Friday 26 October 2018

Brandy Duque de Valdivia Solera Gran Reserva 40%, Bodegas Valdivia

Appearance
Mahogany with copper highlights and the faintest trace of green at the rim.
Nose
Full and rich with an attractive balance of distilled wine and Oloroso, hints of figs and dates, traces of caramel, vanilla, walnuts, all nicely harmonised with a suspicion of oak. Classic Brandy de Jerez.
Palate
Fairly full and yet elegant with distinct Oloroso character; as it opens out it shows a leaner side and so the sugar content below seems a little unlikely as it is virtually dry, though not completely, and is beautifully rounded. There are all sorts of nuances including cinnamon, raisin, oak, nuts and caramel, but everything is in balance with a gentle texture and good length.
Comments
This delicious brandy comes from the now defunct Bodegas Valdivia, located at one of the highest points of Jerez near Urium, which has the dubious honour of passing through the hands of Rumasa - twice. It was set up by Rumasa with a touristic hotel in the grounds which was once José María Ruiz Mateos' father's house and sold off as part of its expropriation in 1985. Nueva Rumasa eventually bought it back through its subsidiary Grupo Garvey, but the firm went bust again and the bodega was on the market, again. The receivers sold off all the stock and the empty bodega was eventually bought by the Huelva-based cooperage firm of José & Miguel Martin for the purposes of cask seasoning. The brandy was made from mostly Airén grapes with a little Palomino fermented at low temperature for a fresh character and distilled with some light lees. Made only from holandas, it was aged in ex Oloroso butts in solera and was bottled with an average age of over 8 years containing around 15 g/l sugars. It had a 15 year old big brother, Pedro de Valdivia and an older still Pedro de Valdivia Platinum.
Price
35.60 Licores Corredera


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