Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla: comparing the regular bottling with the 2023 and 2021 releases of en rama
This wine comes from The El Cuadrado vineyard in Balbaina Alta, which is actually in Jerez, but the wine is made in the ‘second terroir’ of the San Luis cellar in Sanlúcar so it’s Manzanilla (it’s where the cellar is, not the vineyard, that determines this). Here I’m trying the en rama and the regular bottling side by side, and also comparing the new release of en rama with the one bottled in 2021. The two en ramas are very different in character, but both lovely: there’s no reason to drink en rama quickly, unless you like the style of the younger wine. Both are serious.
Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla En Rama NV
15% alcohol. Spring 2023 release. Vivid, tangy and saline with a whiff of the seashore and lovely flavours of ripe apple, a twist of raisin, some orange peel and lovely tangy citrus fruit. Nice richness and depth here, but also great freshness with many layers of flavour. To be drunk in quantity: so lovely. 94/100
Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla En Rama NV
15% alcohol. Spring 2021 release. Full yellow/gold in colour, this is beautifully textured with a soft palate showing spice, pear and raisin fruit, with some fine-grained structure, a touch of peach, and fine nutty notes. There’s some ripe citrus here, and also a saline twist. Such a wonderful mellow resolution to this wine, with everything fitting together beautifully. Textural and soft, but with a long, tapering mineral finish. Has a real warmth to it. 94/100
Hidalgo Manzanilla La Gitana NV
15% alcohol. Latest release. Bright, fresh, taut and linear with a nice saline twist to the pure pear and citrus fruit. Has some green apple and spice, too: light, delicate, fine and beautifully balanced with real drinkability, and plenty of complexity too. 92/100
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