610, regardless of whether they were willing to convert

to Catholicism or not. In the meantime, Ferdinand and Isabella had made it law that pork should be eaten throughout Andalusia; Reconquista through food & wine!

Appearance:

This white wine looks rather cloudy and muddy. It is pale brown and the colour is quite green-tinged. Legs and tears appear along


Nose:

Does the wine smell clean? Notes of eucalyptus and white pepper could be signs of volatility. This wine exhibits a medium-plus

intensity of deliberately oxidised aromas. The nose is pungent with an iron-like smell of fresh mushroom and black truffle. That

earthy and metallic scent soon turns into blue cheese. Although the nose eventually manages to grow slightly sweeter as it opens

up, it feels rather dry at first, with notes of burnt sugar, walnut, roasted almond and hazelnut.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes bone dry. It is fortified to a high level of alcohol and that potency is by no means offset by the

acidity, which is only medium. The flavour profile of medium-minus intensity hasn’t got the power to restore any sense of balance.

The tang of the orange is swamped by dry nuttiness and hints of burnt caramel in the finish of medium length.


This wine is good, though one could question whether its condition is right. Magda is back from a holiday in Andalusia, where she

had a similar experience with Zalema. It might well be the style, who knows? To me, the fruit has been oxidised to oblivion here.

It is a bit of a let-down to say the least. Condado Viejo is traditionally served at cellar-temperature in accompaniment of mountain-

cured ham.

Wine Name: MR, Mountain Wine

Vintage: 2013

Producer: Compañia de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez www.telmorodrigez.com

Winemaker: Telmo Rodríguez

Indication of origin: Malacapa, Ventarral, Cerro Gourman and Salto la Zorra vineyards

Around the town of Cómpeta, Axarquía region, DO Málaga

Style: Sweet wine from fresh grapes achieved through filtration

The bush vines are planted at an altitude of around 550 metres. The shallow soil is stony and calcareous. The harvest can only

be done by hand along the steep slopes of the mountainous Axarquía region. The grapes are picked at full maturity and do

not undergo the traditional sun-drying process. The juice is fermented with indigenous yeasts. In the middle of the

fermentation process, the yeast is filtered out then the wine is stabilised through an addition of sulphur. The higher sugar and

lower alcohol content of this wine naturally comes from the sugars in the juice of the grapes; unsweetened and unfortified.

Assemblage: 100% Moscatel (de Alejandría)

Alcohol: 13.5%abv


Capacity: 50cl

Supplier: Fields Morris & Verdin www.fmv.co.uk


While the Sherry-like “Vinos Generosos” are a speciality of Lower Andalusia, sweet or sweetened versions known as “Vinos Generosos de Licor” are produced across

all the quality-wine denominations of the Western half of the region, both in the valley of Lower Andalusia and in the mountains of Upper Andalusia. The traditional

“Vino Generoso de Licor” style can be extremely dark and sticky, not that unlike the Liqueur Muscats of Australia. The production process revolves around two

techniques used in Antiquity to stabilise wine for trade around the Mediterranean: “grape sun-drying” for the making of “Raisin Wine” and “inspissation” for the

making of “Cooked Wine”. Both techniques are actually used in combination and optimum stability is eventually achieved through fortification, thereby allowing

the wine to age extendedly in wood with no risk of spoilage. The resulting “black trickle” displays a highly concentrated aromatic profile, intensely dried-fruity, spicy

and nutty. That profile speaks volumes about the highly processed character of the wine but erases any sense of varietal or terroir character. Varietal and terroir

character is the main concern of Ramiro Ibáñez Espinar when he grows Palomino around Sanlúcar de Barrameda in the province of Cádiz and a new generation of

winemakers has also adopted that same approach in the province of Málaga. Producers like Telmo Rodríguez and Jorge Ordoñez have now shown that refined,

delicate wines, both sweet and dry, can be made from the Moscatel grapes they grow along the slopes of the rugged and mountainous Axarquía region. Their

sweet wines do not qualify as “Vinos Generosos de Licor” for they are not fortified. Most of them are produced from sundried gapes or “uvas pasificadas” achieved

through a process known as “soleo” or “asoleo”. The resulting wine is known as “Vino Dulce Natural”, which translates into English as “Natural sweet wine”.

Beware, for French “Vin Doux Naturel” (or VDN in short) also translates as “Natural Sweet Wine”, yet VDN confusingly applies to Port-like wines that are made by

fortifying grape juice in the middle of the fortification process. With MR, Telmo Rodríguez aims at showcasing the fresh character and natural sweetness of

Moscatel. The wine’s higher residual sugar and lower alcohol content strictly comes from the natural sugars in the grapes. Its juicy and grassy fruit character is full

of mineral-boosted freshness and displays none of the confected Turkish-delight-like character one usually associates with Málaga. Such purity of varietal and

terroir character can only be achieved through filtration, a technique that was developed and perfected in the course of the 20th century; as modern as one can get!

Appearance:

This white wine looks clear and bright. It is deep lemon-green in colour, with a watery rim. Legs and tears appear along


Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of aromas. Magda thinks that those aromas are developing

but I argue that they still remain quite youthful. The melon, peach, apricot and passion fruit are indeed quite fresh and

juicy. There are undertones of lemon, pear and pineapple drops, but that confected character is freshened up by the

perfume of fresh roses and a hint of grassiness.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes sweet. The medium-plus acidity offsets the medium-plus alcohol. The flavours of

medium-plus intensity pretty much mirror the aromas identified on the nose. Notes of marmalade and caramelisation

add richness to the mid-palate, yet rose water and grassiness still get the last word in the finish of medium-plus length.


This wine is very good. It makes up for a lack of complexity with plenty of freshness and fruit purity. Sweet wines can

be cloying and taste almost artificial. This is not the case here. Try this wine with fresh fruit desserts or soft cheeses.

Wine Name: Tintilla de Rota Noble, Una Selección de J. Martínez, Vino de Licor

Vintage: NV

Producer: Bodegas El Gato (Est. 1957 by José Martínez Arana) www.bodegaselgato.com

Winemaker: Juan Martínez Martín since 1969 & granddaughter Ana Navarro Martínez Juan’s daughter Laura López Martínez has been running her grandad’s business since 1987

Indication of origin: Rota, Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz Since it is not made from one of the three authorised varieties, Tintilla de Rota is not entitled to the DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry

Style: Solera-aged, fortified wine from sun-died grapes with addition of grape syrup

Tintilla de Rota is an autochthone cultivar that has been grown along the Atlantic coast of Cádiz for at least 500 years. The

black grape variety is named after Rota, the town situated between Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María.

There, Tintilla benefits from an ocean-influenced Mediterranean climate and since it has traditionally been planted on sandy

soils, in which the phylloxera aphid cannot thrive, the vines remain ungrafted. The direct producer yields delicate bunches of

tiny berries with little juice content hence plenty of the “grape caviar” is needed to produce small quantities of high-quality

wine. Tintilla is harvested in early September once it has reached full maturity. The healthy bunches are picked by hand and

carefully arranged in a single layer in boxes before being carefully transported to the winery. The grapes undergo 4 to 5 days

of sunning before they are destemmed. As the juice starts to ferment on the skins in stainless-still tanks, grape syrup known

as arrope is added. Prior to fermentation, part of the grape juice is put aside and reduced by 20% to concentrate the sugars

and deepen its colour, hence Arrope is also known as “Vino de Color”. That inspissation process used to take place over the

naked flame of a wood fire, but fully mechanised modern techniques have now been introduced. The fermentation process

is interrupted in its course by elevating its alcohol content to 17%abv through an addition of neutral grape spirit, thereby

preserving maximum sweetness. The wine is left to fully integrate before it is clarified, cold-stabilised, filtered then decanted

into the top criadera of the bodega’s “Criaderas and Solera” system. The Solera was established in 1957 by Juan’s father José.

Assemblage: 100% Tintilla de Rota also known as Graciano in La Rioja

Alcohol: 17%abv

Stopper: T-top cork

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Bought direct from the estate


The grape vine was domesticated for the first time in the Caucasus around 4,000 BC. From then on, wine culture started spreading throughout the Ancient World,

starting with the Fertile Crescent, followed by Classical Greece and the Balkans, and finishing with every corner of Europe under the Roman Empire. Contrary to

most dry wines, which were very prone to spoilage, sweet wines achieved a higher alcohol and sugar content which allowed them to travel. This is why the history

of the wine trade in the Ancient World can easily be summed up to a history of sweet wines. Two ways of concentrating sugars in wine for export were developed:

inspissation for the making of “Cooked Wine” and sun-drying or (a)soleo for the making of “Raisin Wine”. Raisin wine is the patriarch of all sweet wines and we

find late echoes of production techniques in Greece (e.g. in Hesiod’s “Works and Days” sometime around 700 BC) and in Carthage (e.g. in Mago’s seminal work).

Coincidental with the rise of the Greek city states came indeed the emergence of the most adventurous traders of the Mediterranean: the Phoenicians. They

exported the wines of Lebanon and the winemaking techniques of Canaan to North Africa, Sicily, Sardinia and Spain. It is in their colony of Carthage (modern-day

Tunisia) that Mago wrote the agricultural treatise that was to become a corner stone of the Greco-Roman wine culture. After the Romans won the Punic wars,

Mago’s record of the farming knowledge of the North Africans was retrieved from the ruins of the city in 146 BC. The work survives today in fragments quoted in

“De Re Rustica” by Columella, a Roman agriculturalist born in the first century BC in Gades, Hispania Baetica (modern Cádiz). In the scheme of things, fortification

as the ultimate way to stabilise wine is a rather modern technique. It is the Moors who introduced Europe to distillation, though perfume, cosmetics and medicine

were its main applications. Stabilising wine though an addition of grape spirit only became common practice under the influence of the British Port trade sometime

after the Dutch had developed distillation to industrial scale in the 17th century. The construction of a US military base in 1953 took over most of Rota’s vineyard.

El Gato grows no more than 2 ha of vines and not only is it the oldest producer of “classic” Tintilla de Rota but it is the only bodega still operating in Rota itself. El

Gato’s Vino de Licor is a catalogue of all the traditional wine-stabilising techniques used throughout Andalusia’s wine history, a history that dates back 3000 years.

Appearance: This wine looks clear and bright. Its deep brown colour is positively green-tinged. Legs and tears appear along the side of the glass.

Nose: The wine smells clean, though a touch of white pepper might be a sign of volatility (a degree of volatility is only normal in sweet wines that

undergo oxidative ageing over a very long period of time). The fig, date, raisin and orange peel dominate the aromatic profile, yet the dryness

and bitterness of burnt caramel, walnut, coffee bean and dark bitter chocolate make one expect a degree of balance in anticipation. A complex

cocktail of herby and flowery notes is reminiscent of Jägermeister.

Palate: This medium-plus-bodied wine tastes sweet. The medium-plus acidity and the pronounced intensity of flavours don’t seem to offset the potency

of alcohol, even though the wine is only fortified to a low level of alcohol. However, the sense of balance promised on the nose if achieved. The

dry character of the mixture of spices and nuts balances the sweetness of the dried fruit in the mid-palate, then the medicinal quality of flavours

lifts and freshens up the finish of long length.

Assessment of quality: This wine is very good. One cannot deny that there is a degree of volatility on the nose and that the alcohol is not well integrated on the palate,

yet the medicinal edge of this wine brings about a sense of freshness that one will never find in similar examples of sickly sweet PX. The wine is

potentially more food friendly. Still, what can you do with it other than pour it on top of vanilla ice cream as a substitute to chocolate sauce?

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Tutored Wine Tasting ANDALUSIAN WINES...2018/07/31 · the valley of the Guadalquivir as they were taking their mission of kicking the Moors out of the Iberian Peninsula south of