Valdespino, Amontillado "Contrabandista" Medium Dry Sherry

Name: Valdespino, Amontillado "Contrabandista" Medium Dry Sherry
Brand: Valdespino
SKU: 27734
Price: 28.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Item # 27734 750 mL

This concentrated and complex amontillado has the barest touch of Pedro Ximenez adding dark treacle to a foundation of toasted hazelnuts and burnt honey. Share with adventurous friends over light desserts with dark caramel or brown butter. This Sherry comes from vines in excess of 25 years old growing in the regions white chalky soils. Fermented naturally in old oak barrels, the wine acquires a level of flor and is then moved to the Tio Diego Solera for ageing. This is Valdespino's Tio Diego Amontillado with PX blended in and ages an average of 10 years.

$28.99/ Single Bottle

$173.94 $156.55/ Case of 6

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Color

White

Country

Spain

Region

Jerez

Sub-Region

Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Producer

Valdespino

Grape Variety

Palomino

Pedro Ximenez

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About the Producer

Jerez, Spain The origins of this historic bodega date back to 1264 when Don Alfonso Valdespino was one of 24 Knights responsible for expelling the Moors from Jerez. As a reward for his efforts the king gave him land grants in the city of Jerez and thus began Bodegas Valdespino. The heart of Valdespino is its vineyards. They are the only sherry house to make single vineyard wines. The vineyard,...

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Glossary

Spain

Central to the Spanish winemaking philosophy is the belief that wine should be released only when it is ready to be consumed, and not a moment before. Spanish wine law focuses squarely on this issue: the terms Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva are highly regulated indicators of the amount of time a wine has aged prior to its release. In Rioja, Navarra, and the Ribera del Duero (which have the most stringent requirements) red Crianzas must be aged a minimum of two years; Reservas, at least three...

Jerez

Sherry actually gets its name from our anglo-inability to pronounce the word “Jerez,” the town at the southern end of Spain in which the wine is produced. Like Champagne, Sherry can only be called Sherry if it comes from this specific region. That said, there are other “Sherry-styled” wines worthy of note produced outside of the Sherry D.O. (known as vinos generosos). Montilla, lying to the north-east of Jerez, produces some of the finest Pedro Ximénez in the world.

Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Manzanilla refers to a Fino Sherry that comes from the seaside town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The proximity of the sea causes the flor to grow even thicker here, resulting in a very dry Sherry that has a distinctive briny, almost saline note. Manzanilla Sherry is light and refreshing - it spends an average of only three to five years in the solera. It should absolutely be consumed while young, within at most a year after its release. It works fantastically as an aperitif, as it pairs...

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Amontillado

These Sherries begin life as Finos but lose their flor at some point along the way (usually around the seven year mark in the solera). As they are exposed to oxygen, Amontillados develop intense, nutty aromas and become richer in texture. They are almost always dry, though many possess a caramelized note that may be perceived as sweetness. These Sherries can last two to three weeks (in the refrigerator) after opening, but should still be consumed relatively young. Amontillados fall into the...

Pedro Ximenez

Also known as PX (thankfully to those of us who have a dislike of words that begin with x’s), this dessert-style fortified wine is made entirely from the highly-sugared Pedro Ximénez grapes. Many of the best examples come from the region of Montilla, and are thus not technically classified as Sherries. PX’s are intensely, almost syrupy sweet, and are ideal drizzled over vanilla ice cream (or over your waffles, if you like to drink in the mornings). If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth, PX is for...