18.3.18 Wine Origins Launch DO Protection Campaign in US

The Consejo Regulador and Wine Origins (of which it is a member) have spent the last week campaigning to increase protection for Denominations of Origin in the United States. There, many European wines, such as Sherry, Port and Champagne, among others, are considered “semi-generic” and these names continue to be used legally for imitations produced in America. On 1^st March 2016 the European Union and the United States signed the Wine Accord in an attempt to deal with this, but unfortunately American producers with labels already registered with these names were allowed to continue to use them.

Representatives of the various Wine Origins Denominations. Cesar Saldana from Jerez is at back centre (foto:CRDO Jerez)

The problem is that American consumers have to try to distinguish between the real thing and locally produced imitations which give a false impression of the real thing. Wine Origins is an alliance of classic wine production areas in Europe, the United States and Australia which is campaigning to protect the names of their wines’ origins. Many American producers have joined the alliance, and research shows that 94% of American consumers support the idea. Thecampaign involved much lobbying of senators, congressmen and the media, and the results have been very positive - with the help of the occasional tasting. Only the large corporations which are members of the California Wine Institute stand in the way, but it was felt that their armour had been breached. Most of the world’s great wines are named after their place of origin, and the real thing can only be produced there, so it is vital to protect them.

16.3.18 Success for Sherry in Bacchus Awards

The following Sherries have won awards at the XVI edition of the Bacchus International Wine Competition. Only Gold and Silver are awarded at the only competition held in Spain (Madrid) which is recognised by the OIV (International Organisation for the Vine and Wine). More than 100 international tasters, including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, winemakers and specialised journalists, worked their way through over 1,500 wines over four days, so it is certainly thorough.

Gran Bacchus de Oro: (only 10 wines are awarded this)

Lustau Oloroso VORS

Tradición Palo Cortado VORS

Bacchus de Oro:

Fundador Harveys Bristol Cream

Fundador Harveys Amontillado

Fundador Harveys Oloroso

Osborne Coquinero

Díez Mérito Amontillado Pemartín

Lustau Palo Cortado VORS

Lustau Pedro Ximénez VORS

González Byass PX Noé VORS

Tradición Cream VOS

Tradición Amontillado VORS

Tradición Oloroso VORS

Bacchus de Plata:

Díez Mérito Oloroso Pemartín

González Byass Tio Pepe

Coop. Católico Agricola Moscatel Los Madroñales

A Pulso 2017 12%, Cuatro Ojos Wines

Appearance

Light, transparent young ruby red with a pink tinge to the rim.

Nose

Fresh and bursting with forest berry fruit and faint background traces of tea and licorice, open and light, full of youthful exuberance with a passing resemblance to Beaujolais primeur, but different grapes.

Palate

Again lots of fruit, berries plums, cherries, and pretty light with only gentle structure and depth. It is a pleasant red wine which would match white meats, perhaps lightly cooled, but is for enjoying now as it is not very suitable for bottle ageing.

Comments

Much of the lightness, freshness and fruitiness can be explained by the fact that the wine was made by carbonic maceration, like Beaujolais primeur. The grapes are destemmed and placed whole in a sealed stainless steel tank where some grapes are crushed under the weight of the rest. This releases juice which begins to ferment emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide causing the other grapes to ferment intracellularly - from the inside. This gives a wine which is low in tannin and structure but soft light and fruity. After fermentation the tank is emptied and the solids trodden by foot for more extraction. The wine was bottled in early December. It would be helpful if they would include on the label grape variety/ies (in this case, I believe it is Syrah) and vintage, which is information the consumer would probably find more useful than the winemaking process.

Price

12.45 De Albariza

13.3.18 Very Special Tasting to be Included at Vinoble

At each edition of Vinoble, one of the most eagerly awaited tastings is the one conducted by the Consejo Regulador of Jerez. In previous years these tastings have focused on wines like VOS and VORS or Vintage Sherries or Noble Blends, but this year the Consejo has come up with another brilliant idea which will maintain Vinoble’s capacity to offer wine professionals a unique opportunity to try real wine treasures which would be practically impossible to find anywhere else.

The Consejo’s proposal is titled “Treasures of San Ginés” and will consist of a tasting of the truly unique wines stored in the commemorative butts in its own bodega of San Ginés at Consejo HQ. These butts contain the vintage wines which result from the traditional treading of the grapes which takes place at the main door of the cathedral during the annual Fiesta de la Vendimia. Since the first Fiesta in 1948, the must has been fermented, decanted and fortified and then aged statically in butts in San Ginés.

Some of the butts at San Gines (foto:ABC Sevilla)

As well as the symbolic value of this traditional winemaking method, these vintage wines have great importance in the recent history of the Consejo. In the year 2000 they became an essential element in establishing analytical reference points - especially in terms of carbon 14 - in the determination of a reliable curve of values to guarantee the veracity of the age certification system for VOS and VORS.

The specific vintages to be tasted at Vinoble have been personally selected by Consejo president Beltrán Domecq, who will also conduct the tasting, aided by director general, César Saldaña. The organisers of Vinoble hope to finalise the complete tasting programme in early April, when tickets will be made available.

Brandy Solera Gran Reserva 38%, Fernando de Castilla

Appearance

Fairly deep antique mahogany with bright copper highlights fading to amber at the rim.
Nose
Exudes class with all the classic characteristics of Brandy de Jerez but in top form. It is crisp with an excellent balance between dried fruit, mainly dates and raisins, and fresh clean oak in which the Sherry is notable but not predominant leaving room for all sorts of nuances like toasted bread and nuts and traces of caramel and aromatic woods. Tight and fresh.
Palate
Crisp, full, generous and clean, it makes quite an impact and shows just how good Brandy de Jerez can be. There is no sweetening making it quite dry and there is a hint of tannin - to be expected for its age - giving a hint of grip but not at all aggressive, and there is a roundness which carries it through to impressive length. The quality of the casks is evident and it is beautifully made.
Comments

This superb brandy is made from selected pot still holandas - the firm only uses holandas - and aged primarily as añadas and then in solera, in butts previously seasoned with Oloroso and Amontillado, for a total of 15 years. As his family had been involved in the Sherry trade for a couple of centuries, and having worked for Gonzalez Byass, Fernando Andrada Vanderwilde y Contreras decided to set up a firm to produce the finest possible Brandy in Spain. He started out buying brandy from Real Tesoro, eventually buying the Gran Reserva solera, a bodega in Calle Jardinillos and the almacenista Bustamante. The brandy was highly successful and the firm is now run by Jan Petterson, who has added various amazing single cask brandies to the range.

Price
44.50 euros, Birdie Vinos

Entrechuelos Rosado 2017 13.5%, Bodegas Miguel Domecq

Appearance

Very pale, bright faintly copper tinted wild salmon pink with pinky gold highlights.
Nose
Fresh and fruity with hints of raspberry, strawberry and a trace of peach and gently tangy with a slight floral note and some white wine character and confectionery following through.
Palate
Beautifully balanced, clean and elegant, very refreshing with great depth of flavour with lots of soft berry fruits. Attractively tangy, subtle and decently long.
Comments

While this most attractive wine is made in the currently fashionable very pale style,what it may lack in depth of colour it certainly does not lack in flavour. It is made from night harvested Tempranillo, Syrah and Merlot grapes grown on the firm's own vineyards at the Cortijo de Torrecera. Each variety is harvested separately when it is perfectly ripe, and on arrival at the winery the grapes are put in stainless steel tanks and the juice is allowed to drain under gravity, without pressing. This gives very fine juice with very little colour which is fermented slowly at 15C over three weeks before spending a few months on lees before bottling. I am presuming this is from 2017 as a vintage is not stated. If it were older the colour would be more orange. It would help shops rotate stock if a year or clear lot number was stated, not to mention consumers.

Price

4,50 euros, Licores Corredera

Palo Cortado "Saca Única" 22% Sacristía AB

Appearance

Beautiful bright clear deep mahogany with copper glints and a trace of green at the rim.

Nose

Extremely aromatic yet serious with clear notes of toasted almond and hazelnut and a trace of orange tinged caramel. There is a hint of oak and a sensation of exotic wood like cedar along with a trace of toast. It is hard to identify some of the many nuances as time has melded them into a harmonious and very charming bouquet. A very serious wine.

Palate

Intense and concentrated. There is a distinct saline note behind and salted caramel perhaps, a hint of bitterness and inevitably a certain amount of tannin and crisp acidity, much of it volatile, but it is very old and that is to be expected. Once past the structural elements, it opens out and offers lots of nuts, a hint of rolling tobacco and various woods, before fading gracefully and with incredible length.
Comments

This is the first Palo Cortado in the Sacristía AB range by Antonio Barbadillo Mateos, who sells limited amounts of top quality old wines, and it is very special. It comes from the bodegas of Juan Piñero in Sanlúcar and 500 litres were contract bottled, giving a saca of 1,000 x 50cl numbered bottles. The wine is somewhere between 90 and 100 years old and is thus pretty rare and proves that there are still a few ancient treasures to be found. This stunning wine is definitely a Vino de Pañuelo. The yellow symbol on the label looks like that for dos cortados, but on its side, yet this wine is surely a cuatro cortados as more cortados are added according to age - as long as the wine is in good condition of course.

Price
110,65 per 50cl bottle, Licores Corredera