Manzanilla Victoria 15%, Bodegas Diez-Mérito

Appearance

Bright pale golden straw with golden glints.
Nose
Fresh and forthcoming with herbal and slightly floral aromas of grass, straw and camomile there is a salty edge too, and of course some flor bitterness, but not enough yet to obscure traces of apple and fresh apricot. Young and zippy, still with some vino blanco character.
Palate
Plenty of tangy freshness, clean and appley with an attractive gentle herbal bitter note and a dry, chalky feel from the albariza and a mineral hint. It gives you the impression of open sea air on the beach near a meadow, and arouses a strong desire for seafood tapas.
Comments

The name Victoria has long been a popular name for Sherries having been used by a number of bodegas like Otaolaurruchi, V&F González, Bobadilla and Bodegas Internacionales. This brand will have come from the latter due to the purchase of parts of Internacionales along with Diez-Mérito by Marcos Eguizábal in the 1980s after the collapse of Rumasa. It was then sold under the name of Federico Paternina, the umbrella name of Eguizábal's company, until Diez-Mérito was bought by the Espinosa family in 2016. The wine has an average age of over three years and is excellent value for money.

Price
4.00 euros, widely available.