Visiting Jerez, exploring Sherry, and blending Las Palmas
Part 5, the wines

Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Palomino Fino NV Sherry, Spain
Bottled in September 2014. This is bright and fresh with some apple notes. Very pure and lively with delicacy and precision. A benchmark expression of Fino. 89/100

Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Fino En Rama NV Sherry, Spain
April 2014 bottling. Lovely fresh, slightly salty, nutty wine with purity and a lively character. Complex and tangy with some richness to the texture. 92/100

Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Rebollo Fino En Rama NV Sherry, Spain
This is the original and smallest of the Tio Pepe soleras in the darkest and most humid bit of the bodega. Fresh and very salty with a tangy personality and some notes of apples, iodine and nuts. Warm, expressive and spicy - crazily edgy and complex. 94/100

Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Gaditano Fino En Rama NV Sherry, Spain
Very aromatic: lemony and herby with some marine and cheese notes. Rounded, textured, appley palate with some waxy notes and some warmth. Real intensity here. 93/100

Gonzalez Byass Viña AB Amontillado NV Sherry, Spain
16.5% alcohol. Probably the value for money star of the range. Complex, nutty and lively with lovely elegance and some sweet nutty notes countering the tangy citrus and pear fruit. Very complex with lovely balance. Approximately 10 years old. 93/100

Gonzalez Byass Alfonso Oloroso NV Sherry, Spain
18% alcohol; 8 years old. Once the protection is taken away the oxidised wines get their colour quickly but they take a long time to develop complexity. Aromatic, raisiny, spicy nose with nuttiness and some citrus bite on the finish. Dry and quite complex. 90/100

Gonzalez Byass Leonor Palo Cortado NV Sherry, Spain
20% alcohol; 12 years old. Lovely nose of casks and old furniture, with a hint of bitter marmalade. Fresh and tangy yet quite broad on the palate, with lovely precision. 92/100

Gonzalez Byass Del Duque Amontillado NV Sherry, Spain
21.5% alcohol. Nutty and broad with lovely raisiny richness combined with notes of leather and herbs. Nice spiciness too, with subtle tar and treacle notes. 92/100

Gonzalez Byass Apostoles Palo Cortado NV VORS Sherry, Spain
20% alcohol. Rich with some sweetness to the bold, complex, nutty, raisiny fruit. Concentrated, complex and sweet with old casks, tar and treacle notes. Very rich. 93/100

Gonzalez Byass Matusalem Oloroce Dulce NV VORS Sherry, Spain
20.5% alcohol. Sweet, complex and concentrated; raisiny and delicious. Very smoothly textured with a lovely spicy twist to the sweet fruit. 94/100

Gonzalez Byass Noé Pedro Ximenez NV VORS Sherry, Spain
Rich, unctuous and intense but not overpowering. Some tea and herb notes alongside the rich, sweet, raisiny nose. The palate has spicy christmas cake flavours. Very mellow and nicely balanced. 93/100

And, the 2014 Las Palmas wines:

Gonzalez Byass Fino Una Palma NV Sherry, Spain
15.5% alcohol. Lively and intense with citrus fruit, herbs and attractive salty, cheesy hints. Complex and broad with lovely precision and also some richness. Really fabulous stuff with lovely balance. Quite profound. 93/100

Gonzalez Byass Fino Dos Palmas NV Sherry, Spain
15.5% alcohol. Complex and intense with some nutty notes and a nice saltiness. Very fine, expressive and tangy with lovely concentration. Flavours of pear, apple and spice with good depth. This wine has freshness, balance and even elegance: it's not about extreme flavours. 95/100

Gonzalez Byass Fino Tres Palmas NV Sherry, Spain
16% alcohol. Complex tangy, nutty nose with some citrus fruit and hints of old casks. The palate is complex, quite mellow and really elegant with a subtle saltiness and nice texture. Quite serious. 95/100

Gonzalez Byass Fino Cuatro Palmas NV Sherry, Spain
21.5% alcohol. Incredibly complex, edgy, tangy and precise. Powerful notes of old casks, cedar and treacle with citrus peel freshness and good acidity. This wine has real salty, mineral, nutty depth and lovely freshness, as well as an eternal finish. It has edges, too. Stunning. 97/100

VISITING SHERRY COUNTRY
Part 1, the vineyards
Part 2, Jerez and a good lunch at Aturo's
Part 3, making sherry
Part 4, blending Las Palmas
Part 5, the wines tasted

Wines tasted 10/14 and 12/14 (Las Palmas)  
Find these wines with
wine-searcher.com

 

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