Appearance
Bright light amber to yellowy gold rim, legs.
Nose
There is an old fashioned air about the nose; definite signs of Amontillado toasted nuts along with the sweet aroma of young PX with a trace of honey, raisins and malt. A hint of damp barrels, oxidation and fresh acidity balance it up to quite a lively nose, but the Amontillado is a little muted by the sweetness.
Palate
Medium sweet - in fact not far off fully sweet (however you define that). The wine has an attractive light weight for a sweet Sherry and a certain tang, with flavours of raisin - rather than pasa, and a touch of nuttiness which follows through to a long mellow finish. It would be brilliant with pate.
Comments
This classic old blend consists of young Amontillado from Palomino from the Balbaina and Carrascal vineyards fermented at 28C and blended at the sobretablas stage with PX before going into the solera system, where it stays for six years as a blend. It contains 82 grams per litre of (natural grape) sugar. Williams & Humbert make three Sherries with an Elizabethan theme in their names: Dry Sack, As you Like it and A Winter's Tale, presumably to appeal to the important British market. At one time, there was no more British Sherry company than W&H; Beltran Domecq Williams, president of the Consejo Regulador, relates that he had to speak English at home! His mother was English. A Winter's Tale was introduced in early 1900 by Carl Williams, second generation in the bodega.
Price
£10.50 from Henderson Wines, Edinburgh. UK importers Ehrmanns.
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