Appearance
Light brassy amber with golden highlights.
Nose
Super fresh and intense pasada nose with inevitable flor influence but with a little more oxidation. It is not far off what one might possibly describe as a Manzanilla Amontillada as there are definite hints of hazelnut appearing but it is still very much a Manzanilla with all the lean maritime saline notes and there are traces of herbs, apple and autolysis to add to the amazing complexity.
Palate
Crisp and full with racy acidity at the start then it broadens out and shows its more mature side. It has some body and a rich almost creamy chalky texture with developing oxidation adding a certain apple flavour to all that saline yeastiness which, while a little less bitter from the flor, is replaced by notes of cabezuela from the bottom of the butt and traces of nuts. This is amazingly complex and elegant.
Comments
Wow! This is a stunning and seriously interesting wine. Look at the alcoholic strength. It comes from the La Guita solera and the same bota punta as the previous editions 20, 40, and 50 - and only 18 or so months after the last saca. It just seemed to be in amazing shape, having been replenished with wine from the solera rather than the first criadera. Because of this the wine has a higher average age than the other butts in the solera and demonstrates the direction it would go if it were not extracted for commercial bottling. In fact it has an estimated average age of somewhere between 14 and 15 years. More interesting still - and unusual - is the fact that the butt is filled almost full, so the surface of the wine is much smaller and there is less room for the flor, which though already weakened by less air, fewer nutrients and the strength of the wine, still does its best to survive. This does allow an element of oxidation however, and as the weaker flor can consume less alcohol, the strength rises. This is not a cheap wine, but is worth every penny.
Price
50.00 euros per 50cl, Er Guerrita
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