9.12.16 International Wine Challenge 2017 1st Tranche Sherry Results

In the following list I have included neither Bronze and Commended medals, nor the many non-bodega brands (read supermarket brands). Naturally it takes skill to produce good wine for a price a supermarket will pay, but a Gold for Tesco’s Finest, say, is of no interest to anyone outside the UK. And as usual the results show anomalies where a supermarket Amontillado gets equal billing with the great Fino Imperial (which surely merits Gold), for example. I have tasted both and they are not in the same league. While the wines listed below are impeccable, don’t take medals too seriously.

Gold

Bertola Palo Cortado 12 yo, Diez Mérito

Oloroso Victoria Regina VORS, Diez Mérito

Pedro Ximénez Vieja Solera VORS, Diez Mérito

Silver

Bertola Amontillado 12 yo, Diez Mérito

Bertola Pedro Ximénez 12 yrs, Diez Mérito

Fino Imperial VORS, Diez Mérito

Palo Cortado Solera, Cayetano del Pino

Fino Antique, Fernando de Castilla

Pedro’s Oloroso, García Jarana

9.7.16 Antonio Flores IWC Best Fortified Winemaker

Antonio Flores, oenologist and master blender at González Byass has won the 2016 International Wine Challenge Fortified Winemaker of the Year Award. He received it at the IWC Gala Dinner at London’s Hilton Hotel in recognition of his work in creating the Palmas range, the introduction of Tio Pepe en rama and his promotional work with #sherryrevolution. Meanwhile his 51 year old Amontillado Cuatro Palmas won Best Fortified Wine 2016. í Enhorabuena, Antonio!

11.5.16 International Wine Challenge Sherry Results 2016

The results of the International Wine Challenge 2016 have been announced and below are listed the bodega brand Sherries which won Gold and Silver medals. Not included are the various supermarket own-label brands as they are usually only available in one country, though many scored well being made by the likes of Lustau, Romate and Barbadillo.

Gold

Palo Cortado Añada 1987, González Byass

Cuatro Palmas, González Byass

Tres Palmas, González Byass

Dos Palmas, González Byass

Palo Cortado Leonor, González Byass

Noé PX VORS, González Byass

Matusalem Oloroso Abocado VORS, González Byass

Manzanilla Aurora, Yuste

Fino Antique, Fernando de Castilla

Harveys PX VORS

Harveys Amontillado VORS

Harveys Palo Cortado Medium VORS

Lustau Amontillado VORS

Lustau PX VOS

Manzanilla Pasada en rama Goya XL, Delgado Zuleta

Manzanilla Barbiana en rama, Delgado Zuleta

Oloroso Añada 1986, Hidalgo La Gitana

Palo Cortado Wellington VORS, Hidalgo La Gitana

Fino Inocente, Valdespino

Amontillado Tio Diego, Valdespino

Silver

Dry Sack 15 Years Old, Williams & Humbert

Moscatel Pálido, Williams & Humbert

Apóstoles Palo Cortado Abocado VORS, González Byass

Amontillado del Duque VORS, González Byass

Amontillado Viña AB, González Byass

Fino Una Palma, González Byass

Delicado PX, González Byass

Palo Cortado Solera, Cayetano del Pino

Harveys Rich Old Oloroso VORS

Lustau Palo Cortado VORS

Lustau Oloroso Don Nuño

Lustau Amontillado Almacenista Cuevas Jurado

Lustau Palo Cortado Peninsula

Lustau Oloroso Pata de Gallina Almacenista Garcia Jarana

Lustau Puerto Fino

Lustau Manzanilla Pasada Cuevas Jurado

Lustau Amontillado Escuadrilla

Lustau PX VORS

PX Monteagudo, Delgado Zuleta

Palo Cortado Wellington VOS, Hidalgo La Gitana

Venerable PX VORS, Osborne

21.7.15 Junta Inspects BIB Bodegas; Manuel Lozano Does it Again;

The Food Quality Service of the Junta has made the first inspections at bodegas in Sanlúcar and Jerez which had been denounced by the Consejo and Fedejerez for selling wine in the illegal Bag-in-Box (BIB) format. Technical staff have taken samples of the wine in question and will analyse it at their laboratory to determine whether to proceed with administrative sanctions.

Apart from this possible infraction, the regulations state that it is illegal to fortify a wine from outside a Denominación de Origen (DO)which permits it, such as Jerez. The technical people have been checking the labelling of these products, which are forbidden to use terms protected by the DO such as Jerez, Sanlúcar, Fino, Manzanilla etc. and allusive terms such as Fina, en Rama etc. They are also checking whether the contents are stated on the packaging.

The inspections come barely a month after the Junta received complaints from the Consejo and Fedejerez about the proliferation of BIB. For their part the BIB producers have enlisted the support of the mayor of Sanlúcar and maintain that this format offers advantages of hygiene and transportability. Nonetheless, the Consejo has repeatedly refused to authorise it and it will remain illegal until they do.

Meanwhile the Junta’s Consumer Goods inspectors have launched a campaign to stop the use of BIB to refill empty Manzanilla bottles. This is also illegal but not uncommon in bars and restaurants.

Chief oenologist at Lustau, Manuel Lozano has been awarded the International Wine Challenge (IWC) title of Best Fortified Winemaker in the World for the seventh consecutive year. This has never happened before in the long history of the prestigious international competition. The grandeur of this honour contrasts with Manuel’s modesty as he considers it a “personal and professional satisfaction.”

In a press release Lustau underlined that his passion, dedication and lifetime’s experience dedicated to the wines of Jerez are reflected in the character and personality of some unique wines which won 45 medals, 10 of them Golds. The firm notes that the IWC is like the “Oscars” of the world of wine.

24.5.15 International Wine Challenge Results 2015

IWC Gold Medal and Trophy:

Harveys: VORS Palo Cortado, VORS Pedro Ximénez, VORS Amontillado

Lustau: VORS Oloroso, Fino de Jerez 3 en Rama

Williams & Humbert: Dos Cortados VOS

González Byass: Tres Palmas, Cuatro Palmas

IWC Gold Medal:

Lustau: Amontillado Botaina, Amontillado VORS, Palo Cortado VORS, Very Rare Dry Oloroso (for Marks & Spencer), Dry Old Palo Cortado (for Marks & Spencer), Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia, Pedro Ximénez San Emilio, Pedro Ximénez Viña 25,

Cayetano del Pino: Palo Cortado Solera

Williams & Humbert: Colección Amontillado 12 Años

González Byass: Palo Cortado VORS Apóstoles, Pedro Ximénez VORS Noé,

Fernando de Castilla: Don Fernando Oloroso (for Marks & Spencer), Palo Cortado Antique

Hidalgo La Gitana: Manzanilla La Gitana

Viniberia: Marks & Spencer Manzanilla, Pedro’s Almacenista Selection Palo Cortado (for Majestic)

Delgado Zuleta: Manzanilla La Goya en Rama Magnum

Luis Caballero: Amontillado Medium (for Morrisons)

IWC Silver Medal:

Harveys: Harveys Fino. Very Rich Old Oloroso VORS, Signature 12 Years Cream,

Lustau: Amontillado Los Arcos, East India Solera, Fino Jarana, Almacenista Oloroso Obregón, Rare Cream, Almacenista Fino Obregón, Pedro Ximénez Murillo, Fino del Puerto 3 en Rama, Very Rare Amontillado (for Marks & Spencer), Very Rare Pedro Ximénez (for Marks & Spencer), Signature Manzanilla (for Morrisons), Signature Pedro Ximénez (for Morrisons), Signature Oloroso (for Morrisons), Signature Palo Cortado (for Morrisons), Moscatel Emilín, Oloroso Don Nuño, Palo Cortado Península, Puerto Fino, Oloroso Río Viejo, Fino (for Waitrose), Solera Jerezana Rich Cream (for Waitrose), Taste the Difference Fino (for Sainsburys)

Hidalgo La Gitana: Amontillado Napoleon, Manzanilla Pasada Pastrana, Pedro Ximénez Triana

Cayetano del Pino: Palo Cortado Viejísimo 1/5

Williams & Humbert: Colección Oloroso 12 Años, Manzanilla Alegría

Barbadillo: Manzanilla Solear

González Byass: Amontillado del Duque VORS, Oloroso Dulce Matusalem VORS

Fernando de Castilla: Oloroso Classic

Luis Caballero: Pale Cream (for Morrisons)

Delgado Zuleta: Palo Cortado Monteagudo

Valdespino: Pedro Ximénez El Candado

Viniberia: Pedro’s Almacenista Selection Amontillado, Pedro’s Almacenista Selection Oloroso (both for Majestic)

5.5.15 International Wine Challenge Awards for Sherry

This year’s awards have seen success for Fernando de Castilla. The bodega picked up a Commended for their Fino en Rama, Gold for thir Palo Cortado Antique and Silver for the Oloroso Classic along with Commended for their Don Fernando Fino and Gold for Don Fernando Oloroso, both bottled for Marks & Spencer. Also in the awards were Luis Caballero with the wines they bottle for Morrisons winning Gold (Amontillado), Silver (Pale Cream) and Bronze (Cream, Fino).  Emilio Lustau bottle Morrisons Signature Sherries, for which they won Silver for the Palo Cortado, Manzanilla, Oloroso and PX. Lastly Barbadillo won Commended for the Tesco Finest Manzanilla.

News from Jerez 17.9.12

Manuel Lozano wins Best Fortified Wine Maker award - again

The International Wine Challenge in London has awarded the accolade to Lustau’s winemaking chief for a second time. He is responsible for all the Emilio Lustau wines and the ex Domecq wines such as La Ina and Rio Viejo. The award was presented at what is known as the wine “Oscars”, at which the wines themselves won 20 medals and 3 trophies.

Robert Parker has already awarded 90 points or more to 8 Lustau wines, 96 to the Palo Cortado Peninsula. Spain’s Guia Penin awarded 9 wines 90 points or more with La Ina and Papirusa getting 96 and 94 respectively. It is wonderful to see Jerez getting such recognition.

Rain arrives
After a drought ridden year, the rain has finally arrived to refill reservoirs and raise the water table. Up to 4 times the average monthly precipitation has fallen in 1 day, some 75l/m2 ! Andalucia is suffering torrential rainfall, which of course just runs over the parched land. What is really needed is lighter but sustained rain which will be more easily absorbed.