Lebrija Old Vino Generoso 18%, González Palacios

Appearance

Bright, fairly deep amber with orange/copper highlights fading to a pale rim, legs.

Nose

Interesting, like Sherry but not Sherry. It is very fresh and there is a tangy, fruity very slightly appley oxidative Palomino note perhaps even a hint of cider, but there is much more to it than that; it smells of young, slightly sweet Oloroso with  traces of cinnamon and wax. It seems odd at first but really grows on you.

Palate

Medium bodied and fresh with that tangy apple fruit, there must be a hint of residual sugar since while it is dry there is a very slight sweetness not wholly attributable to glycerine. It has a gentle grapeskin-like texture and is low on tannin and volatile acidity. None of the foregoing would indicate a 30 year old wine, but it definitely is, and that's the difference between Jerez and Lebrija I guess.

Comments

This is something unusual. It comes from the DO of Lebrija which is virtually unknown, possibly because González Palacios is the only bodega in the DO, which was only established in 2010. Lebrija lies about 30 km north east of Sanlúcar and into the province of Sevilla, but sits on albariza soils and not far from the river Guadalquivir. It is said that the town was founded by Bacchus. The wine is made from 100% Palomino grapes grown in the firm's Pago de Overo vineyards and fermented in stainless steel tanks before ageing in very old (over 100 years) 500 litre butts for some 30 years.

Price 
14.70 Licores Corredera