Highlights: Bodegas Lustau Almacenista José Luis González Obregón Amontillado del Puerto
The Spanish word almacenista means warehousekeeper or wholesaler. In Sherry-speak, Almacenistas are generally small family businesses that buy or produce young base wines, and mature them in soleras for several years. Once (semi-)mature, they are sold to larger houses for blending, or in special growers / instances, produced as a single wine, like this. There once were over 50 almacenistas in the Jerez area, now there are fewer than 20. José Luis González Obregón has three wines in Lustau’s Almacenista range, with Lustau being the first to spotlight these wines / growers. Rich, dry, beauty, with roasted almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts throughout. This complexed and layered wine weaves caramel, orange oil, chamomile, preserved lemons, lightly smoked marine salts over and over, cascading the umami flavours on the palate and hauntingly long finish. Such a mesmerizing wine, and great reminder to drink more sherry. 94/100
