Availability:
Dry Sherry
![1019454_1.jpg]()
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Delgado Zuleta La Goya Manzanilla Sherry (375ml)San Lucar de Barrameda, Jerez, SPAIN$26. 99Bottle$323.88 DozenCellar: Drink now (2018)ABV: 15%Closure: Screw CapManzanilla Sherries stay in their blending soleras for at least 3 years and often 5 or more, yet this remarkable amount of care and costly maturation doesn’t translate into higher prices. Unlike 'Grand Cru' Champagne for example, world class Manzanillas are accessible even to those on a modest income. Delagado Zuleta is the oldest family-run Bodega in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, established in 1744. The La Goya brand was created in 1918 when famous Flamenco dancer and Caple singer, Aurora Jauffre, allowed the winery to use her artistic name of 'La Goya' for their best Manzanilla sherry.
Pale straw colour with greenish tinged edges and a watery hue. Nosing evokes aromas of flor yeast, a light nuttiness, bready characters and traces of sea spray as an end note. Light, very fine and fresh with a bone dry finish the palate is elegantly flavoured with dried nuts, flor yeast and a subtle oily breadiness. Dry, lightly salted finish with a medium to long salted nut and flor yeast aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 15%![Equipo Navazos La Bota 111 Manzanilla Florpower MMXVIII]()
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Equipo Navazos La Bota 111 Manzanilla Florpower MMXVIIISanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: StelvinEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
The young and tender 2018 La Bota de Manzanilla 111 Florpower MMXVIII was shy and austere, but after bottling (it was bottled in February 2022), it was a bit dizzy in the nose, but the palate shows much better, like many of the 2018 wines I had seen in other bottlings. It's a cooler year with balance and freshness and aging potential. Drink 2022 - 2027.
94 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Sep 09, 2022)![Romate Don Jose Oloroso Sherry]()
- 93
Romate Don Jose Oloroso SherryJerez, SPAIN$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenABV: 18%Closure: CorkCrafted by Jose Luis ('Pepe') Infante at the 230-year-old Romate Bodega, in Jerez. The Don Jose Oloroso is barrel aged for 15 years to produce a rich but dry expression.
Other Reviews....
Nutty and intense, like peanut brittle reduced to liquid form—but with less than half the corn syrup. It delivers beautiful texture and intensity; it's almost fruity, but then mushroom, almond and macadamia nut take over. With perfect weight and a finish that doesn't quit, this is a great dry Sherry.
93 Points
Michael Schachner - Wine Enthusiast MagazinePale tawny with a hint of green at the rim. Very nutty nose with the pungent creaminess of well-aged sherry and just enough sweetness to compensate for the dry treacle character. Much drier than Harvey's 12-year-old Cream sherry and with more rancio character. An amazing amount of pleasure for under a tenner. Come on, wine drinkers, how long are you going to ignore such bargains?
17 / 20 Points
Jancis Robinson MW (November 2021)![Seppeltsfield DP233 Dry Apera Sherry (500ml)]()
- 92
- 93
Seppeltsfield DP233 Dry Apera Sherry (500ml)Barossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$34. 99Bottle$419.88 DozenABV: 21%Closure: StelvinThis timeless Dry Apera is derived from Seppeltsfield's rich collection of fortified wines, offering a blend of DP116 (Aged Flor Apera) and DP117 (Dry Flor Apera), both now discontinued, to craft this new offering. Founded in 1851 by Joseph and Johanna Seppelt, Seppeltsfield in the Barossa Valley boasts a heritage steeped in pride and value, emerging just 15 years after South Australia's European settlement.
Alc. 21%Other Reviews....
This shows notes of hazelnuts and almonds with dried fruit, spices and toffee caramel on offer. Dry, with a nutty sherry-like character, polished texture and same saline notes to it. Lengthy and characterful. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
92 Points
JamesSuckling.comThe NV DP233 Dry Apera leads with an attractive nose of quince, orange peel, white pepper, sultana, fig and lashings of aniseed and smoked almonds. The wine is dry but luscious, with an oily mouthfeel and layers of savory spice. It's really good. It makes me want some sardines on toast with fancy salted butter. 20% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
93 Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate![Tio Pepe En Rama Fino Sherry (Saca 2023)]()
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Tio Pepe En Rama Fino Sherry (Saca 2023)Jerez, SPAIN$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkTio Pepe Fino en Rama is the maximum expression of biological ageing, the unfiltered version of this world famous Fino Sherry. Winemaker Antonio Flores monitors hundreds of barrels from different sub-soleras. Together with his assistant and daughter Silvia he earmarks particular casks for having exceptional depth, complexity and balance. As an en rama sherry, there are minimal interventions and hardly any filtering, staying as close as possible to the wine in the bodega. It shows Tio Pepe in its most natural state, with more intense aromas and flavours.
Other Reviews....
Always highly anticipated, each bottling of Tio Pepe's En Rama expression quickly flies off shelves. Act fast, therefore, to grab this year's release, which showcases the trademark elegance and intensity that have made this wine so famous and sought after. Bright, deep and complex, with salted nuts over a layer of ripe citrus and orchard fruit. Beautifully textural. filling the mid palate with saline poise. Drink 2023 - 2024.
94 points
Ines Salpico - Decanter![1004798_1.jpg]()
Tio Pepe Fino SherryJerez, SPAIN$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenClosure: CorkThe world’s best-selling Fino, uncompromisingly dry, always served cold, fantastic with food – especially savoury nibbles such as Jamon Iberico, chorizo, olives, nuts, Manchego cheese and bread and oil.
The story behind Tio Pepe, one of the world's great fino sherries is a colourful one.Translated, “Tio Pepe” means “Uncle Joe.” Joe was a wine trader who raised his young nephew, Manuel Gonzalez Angel after Manuel’s father died leaving a wife and seven children. Manuel himself later became a prominent exporter of sherry and his cellars were frequented by his benefactor who was particularly partial to one barrel of fino. Delighting in this, Manuel had the words “Tio Pepe” branded on the butt ensuring that it would always be available for when his uncle visited. However, news spread quickly and soon everyone wanted to dip into Uncle Joe’s reserve. There was only one solution - the rest is history. Today annual production has soared to a staggering nine million bottles!
Tasting note: Made from 100% Palomino grapes and aged for an average of seven years using the traditional Solera system. Deep pale golden colour. Pungent bouquet with yeast dominating. The perfectly balanced palate is full and round displaying mixed nuts and attractive flor yeast character. Very dry, crisp clean finish that lingers long in the mouth. Remains a classic in its genre as an ideal aperitif. Serve chilled with shellfish.
![Valdespino Deliciosa Manzanilla (375ml)]()
- 89
- 89
Valdespino Deliciosa Manzanilla (375ml)Sanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkOther Reviews...
The impressive line-up is opened with the pale-colored NV Manzanilla Deliciosa, which is produced with Palomino grapes from the Miraflores vineyard and aged for five years under yeast. It is a finer version of La Guita, easy to drink, with a sweet note of apples in the nose, a polished and gentle palate, ending with a saline touch. Drink 2013-2014.
I’ve often called Valdespino “the Romanee-Conti of Jerez.” Well, there, I’ve said it. To me they represent quality and tradition at the very top of the Sherry hierarchy. The winery, soleras and brands are old, registered in 1875, but with documentation about their commercial and winegrowing activities going back to the 13th century. Their recent history starts in 1999, when Jose Estevez purchases the company from the Valdespino family. Today Valdespino is the jewel in the crown of the Grupo Estevez, which also includes Real Tesoro and La Guita, who stock and age 35,000 botas of Sherry and own 800 hectares of vineyards, 56 of which come from the Pago Macharnudo, on pure white albariza soil, one of the best vineyards in the Marco de Jerez, and 17 hectares from the heart of Macharnudo are still fermented in bota today and form the core of brands like Inocente, Tio Diego, CP or Cardenal. All the wines were carefully and slowly moved to the new facilities of the Grupo Estevez on the outskirts of Jerez, where they continue their development under the supervision of Eduardo Ojeda, technical director, winemaker, who as a wine-lover is very aware of his role preserving these old soleras, wines and traditions.
89 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (August 2013)Lovely salt, Brazil nut and floral notes combine with a bitter citrus oil accent on the taut finish. Drink now. 800 cases made
89 Points
Thomas Matthews - The Wine Spectator (January 2013)![Valdespino Inocente Fino (375ml)]()
- 92
- 94
- 92
Valdespino Inocente Fino (375ml)Jerez, SPAIN$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkOther Reviews...
The NV Fino Inocente must be one of the few wines in Jerez that is still fermented in 600-liter American oak botas, which is an incredible amount of work compared with fermenting tens of thousands of kilos of grapes (or even more) in a big stainless steel tank. This method was the norm of yesteryear, but is so labor intense that it was discontinued in most wineries, and gives a big diversity of wines, as each barrel has its own character, which contributes to the complexity of the blend. Furthermore, the bottled wine is on average 8 to 10 years old. One other thing that makes it apart from other Finos is that the grapes are exclusively from the high part of the Macharnudo vineyard, so this is a single-vineyard Fino. The nose is very complex, showing the effect of the long lees contact: chalk, dried hay, aromatic herbs and salty almonds. The palate is full, but at the same time elegant and balanced, powerful and fine, with the texture of a Meursault rather than a Puligny. A very complex wine, that manages to be both powerful and elegant. Inocente is great value for money. Drink 2013-2016.
I’ve often called Valdespino “the Romanee-Conti of Jerez.” Well, there, I’ve said it. To me they represent quality and tradition at the very top of the Sherry hierarchy. The winery, soleras and brands are old, registered in 1875, but with documentation about their commercial and winegrowing activities going back to the 13th century. Their recent history starts in 1999, when Jose Estevez purchases the company from the Valdespino family. Today Valdespino is the jewel in the crown of the Grupo Estevez, which also includes Real Tesoro and La Guita, who stock and age 35,000 botas of Sherry and own 800 hectares of vineyards, 56 of which come from the Pago Macharnudo, on pure white albariza soil, one of the best vineyards in the Marco de Jerez, and 17 hectares from the heart of Macharnudo are still fermented in bota today and form the core of brands like Inocente, Tio Diego, CP or Cardenal. All the wines were carefully and slowly moved to the new facilities of the Grupo Estevez on the outskirts of Jerez, where they continue their development under the supervision of Eduardo Ojeda, technical director, winemaker, who as a wine-lover is very aware of his role preserving these old soleras, wines and traditions.
94 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (August 2013)High-pitched, featuring talc, chamomile, chalk and jicama notes, followed by a pure, stone-tinged finish. Very graceful, lacy and long. Drink now. 2,500 cases made.
92 Points
James Molesworth - The Wine Spectator (October 2013)A complex, fresh fino that has aromas of dried wood, hazelnuts, apples and smoked nuts. The palate offers a smoothly rendered, fresh and seamless delivery of savory, creamy style. Finishes fresh. Drink now.
92 Points
JamesSuckling.com (December 2020)![50033018_1.jpg]()
- 94
- 90
- 92
La Guita Manzanilla (375ml)Sanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: Screw CapOther Reviews...
The NV La Guita Manzanilla has always had a very strong and marked character of brine, green olives and mustard seeds, with an overall sweet sensation. The medium-bodied palate is precise, very dry and intense, with some brine and rancio flavors and great length. The quality of this wine has increased notably in the last few years, and represents very good value and is a great introduction to Manzanilla, as availability should not be a problem with 2,000,000 bottles filled per year. As an advantage, the back label shows the month and date of the bottling, and should be drunk within a year or two. Drink 2013-2014.Although the official name of this winery created in 1852 in Sanlucar de Barrameda is Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin, it’s better known by the name of the only wine they make, Manzanilla La Guita. Moreover, the company has changed hands a number of times and since 2007 belongs to Grupo Estevez who also own Valdespino and Marques del Real Tesoro, but the names remain. La Guita, and its characteristic bottle with a piece of string attached (guita has two different meanings, it’s slang for cash, but it also means string, which in fact is the root for the word guitar) is a very strong brand locally and it’s been in existence since 1908. La Guita is a truly wine from Sanlucar: not only is the wine aged for an average of four years under flor in an impressive 15,000-barrel solera spread over two different cellars in Sanlucar, but the grapes are also from Sanlucar, mainly from the Miraflores vineyard.
90 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (August 2013)Unique aromas of dried apples, lemon blossom, almonds and cream. Hints of seaweed. Full-bodied, yet focused and tight with lively acidity and a beautifully composed finish of fruit and flavor. Always a winner here. Screw cap.
94 Points
JamesSuckling.com (September 2020)This round white has texture and grip, with rich and focused flavors of apple, almond, green olive and brine. Offers plenty of fruit, but remains grounded thanks to the briny character. Expressive and balanced. Drink now. 5,000 cases made.
92 Points
Thomas Matthews - The Wine Spectator (November 2012)![1009945_1.jpg]()
- 97
Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry (375ml)Sanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkThe Hidalgo is one of the few remaining Spanish Sherry producers. The family’s origins can be traced to the North of Spain, but moved to the South in the 18th Century. In 1792, JOSE PANTALEON HIDALGO acquired a Sherry Bodega in the centre of San Lucar de Barrameda. Six generations later, the company is still owned by the Hidalgo family. Manzanilla is the driest of the Sherries as well as being the lightest.
The terroir of the vineyards that is set between the sea, the river and the marshlands to the North creates a degree of humidity and microclimate that allows the flor yeast to grow on the surface of the maturing wine all year round. Elsewhere in Sherry, the flor yeast character dies off the surface during summer and winter. The climatic situation has curious parallels with the Sauternes region of France.
A refreshing, bone dry sherry, that is a perfect match for prosciutto and fresh seafood. Classic very pale, almost water like colour water like hue. Superb lifted nose of sea spray salt, cashew and flor yeast showing all the characteristics of a top Manzanilla. The palate has excellent length and depth – a wonderful juxtaposition of salt, cashew nut and flor yeast flavours – mouthfilling and refreshingly clean and bone dry. Perfect balance. Exceptionally long salty, flor yeast aftertaste.
A fantastic Summer drink. Enjoy over the festive season.
Drink (2011)
Alc/Vol: 15%![Coleccion Roberto Amillo Amontillado Sherry (500ml)]()
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Coleccion Roberto Amillo Amontillado Sherry (500ml)Jerez, SPAIN$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 21%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The latest bottling of the NV Amontillado was marked as L211105, so bottled the 5th of November 2011. It has an amber color and a saline nose with notes of nuts, varnish, dry orange peel and some iron. The palate is pungent and finished with a salty and bitter twist. It has 21% alcohol and 8.1 grams of acidity and 6.5 of sugar, but it feels bone dry, balanced and concentrated through evaporation. This saca consists of 2,000 half-liter bottles.
94 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate![483908092_1.jpg]()
- Nick's Import
Cuesta Fino SherryJerez, SPAIN$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenABV: 15%Following the success of Cuesta's stunning PX , we've expanded the range to include their Fino, Amontillado and Oloroso sherries. Straw-coloured or golden, finos have a spicy, delicate aroma reminiscent of almonds, and are dry and light in the mouth. Their special properties are the result of the exclusive ageing process under the veil of flor. The very dry finish of Fino is due to the consumption of glycerol by the flor. They typically have an alcohol content of 15º -18o and are best served cold. Enjoy this as a perfect aperitif with roasted almonds or grilled fish.
No tasting notes available.![89419809111_1.jpg]()
- Nick's Import
Cuesta Manzanilla SherryJerez, SPAIN$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenABV: 15%This is a pale-coloured, bone dry wine aged in the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda, where cellars are located by the seaside. It offers nutty, sea salt aromas and a light, fresh palate that's tangy and crisp with a hint of saltiness. Serve chilled as an aperitif, it makes a fine accompaniment to shell fish, sushi or smoked salmon. 15% Alc./Vol.![1004622_1.jpg]()
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Emilio Lustau Papirusa Light Manzanilla SherryJerez,$31. 99Bottle$383.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 1 Years (2000-2001)ABV: 15.5%Closure: CorkPale straw colour. Very pronounced aroma of flor yeast, nut and cashew. Dry palate with salty taste, followed by a strong flor flavour with a nutty background. Excellent length and concentrated flavour, followed by very long persistant aftertaste. Drink now.
Other reviews... Textbook Manzanilla! Papirusa is a clean, mildly salinic offering with green banana and toast aromas. The palate is just salty enough, but the wine’s more about almond, apple and lemon peel than saline. And the feel and finish are nutty and warm. A full-bodied but refreshing style as only Lustau can do.
Rating: 90 points - www.wineenthusiast.com![6650527_1.jpg]()
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Equipo Navazos I Think Manzanilla (375ml)Sanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$37. 99Bottle$455.88 DozenCellar: Drink now (2018)ABV: 15%Closure: StelvinBright straw colour with rose gold edges. Intensely scented aromas of hazelnuts and flor yeast rise out of the glass followed by almonds and faint dried fruit notes. Light and very dry the palate has flavours of fresh nuts, flor yeast characters and oyster shell with a subtle salty tang to the fresh finish. Excellent length with a fresh nut, bread, flor yeast and light oyster shell aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 15%![Equipo Navazos La Bota 113 Manzanilla Navazos]()
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Equipo Navazos La Bota 113 Manzanilla NavazosSanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$105. 00Bottle$1260.00 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
The next bottling after the number 93 is the NV La Bota de Manzanilla 113, which has strong green olive and brine aromas, but it's going for a fresher style and profile, austere and dry and still aged seven years or so under flor. The palate is super dry and long. This is the follow-up to edition 93 that started this new path of more freshness and drinkability but respecting the authenticity of the wines. This is a bit tight, possibly because of the recent bottling. 5,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2022. Drink 2022 - 2029.
95 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Sep 09, 2022)![Equipo Navazos La Bota 110 Manzanilla Pasada Capataz Cabo]()
- 98
Equipo Navazos La Bota 110 Manzanilla Pasada Capataz CaboSanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$160. 00Bottle$1920.00 DozenABV: 16.5%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
The new bottling of the extraordinary saga of old Manzanilla Pasada 10, 30, 59 and 90 is the NV La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 110 Capataz Cabo, from a solera filled with wine from Sanlúcar, mostly from the Pago Miraflores, that averages 10 years under flor and a further five years topped up with wine taken from all or most of the barrels in the solera. This bottling has resulted in a very balanced wine with intensity, freshness, complexity and drinkability, very difficult attributes to combine. This is the most complex and nuanced of Manzanilla Pasada before turning into Amontillado. It has gobsmacking precision and purity, defined and clean, laser cut like a diamond. This could be the most elegant and precise of all the bottlings of this wine. Cuts like a knife? No, cuts like a scalpel! 3,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2022. Drink 2022 - 2032.
98 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Sep 09, 2022)![Equipo Navazos La Bota 70 Manzanilla Pasada Magnum (1500ml)]()
- 93
Equipo Navazos La Bota 70 Manzanilla Pasada Magnum (1500ml)Sanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$230. 00Bottle$2760.00 DozenABV: 16%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
I also previewed the first ever Manzanilla Pasada from Navazos to be released exclusively in magnum (there have been a bunch of magnums from the Navazos-Niepoort wines, though), the NV La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 70 Mágnum. This is a little younger than the other bottlings of Manzanilla Pasada, and also a little lighter. Eduardo Ojeda started putting some wines away in the Calle Misericordia winery, some 41 casks that were turned into criaderas of the manzanilla pasada; and from those casks, he selected 2,000 liters that put into two 1,000-liter barrels that are thought to be over 100 years of age. The wine can be around ten-years-old. They also sourced a younger wine to make the magnums more affordable. It has the more oxidative character than the older wines, as if the begging of the oxidative phase is somehow disturbing after the long biological aging. The wine shows much better in the palate where you find a solid wine. This is a younger brother (or sister) of the older manzanillas pasadas, which should develop nicely once it is bottled - and especially in magnum. They expect to fill 1,300 magnums from two 1,000-liter barrels. This is the price for a magnum. Drink 2016 - 2024.
93-96 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Apr 2016)![440705353_1.jpg]()
- 97
Equipo Navazos La Bota 100 Manzanilla Pasada Botas NO (500ml)Sanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$199. 00Bottle$2388.00 DozenABV: 16.5%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
The next of the single-cask Manzanilla Pasada (80, 60, 50, 40 and 20) is the NV La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 100 Botas NO, selected from three butts (botas, in plural) to have more volume of the wine number 100. It's a bottling that always had more demand than supply. So, they made more bottles—2,700 half-liter ones and some larger formats. It was bottled in October 2020. Like in previous bottlings, it's bottled at 16.5% alcohol at an estimated average age of 15 years, the first 10 years under flor and the subsequent five with the barrels fully topped up, following an oxidative aging. This has more concentration and extract than the 110 I tasted next to it, but I favored the elegance and finesse of that other one. Still, it's a stratospheric wine, an explosion of concentration, flavors and minerality, a little more oxidative. 2022 - 2030.
97 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Sep 2022)Bottled October 2020. Fruit from Miraflora La Baja vineyard. This 100th bottling, which coincides with the 15th anniversary of the beginning of Equipo Navazos, is the result of combining the Bota Punta cask with two other outstanding casks from the 1/15 solera at bodega Misericordia, from which all the editions of Bota Punta and Bota NO Manzanilla Pasada have come since the first one (no 20). This has allowed them to make more bottles of this wine, for which they expect higher demand. Their website notes: 'This Manzanilla Pasada is actually close to being a Manzanilla Amontillada, a traditional denomination that is banned from labels. Part of the character of this wine comes from the fact that the casks are filled up to a tocadedos level – well above the 5/6 mark that is common in the sherry district, so the layer of flor inside these butts (much weakened by the age and lack of nutrients of the wine) is significantly smaller and thinner and can be kept alive solely on the basis of rare periodic refreshments – acting as barely sufficient barrier between the wine and the intensely oxidising effect of air. On the other hand, its very weakness implies that this protective effect is only a mild one, which is evidenced in the oxidative notes of this manzanilla as well as the rising level of alcohol, climbing above 16%. The average age of this wine is around 14 years.' TA 5.39 g/l, pH 3.14.
Pale gold. Stunning aroma that has the complexity of a Manzanilla on its way to becoming an Amontillado. It has all the salty, mineral iodine side of the Manzanilla and the nutty, bitter (completely non-sweet) toffee of Amontillado. Perhaps even heather honey without the sweetness. The taste makes me think of the colour burnt umber. With air it is more intensely mineral. On the palate, this is glorious, with light notes of bitter orange/apricot, a depth of flavour that is quite remarkable given its accompanying delicacy and subtlety. The balance is perfect: so fresh, so intense, it invades your mouth and goes on for ever. The Equipo Navazos team, Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, note the versatility of this wine at the table: 'it matches a wide variety of dishes, from the most easygoing (rich fish dishes, fish-based rice recipes, charcuterie) to the most difficult (scrambled eggs with porcini, runny sheep cheeses)'. I could just sip it very, very slowly all evening. Drink 2020 - 2030.
20/20 points
Julia Harding MW - jancisrobinson.com![440705352_1.jpg]()
- 95
Equipo Navazos La Bota 93 ManzanillaSanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
One of the better-known wines from Navazos has been the Manzanilla, which has been bottled unfiltered a number of times, and it now reaches us as the NV La Bota de Manzanilla 93, which is now sourced from La Guita (in the old days, it was from Sánchez Ayala; the source changed with edition 71) and averages seven years of age under flor. This is going to be the next release after edition 71, which was bottled almost three years ago. They want to make less frequent bottlings and let the wines develop in bottle. This certainly has the Guita character, mineral and austere with the explosive youth that often bring aromas of lemon peel and delicious bitter notes in the finish. This is really young and tender and should develop nicely in bottle. This seems to be a little lighter and more approachable. As they already have a lot of old and concentrated wines, it's good to have a less demanding and more approachable Manzanilla. 5,000 bottles. Drink 2019 - 2024.
95 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (June 2019)Bottled July 2019. 5,000 bottles. This is the ninth release of La Bota de Manzanilla, this one sourced from the same soleras as 71. It comes from a selection among several dozens of toneles and botas, casks that have been carefully put to one side and looked after by Eduardo Ojeda and his team since they arrived in Sanlúcar in January 2007. The estimated average age of this Manzanilla is seven years.
Pale gold. Strong hay-like, dusty, sour-saline freshness, brine and oyster shells. Fabulous intensity and freshness but still has some weight on the mid palate, with salted bready flavours and electric tension. Very long. Utterly mouth-watering: a perfect appetite whetter. The flavour just goes on and on. Utterly pure. Breathtaking intensity with no aggressive power. Drink 2019 - 2024.
17.5/20 points
Julia Harding MW - jancisrobinson.com![440705351_1.jpg]()
- 95
Equipo Navazos La Bota 91 Fino Macharnudo Alto JerezJerez, SPAIN$110. 00Bottle$1320.00 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
The NV La Bota de Fino 91 Macharnudo Alto is a wine that has been bottled multiple times under the numbers 2, 7, 15, 18, 27, 35, 54 and 68 from the Fino Inocente solera of Valdespino. The bottled wine averages an age of ten years, a full-bodied Fino (if that's possible after ten years of flor!), fermented in old sherry casks like it was done yesteryear. They had not bottled this wine for almost three years. The nose is spectacular and easy to identify; it has the same character as the Inocente wines. The nose was singing and expressive, with typical aromas but also somehow floral and perfumed. It has volume with lots of autolysis from the lees, with great power but also finesse and balance. Stunning. 5,000 bottles produced. Drink 2019 - 2024.
95 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (June 2019)Casks with a fresher profile chosen because 68 was more mature and they wanted to go back to a slightly fresher style, less uncompromisng. Bottled February 2019. A combination of solera and 1st and 2nd criadera. 10 years average age. From Innocente solera as usual.
Surprisingly deeply coloured, pale gold. Super-intense aroma that is salty, bready and full of dried grasses and chamomile but also has some wild tangy yellow fruit that gives intensity and depth on the palate, creamy richness from the autolysis. So incredibly saline. Revved-up Fino but still elegant. Intensely mouth-watering and cries out for food. Long and precise. Drink 2019 - 2025.
18/20 points
Julia Harding MW - jancisrobinson.com![60089395_1.jpg]()
- 96
Equipo Navazos La Bota 90 Manzanilla Pasada Capataz CaboSanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$155. 00Bottle$1860.00 DozenABV: 16.5%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
Editions 87, 88 and 89 are spirits, so we jump to the extraordinary NV La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada 90 Capataz Cabo, a wine that comes from a solera filled with wine from Sanlúcar, mostly from the Pago Miraflores, that averages ten years under flor and a further five years topped up. This is a blend of different casks, as it was done in editions 10, 30 and 59. These wines are bottled in 750-milliliter bottles, which is different from the single-cask ones, which are put in half-liter bottles. This is nuttier than the regular Manzanilla and even nuttier than the majority of Manzanilla Pasada, keeping the saline and marine character, hints of iodine and low tide, but also something floral and more ethereal. The palate is super expressive and explosive, pungent and nuanced, with very pure and long-lasting flavors. Really impressive. It should be bottled by the time this report comes out. This is truly impressive and should make a monumental wine. 2,500 bottles to be produced.
96-97 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (June 2019)Golden colour. Wonderfully intense and honeyed nose but not sweet, the wild grasses of the Fino, a salty intense richness on the nose, sour apricot, a Pandora’s box of aromas that you cannot disentangle sufficiently to describe. The intensity here is quite remarkable but it has not got to the stage where sherry can be almost too intense and too sour. This is smoky, so dry, precise and powerful, almost sweaty on the finish. Utterly saliva-provoking. Stunning length and complexity.
19/20 points
Julia Harding MW - jancisrobinson.com![60089396_1.jpg]()
- 94
Equipo Navazos La Bota 92 Palo Cortado Pata de Gallina (500ml)Jerez, SPAIN$199. 00Bottle$2388.00 DozenABV: 20.5%Closure: CorkEquipo Navazos is perhaps the most significant thing to have happened in the world of Sherry for a very long time. It has some of the most influential people in the fine wine world raving about the quality of these wines, and they are talking about the quality first and the fact that they are Sherries second. These are wines to make Sherry sexy again. They are also as rare as hens’ teeth and are being sought after with the same urgency that wealthy Burgundy collectors seek out the wines of DRC or the greatest Montrachet. This makes sense: these wines are every bit as profound, deep, long and complex as any bottle of DRC (and that is no insult to DRC!)
The Navazos Sherries are drawn from several bodegas, and represent a variety of styles: Manzanilla, Fino, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, Cream and even a brandy. The wines are bottled in limited series, in successive numbered editions, dated and named “La Bota de….” (the cask of…). The date of each saca, or racking, has been precisely stated on the label so that it is possible to compare editions of the same solera. This also enables precise tracking of the evolution of the wines, as these wines are expected to evolve in the bottle (it’s Sherry, but not as we know it). These are once off bottlings and once the bottles for each La Bota… release are spoken for, there are no more.
Other Reviews....
The NV La Bota de Palo Cortado 92 "Pata de Gallina" comes from the same solera as edition 72 (and 34), with wine that averages 35 years of age. It was sourced from the Almacenista Juan García Jarana and matured in the Fernando de Castilla winery. This feels older and has the reductive aromas of matchstick and old church. It seems like the wine has aged a little faster, perhaps in a more oxidative way. It has character and a touch of earthy rusticity, with great concentration, perhaps not as elegant as some of the other wines I tasted next to it. 2,000 half-liter bottles produced.
94 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (June 2019)Mid orangey gold. More apricot and orange here compared with the older Bota NO 79 Cream, almost a touch of vanilla but still the intensity of reduced-down bitter oranges, walnut skins too. On the palate the fruit is more rounded and generous, less severe concentration but still amazing intensity. Packed with sweet/bitter orange and a mouth-filling richness but no lack of freshness. So different from the Bota NO. Seems more youthful, more lively, less demanding, perhaps.
18.5/20 points
Julia Harding MW - jancisrobinson.com![6650526_1.jpg]()
- 93
Equipo Navazos Fino (375ml)Jerez, SPAIN$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenCellar: Drink now (2018)ABV: 15%Closure: StelvinDeep straw colour with a golden tinge to the edges and a watery hue. Nosing reveals a delicate aromatic profile of hazelnuts, flor yeast, almonds and light briny notes. Very dry and light across the palate, nutty flavours dominate over yeasty characters, a hint of iodine and brine. Finishes with good freshness and a lingering briny, nut, flor yeast infused aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 15%![50033053_1.jpg]()
- 90
Lustau En Rama Fino Jerez de la Frontera (500ml)Jerez, AUSTRALIA$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenABV: 15.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The spring 2017 bottling of the NV 3 en Rama Fino de Jerez aged for an average of five years under flor and was bottled unfiltered in April 2017. It's a textbook example of the biological wines aged in Jerez, with aromas of esparto grass, chalk, olives and brine. Super dry with pungent flavors reminiscent of the aromas found on the nose and powerful and round on the palate, it has a bitter finish with a chalky sensation and some salty notes. What I like about this collection is that the three wines show the personality and characteristics of their origin.
90 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - The Wine Advocate (December 2017)![50033054_1.jpg]()
- 91
Lustau En Rama Fino El Puerto de Santa María (500ml)San Lucar de Barrameda, Jerez, SPAIN$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenABV: 15.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
With a clear character of El Puerto de Santa María reminiscent of low tide, the Spring 2017 bottling (marked on the front label) of the NV 3 en Rama Fino del Puerto also has notes of almonds, yeasts and a saline, iodine touch. The palate is balanced and dry, sharp after five years under flor.
91 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - The Wine Advocate (December 2017)![50033055_1.jpg]()
- 88
Lustau En Rama Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda (500ml)Sanlucar de Barrameda, SPAIN$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenABV: 15.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The NV 3 en Rama Manzanilla de Sanlúcar is a little cloudy with a bright golden color. It has a nose of green apples and almonds that denotes certain youth and a medium Manzanilla without sweetness in the palate. It is overall dry and sharp, with a slight bitter flavor.
88 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - The Wine Advocate (December 2014)![1980169129018_1.jpg]()
- 94
Roberto Amillo La Saca Centennial Solera Palo Cortado Sherry (500ml)Jerez, SPAIN$350. 00Bottle$4200.00 DozenABV: 22%Other reviews... There is a new selection from sherry collector Roberto Amillo, who has now joined forces with the Altanza winery from La Rioja to purchase and bottle the NV La Saca Palo Cortado, which comes from a centenary solera purchased from a family. The wine has notes of rusty iron and saltpeter that took me to a phase of biological aging in the wine, and it also has plenty of oak, even with some creaminess and spiciness from the oak (noticeable especially in the nose). It had notes of nutmeg and felt spicier as it sat in the glass. I tasted it next to some 30- to 40-year-old wines, and it seemed of approximately the same age. The palate is medium-bodied, with some sharpness and elegance. I'd call it an Amontillado rather than Palo Cortado. It does have elegance and intensity, but it's narrow rather than round, and it seems to have been concentrated due to being untouched for a number of years. 360 half-liter bottles produced per year.
94 points - Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate Issue 243 End of June 2019 98 points - Guía Peñin - 1# SPANISH PALO CORTADO![119801910_1.jpg]()
- 94
Coleccion Roberto Amillo Palo Cortado Sherry (500ml)Jerez, SPAIN$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 19%Other reviews... The Palo Cortado from the boutique Colección Roberto Amillo was the highest scoring Palo Cortado in the Guía Peñín 2013, with 96 points. No wonder this is the wine Robert is most proud of. As with the other releases, it was sourced from a renowned bodega, in this case an old solera from Williams & Humbert in Jerez. A wonderful Palo Cortado, a classic example of the genre. Saline and acidic, with just enough dried fruits and oak to balance it out. Recommended - possibly the best wine in the Colección. 5 stars - sherrynotes.com ...The very aromatic NV Palo Cortado was sourced from Williams & Humbert in Jerez, from a special bota selected by Paco Salas, the capataz of the bodega for 33 years. It has aromas of candied fruit, flowers and even cherries in liqueur under the spirity and nutty aromas natural in this kind of wine. It has a certain creaminess and is very elegant, clean and balanced. This is power and elegance. These wines are presented in unusual 500-milliliter square glass bottles. As with all the wines in the collection, 1,000 half-liter bottles were filled in 2011.
94 points - Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate Issue 243 End of June 2019![1027739_1.jpg]()
- 93
Seppeltsfield DP117 Pale Dry Flor Sherry (500ml)Seppeltsfield, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$34. 99Bottle$419.88 DozenABV: 16.5%Closure: Screw CapMade from Palomino grapes. Bright pale gold colour with straw hue, a hint too deep in colour for a fresh Fino. Top note of flor yeast, followed by distinct hazelnut notes. Salty palate, with flavours of hazelnut and flor yeast lees over a salt background. Salty back palate, aftertaste of salt and yeast lees.
![841002300048_1.jpg]()
- Nick's Import
- Reduced
Tio Pepe Fino Sherry (1000ml)Jerez, SPAINReduced from $32.99$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkSPECIAL DIRECT IMPORT PRICING -
NOW $19.99 for a 1 LITRE bottle!The world’s best-selling Fino, uncompromisingly dry, always served cold, fantastic with food – especially savoury nibbles such as Jamon Iberico, chorizo, olives, nuts, Manchego cheese and bread and oil.
The story behind Tio Pepe, one of the world's great fino sherries is a colourful one.Translated, “Tio Pepe” means “Uncle Joe.” Joe was a wine trader who raised his young nephew, Manuel Gonzalez Angel after Manuel’s father died leaving a wife and seven children. Manuel himself later became a prominent exporter of sherry and his cellars were frequented by his benefactor who was particularly partial to one barrel of fino. Delighting in this, Manuel had the words “Tio Pepe” branded on the butt ensuring that it would always be available for when his uncle visited. However, news spread quickly and soon everyone wanted to dip into Uncle Joe’s reserve. There was only one solution - the rest is history. Today annual production has soared to a staggering nine million bottles!Tasting note: Made from 100% Palomino grapes and aged for an average of seven years using the traditional Solera system. Deep pale golden colour. Pungent bouquet with yeast dominating. The perfectly balanced palate is full and round displaying mixed nuts and attractive flor yeast character. Very dry, crisp clean finish that lingers long in the mouth. Remains a classic in its genre as an ideal aperitif. Serve chilled with shellfish.
