4.5.18 Grupo José Estevez Launches New Table Wine

Made from grapes selected from the firm’s best vineyards this is a new 100% Palomino table wine called Albariza, vintage 2017. The label shows the image of a sea horse to reflect and pay homage to the wine’s origins in pure albariza soil which began to form 33 million years ago when the Sherry vineyards were beneath the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The wine is made exclusively from mosto yema (first pressings) and the juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks where the wine is left to deposit its lees afterwards before filtration and bottling. The result is a young fresh joyful wine with real local character and it is perfect for accompanying seafood, smoked fish, rice dishes and Asian dishes.

Ojo de Gallo 2015 12%, José Estévez

Appearance

Fairly pale strawy gold with silvery highlights, very slight legs.

Nose

Very fresh, young and vibrant with some generosity, trace vegetal – almost smells like the vineyard -yet fruity as well with stewed apple, melon and glacé fruit notes, then there is noticeable strawy, chalky minerality, and all these factors produce a very natural nose. Who says Palomino is neutral?

Palate

A certain raw, wild freshness is there despite low acidity but that gentle Palomino fruit balances nicely without the need for much acidity. The minerality carries the flavour through sufficiently and gives the wine length. It is dry and clean with a slightly chalky feel, and is a very attractive, characterful wine with real vineyard flavour and truly tastes of Jerez - and it really grows on you.

Comments

Made from single vineyard Macharnudo grapes from old vines, fermented in tank and bottled in May 2016 without any flor or oak influence, this is a young table wine which really gives you a taste of the great Pago Macharnudo. Fino Inocente is made from the same must but is barrel fermented. It is sealed with a driven Diam cork and the only downside is that only 1,000 cases were made. This is the first release of the wine, and it has a bright future. It is classic vino blanco from Jerez and very well priced. I’m thinking about how it will age in bottle, and it might develop some slight Sherry characteristics over 2-3 years. Right, I’m off to buy some more….

Price

7.55 euros from Licores Corredera