Tuesday 8 July 2014

Amontillado VORS 21.5%, Barbadillo

Appearance 
Deep copper-tinted amber to a trace of green at the rim, legs.
Nose
Aromatic and refined, with all the elegance of an Amontillado which began life as a Manzanilla, still some slight vestiges of Manzanilla pasada. Lots of hazelnut and traces of walnut and wood balanced by that apparent sweetness caused by glycerol. No obvious astringent wood notes, just extreme elegance and class.
Palate
Intensely flavoured, obviously old and supremely yet elegant. Quite tangy acidity (7.5 g/l) which recalls Manzanilla,  is balanced by a trace of honey, and while there is a hint of tannin, there is none of the astringency that some of these old wines can possess. In fact it is very smooth with a slight honey-nut feel and terrific length. Excellent.
Comments 
This wine began life as a Manzanilla, ageing as such for about 8 years through 12 criaderas. It was then fortified to 18% and entered the oxidative phase of its maturation, where it passed through a further 7 criaderas, filled to the brim, over the course of 22 years.
Price
Imported into the UK by Fells and should retail at between £60-£70




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