Ube Maína 2015 13.5%, Bodegas Cota 45

Appearance

Bright pale gold with golden highlights.

Nose

Attractive forthcoming and fragrant and natural with lots of stewed apple and creamy, slightly herbal notes including camomile with background mineral and saline touches and a trace of orange blossom. On the surface it is rich and generous, yet behind that there is a hint of Sanlúcar wildness, but there is little evidence of the flor.

Palate

Character right from the start, yet while some of that richness remains, the bare bones are more apparent now. There is an attractive clean, dry chalky texture, and while acidity is low, a trace of flor helps out and balance is perfect. The apple flavour is now fresher, less stewed, and the minerality shines through. Length is impressive. Lovely.

Comments

Yet another classic from Ramiro Ibáñez. The hand-picked Palomino Fino grapes come from the Finca La Charanga in the sloping northern part of the Pago Maína, close to Sanlúcar. The soil is the barajuela type of albariza which is rich in diatoms (marine fossils) and appears in fine layers which are very white and very absorbent of water but low in organic matter. The wine is fermented in two old Manzanilla butts and aged in them for two years under flor, but since they are filled nearly full the flor makes less of an impression, as the idea is to show the character of the soil in a form of old style unfortified Manzanilla. Just two butts could only produce 1,000 bottles.It hasn't been in bottle for very long - just a few months, but is already showing considerable class.

Price
17.90 La Tienda del Jerez