Oloroso 20% Bodega Viña Santa Petronila

Appearance
Deep amber with orangey-coppery tones, legs.
Nose
Attractive, light and sophisticated with hints of oak, pipe tobacco and a trace of cinnamon, all nicely harmonised with a gentle fresh crispness. There is a distant dried fruit note and a hint of guirlache (nuts in brittle toffee).
Palate 
Mid weight but expressive with a gentle tang of volatile acidity and plenty of nuts, with a miniscule trace of tobaccoey sweetness and hints of orange peel and cinnamon which counterbalance a trace of tannin from the oak. Clean long satisfying finish.
Comments
Being from what is probably the smallest and almost certainly the prettiest bodega in Jerez, this bottle was number 17 of a saca of only 182. The bodega is a XVIII century casa de viña  surrounded by its vines planted in pure albariza soil 3 or 4 kilometres north of Jerez. For such a small operation the wines are excellent but unfortunately/inevitably not widely available.
Price
19.00 euros per 50cl bottle from La Casa del Jerez

Fino en rama Santa Petronila 15.5%, Viña Santa Petronila

Appearance

Fairly deeply coloured brassy gold to pale amber, very light legs.

Nose

Reasonably full with hints of gently bitter flor, minor salinity, a touch of minerality and dried green herbs with background hints of butter and almond. There is a little age here yet very little oxidation, and there's a gentle tang and freshness giving a definite personality.

Palate

Again quite full and assertive, serious and with considerable depth, a bit more flor and a touch of cabezuela showing through. Traces of oxidation and that buttery note are balanced by a gentle acidity, flor and that minerality, there is a hint of esparto as well. It is a clean, complex wine with considerable character, individuality and quality.

Comments

Viña Santa Petronila is one of the smallest if not the smallest bodegas in the Marco de Jerez. It consists of a very pretty and very old (early XVIII century) casa de viña surrounded by its 17 hectare vineyard stocked with old vines planted in pure albariza in the Pago Macharnudo. It must be the only bodega with a swimming pool! The reason is that the finca provides  rural accomodation to tourists and also organises various activities. I think the finca was named after the wife of the bodeguero Ricardo Carlos Ivison who owned it in the XIX century. Anyway, being so small the bodega has no bottling facilities and the wine is contract bottled by Esporsil, this bottle being number 652 of a very small saca of 792 - well it's a tiny bodega - filled in December 2015. This stuff is excellent.

Price

14 euros per 50cl bottle from Er Guerrita