Appearance
Strawy, brassy gold with golden highlights, a shade deeper than filtered wines, legs
Nose
Interesting, forthcoming and really quite complex. It is extremely fresh with slightly muted but certainly noticeable flor, less bitter than Manzanilla and more almondy, lots of sour bread dough and slight grassy, herbal traces. There are very slight but attractive waxy notes, and it is quite full and assertive with a definite spring in its step.
Palate
Again quite full, generous and incredibly fresh. Acidity is quite low but is is still beautifully balanced between the developing bitterness of the flor and the sweeter almondy side but that flor helps give it a such a long clean finish. There is just so much character here, it is far better than many.
Comments
This wine is quite delicious and has about 8 years under flor. The solera has 66 butts and the very old bodega is situated in one of the highest parts of Jerez where it can make the most of the poniente (west) wind, and it can certainly be seen in this wine. Like its owner, Alonso Ruiz, it is a real character. The bodega also has older Finos: 10 and 12 years old and a single butt of Fino which still has some vestiges of flor at 30 years old! Nowhere on the label does it mention being en rama, a fact which would surely help sales, but then I doubt if a wine this good needs any help, and it would be a crime to filter it. It tastes remarkably similar to the wine drawn straight from the solera.
Price
11 euros for a 50cl bottle. Available in UK from Sherry Boutique
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