Palo Cortado Cardenal VORS 22%, Valdespino

Appearance
Beautiful bright mahogany with coppery glints and a trace of green at the rim.
Nose

Aromatic, sophisticated and fresh with notes of polished antique furniture made from exotic woods, lots of toasted almonds and hazelnuts. The years have converted many nuances into a magnificent bouquet. It is hard to pick out individual aromas as they have all harmonised into an extremely elegant whole, not too powerful but very refined, a " vino de pañuelo" if ever there was.

Palate

It certainly has structure with its 22% alcohol, 8.5 g/l total acidity (expressed as tartaric), and there is naturally a certain level of volatile acidity, not to mention traces of oak tannin, but none of this can spoil such a joyful experience. Yes it is tangy but it has an elegant texture and while intense it is perfectly behaved with incredible balance and that lovely lingering exotic polished nutty flavour.

Comments

This absolute gem is made from vines of over 50 years of age in the pure albariza soils of a single vineyard in the pago Macharnudo Alto. Everything at Valdespino is about continuity and this wine started out either as Fino Inocente or AmontilladoTio Diego. Through extremely careful selection of butts, suitable candidates were selected for the first Palo Cortado, Viejo CP. After ageing there through 4 criaderas and the solera the wine comes out with some 25 years of age. The best butts then go through another 4 criaderas and a solera to finally emerge with over 50 years of age. Valdespino don't mess about; only the best will do, and this wine is magnificent. 99 Parker Points.

Price
85 euros per half bottle, Licores Corredera

Palo Cortado Cardenal VORS 22%, Valdespino

Appearance
Deep burnt umber hued amber through to a trace of green at the rim, legs.
Nose
Stunning. Intense, concentrated almond, hazelnut and wood, a little implied sweetness and a trace of salinity all beautifully integrated. It gives a strong sense of being in a bodega surrounded by barrels of Sherry, and there are woody, almost cigar box spice notes, balsamic hints and it evolves slowly and surely in the glass. Despite the age and concentration it is supremely elegant and refined.
Palate
A huge, powerful wine with a fair bit of wood tannin astringency just balanced by sufficient glycerol. Lots of nuts including walnut and a fantastic texture - you feel it as well as taste it and there are slight chocolate notes along with hints of wood spice. If anything, slightly more Amontillado than Oloroso. The length is almost interminable.
Comments
Scoring 99 Parker points, this exquisite wine is around 50 years old. It started life in the Macharnudo Alto vineyards, and the must was fermented in butt. It then went through the Inocente solera, followed by the Palo Cortado CP solera, followed by the tiny Cardenal Solera, so it has been well aged!
Price
Expensive! A half bottle is 85 Euros in Spain, but it will be hard to find in the UK as agents Liberty Wines appear not to ship it.