More on Parker Points

The influence of Robert Parker on wine consumers around the world is beyond any doubt. Perhaps the Wine Advocate has fewer followers in Spain, but it has a legion of faithful followers in the US and Asia, two of the world’s most important markets for wine, and also for Sherry which has seen itself spurred on in the little more than a year since Luís Gutiérrez joined Parker as his taster for Spain, Argentina and Chile.

Luís finds it hard to conceal his devotion to the wines of Jerez and last year he consecrated two wines with 100 points: Barbadillo’s Reliquia and Valdespino’s Moscatel Toneles. This year another Sherry won 100 points: Equipo Navazos’ La Bota de Amontillado No. 49 Bota AR. There are very few old wines like this in the area and according to Jesús Barquín, co-founder with Eduardo Ojeda of Equipo Navazos, it is a wine that speaks of history, it is a piece of history which took decades and decades, generations and generations to achieve this level of quality.

L-R: Jesus Barquin, Luis Gutierrez, Cesar Saldana (foto diario jerez)

Of all the wines awarded 100 points in the latest edition of the Wine Advocate the La Bota No. 49 is the most affordable at about €75 per half bottle, and Jesús says that he had no doubt that such an exceptional wine would score 100. He does not say this to sell the wine which is already hard to find, but to point out that there are collectors who buy up all the 100 point wines leaving very few bottles available – and the guide has been out for a month already.

Another Equipo Navazos wine, La Bota de Palo Cortado No. 47 (from the same source as No. 49) and a wine from Bodegas Tradición achieved 99 points in the guide. This success extends to Sherry in general. No fewer than 75% of the over 60 Sherries tasted by Luís were awarded 90 points or more, qualifying them as “excellent”, and that doesn’t include some local table wines.

Emilio Hidalgo’s Palo Cortado Privilegio scored 98; five Williams & Humbert wines scored 90 or more: Pando, As You Like It, Oloroso Añada 2001 and the Fino en rama Añada 2006 and Oloroso Añada 1982 both scored 93. Jesús believes that the arrival of Luís was providential for Jerez as he has a much better understanding of the wines and they are now more prominent than before in the Wine Advocate.

The Parker tastings will be centred on new wines, that is to say small sacas, special releases or new vintage wines rather than the same old solera brands which have been in previous editions. César Saldaña, director of the Consejo underlined that the bodegas are no longer limiting themselves to marketing their solera brands as has been the case until recently. They have taken account of the limitations to innovation inherent in the solera system, and though it will naturally continue, many producers are seeking differentiation in which they see many opportunities. He sees this as the right road to take with limited special releases, añadas, seasonal sacas etcetera, giving new challenges to the marketing people.

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18.1.15 Parker Points for Bodegas Collantes

Bodegas Primitivo Collantes in Chiclana has received 90 Parker points for both its Fino en rama Arroyuelo and its Amontillado Fino Fossi. Arroyuelo is aged under flor for five years while Fossi also ages under flor for five years and then ages a further ten years oxidatively. Congratulations to Bodegas Collantes and to Luis Gutierrez, Parker’s man in Spain,  for looking beyond the three main Sherry towns.

Chiclana mayor Ernesto Marin (r), Fino Arroyuelo and its makers (foto +Jerez)

               

16.1.15 Equipo Navazos win 100 Parker Points

La Bota de Amontillado No. 49 "Bota AR" has achieved Parker Perfection. This over 80 year-old wine comes from the very old solera, established in the 1880s, Ansar Real from Gaspar Florido, now owned by Pedro Romero. Only 1,200 half bottles were released in January 2014. Parker’s Spanish expert Luis Gutierrez had this (and much more) to say about it: “This is truly World class: grab it while – and if - you can.” Expect to pay over £80.00 per half bottle and still feel that this is great value for money.

14.1.15 Faustino Gonzalez 91 Parker Points; Consejo Elections

Bodegas Faustino González of Jerez have received excellent points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate magazine. Both their Fino en Rama Cruz Vieja and their Amontillado en Rama Cruz Vieja were awarded 91 points by Robert Parker’s Spanish expert, Luis Gutiérrez, who remarked that this bodega is one to watch. All the more exciting, as these were the first bottlings for the open market after many years as almacenistas. They are to be heartily congratulated! UK importer: Jose Fine Wines in London.

The elections for the Consejo Regulador will have to be delayed until spring as the Junta de Andalucia’s Agriculture Department has yet to reply to  the allegations of Fedejerez (the bodegas’ representative body on the Consejo), which object to the draft order in which each body can only vote on one standpoint. Up till now the bodegas have been able to vote as vineyard holders as well as bodegas, but the Junta wants to restrict this to a firm’s main business only.

The Agriculture Department informed the Consejo of the bones of the order at the beginning of October hoping to publish it as soon as possible so that the elections could be held at the start of this year, but three months after Fedejerez presented its objections – in which they also complain about the lack of consultation and direct communication with interested parties other than the Consejo itself – there is still no reply.

The Junta hopes to publish its order in February, and thereafter there will be three months for the Andalusian Denominaciones de Origen to hold their elections, which could delay them till April or May. It is worth remembering that Fedejerez chose the contentious route in case the Junta went against them. 

13.1.15 González Byass Wins High Parker Scores

The latest issue of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate magazine has awarded excellent points to no fewer than six González Byass wines:

Tio Pepe en Rama – 91

Cuatro Palmas – 96

Tres Palmas – 93

Dos Palmas - 92

Una Palma – 91

Palo Cortado Añada 1982 – 96 (single butt, only 667 bottles)

The tastings were done by Luís Gutiérrez who is Parker’s man in Spain, and show how seriously Sherry is now taken.

9.9.13 Parker Points for Barbadillo

Bodegas Barbadillo in Sanlucar has also received impressive scores from Luis Gutierrez, Robert Parker's man in Spain. This is the first year that Sherry has achieved the perfect score (also Valdespino's Moscatel Toneles). Few Spanish wines have achieved this so far, and they were all red. At last we have a wine journalist who understands Sherry! That is not to belittle Jose Penin, who has always realised the quality of Sherry and awarded points accordingly.

Reliquia Palo Cortado: 100

Reliquia Amontillado: 98

Palo Cortado VORS: 97

Reliquia Oloroso: 95

Amontillado VORS: 94

Oloroso Seco VORS: 94

Reliquia PX: 93

Oloroso Dulce VORS: 93

Manzanilla Solear en Rama Saca de Primavera: 93

Manzanilla Solear en Rama Saca de Invierno: 92

Amontillado Principe: 91

5.9.13 Parker's New Man in Spain; Decanter World Wine Awards; UCA Students to make Wine

Robert Parker’s new man in Spain is Luis Gutierrez, co-founder of El Mundo Vino. He wrote the article on Jerez and Montilla in the latest issue of the Wine Advocate, the first in the magazine’s history. He also tasted and awarded points to many Sherries, including the Grupo Estevez and Gonzalez Byass wines already reported, and he also awarded a perfect 100 point score to Barbadillo's Palo Cortado Reliquia VORS.

Luis Gutierrez with Robert Parker

Decanter Magazine has announced its 2013 World Wine Awards, and those for Sherry are listed below:

TROPHY
Gonzalez Byass Tres Palmas (Dry Fortified over £15)
Gonzalez Byass Tintilla de Rota (Regional Spanish Fortified over £15)

Lustau PX VORS (Regional Sweet Sherry over £15)

GOLD

Barbadillo Medium VORS

Fernando de Castilla Amontillado Antique

SILVER

Gonzalez Byass Dos Palmas

Gonzalez Byass Cuatro Palmas

Gonzalez Byass Amontillado del Duque VORS

Gonzalez Byass Matusalem Oloroso VORS

Lustau Abocado 1997

Lustau Almacenista Palo Cortado Manuel Cuevas Jurado

Lustau Oloroso Emeratriz Eugenia 

Lustau Oloroso VORS

Lustau Amontillado VORS

Hidalgo Amontillado Napoleon

Hidalgo Wellington

Hidalgo Wellington VOS

Williams & Humbert As You Like It

Williams & Humbert Collection 12 year old Oloroso:

 Students participating in the 5^th oenology course at Cadiz University (UCA) will be able to make their own wines, such as Tintilla de Rota, Moscatel, at the Rancho de la Merced as part of their practical work. The Rancho belongs to the Instituto de Investigacion y Formacion Agraria y Pesquera (IFAPA) which has an agreement with the University to allow oenology students to use its facilities. This year the wines will be bottled and used as institutional gifts at the University.