Sherry has been made in Southern Spain for centuries. Jerez is one of the oldest grape-growing regions on the planet, and Lustau, established in 1896, is among its most famous producers.
On offer today are 375ml and 750ml bottles of Emilio Lustau’s entry-level, solera-based Fino del Puerto NV – ‘a bona-fide classic’ – as well as the artisanal Almacenista Fino Del Puerto Gonzalez Obrégon NV, which is super fine, precise and layered. This 96-pointer won Gold at the Decanter Wine Awards and is an ‘archetypical top-class fino’. Both wines are dazzlingly good and very well priced at R175 (375ml) and R325 (500ml) respectively.
Pairings: Tempura vegetables, charcuterie, grilled aubergine, fish and chips, or Padrón peppers.
Fino is a light, fresh style of sherry. It’s produced from the Palomino white grape, protected from oxygen by a layer of yeast called flor. The wines are pale in colour, dry, and generally have a slightly creamy texture along with mouthwatering intensity and a chalky, salty finish. Expect bright notes of lemongrass, bruised apple, chamomile, almonds, pistachios and grapefruit.
Lustau is a small to medium-sized bodega and they continuously release the start of their range at accessible price points. This allows the consumer to try something amazing, possibly for the first time, with minimal risk and maximum reward. Their almacenistas have also been winning ‘Best Fortified Winemaker’ in London for more than a decade.
Tasting Notes:
Emilio Lustau Fino del Puerto NV
‘Strong bready aroma with lots of dried apple and sea-salt aromas. Intense, long, powerful, a bona-fide classic.’ – Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 16.5/20
Emilio Lustau Almacenista Fino Del Puerto Gonzalez Obrégon NV
‘Full and complex flor character, almonds, liquorice, white lilies, oyster shell salinity. Focused and precise, round and controlled with superb drive, finesse, and class. Archetypical top-class fino.’ – Decanter World Wine Awards, 96/100 (Gold)
