Gonzalez Byass 'Matusalem' Oloroso Sherry VORS (30 years)

I've written positively about Byass' VORS sherries before, but this Oloroso goes far beyond anything else I've tasted from Byass. Pouring a sticky thick brown like caramelized sugar, this 20.5% ABV concoction had an astounding level of depth and complexity. On the nose I got nuts, sage, brown sugar, marjoram, date, and figs (both dried and fresh). The palate was huge, sweet, balanced, and very intense: wood, smoke, figs, peat, cigar, and sage notes made this almost a cross between sherry and scotch and unlike any wine I've had before. In fact, when you pair this with fried tapas, chorizo, dates, and hard spanish cheeses you will realize this is perhaps one of the finest Olorosos, indeed sherries, you could have.

Excellent+
$35 for 375ml at BCLDB

Gonzalez Byass 'Apostoles' Palo Cortado (30 years)

And now for something completely different, or at least moderately so. I don't get the occasion to write about Sherry too often, mostly because there is a dearth of selection in the BC market. However, a few impressive high end aged sherries have recently started to trickle through the morass of government controlled liquor distribution, occasioning an opportunity I hope to continue to take advantage of in the future.

Palo Cortado is a rare type of sherry that sits between Amontillado and Oloroso in sweetness level, making it off-dry, but still moderately sweet. This particular Palo Cortado had brown sugar, caramel and baking spice on the classic oxydized nose. The palate was full and complete with apple, fig and caramel. Big up front, this also had great layering and is a wonderful pairing with rich cheeses. However, it doesn't match Fino or Manzanilla in their beautiful ability to pair with cured meats and tapas. Nonetheless, this was much more complex and certainly would gain depth and balance with more age. 20% ABV.

Very Good (I suspect higher with more bottle age)
$35/375ml at BCLDB or Kits Wine Cellar

El Maestro Sierra Fino

The march of the sherry bottles continues. This fino was another NYC purchase and added a great deal of complexity to the mix compared to the Manzanilla I just reviewed. With a nose of banana chip, musty oak, a slight Gewerztaminer element and baked brown sugar I was quite entranced. Pairing superbly with cured meats, the palate was quite expansive with smoky, spicey, fennel-esque and herbal notes all coming together in a well structured very food friendly sip. Highly recommended.

Excellent
$15 for 375ml in NYC

La Cigarrera Manzanilla Sherry

I am not sure why, but the marvelous style of wine from Andalucia in Spain seems mostly lost to North Americans. Perhaps it was the dominance of nasty British cream sherries that did it. Nonetheless, the rediscovery of sherry is beginning and I have finally jumped on for the ride. I recommend any self-respecting wine-geek to do the same as there are some stunning experiences to be had. I am planning on heading to Jerez next year and am very very excited given my experiences so far.

This is the first sherry I tried in a traditional style. Manzanilla's are very very dry and should be consumed young. The nose on this had the distinctively oxydized smell that typifies sherry, but also brought forward raisins, nectarine and honey. The sherry itself was a little thin in flavour, but was certainly nutty and salty - a bit like the sea. Very dry and acidic, this is meant to pair with food, particularly cured meats and tapas, which I did. Pairing sherry is perhaps the most fantastic experience I've had with pairing yet. So, while in the end I found this particular sherry a tad too alcoholic (insofar as I could taste too much alcohol), at the price it was a good buy. And, it began my journey towards even more exciting sherries, many of which will pop up in future posts.

Very Good
$15 for 375ml in NYC