NEW BODEGAS GUTIÉRREZ COLOSÍA

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NEW PRODUCER Bodegas Gutiérrez Colosía

EL PUERTO DE SANTA MARÍA

Bodegas Gutiérrez Colosía is located at El Puerto de Santa María on the banks of the Guadalete River. It is a family bodega established in 1838 with cathedral-like cellars and unique conditions perfect for maturing sherry.

3284

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GUTIÉRREZ-COLOSÍA MANZANILLA, DO MANZANILLA - SANLÚCAR DE BARRAMEDA

Palomino 15%

$ 53 $ 106

Restrained aroma with some flor character and frangipane notes. It is supple with a fresh palate, nice balance, and crisp acidity. Manzanillas are light dry finos made around the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda and the Mediterannean Sea. This was aged in an almacenista at Sanlucar to benefit from the unique conditions which allow more active development of the flor.

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GUTIÉRREZ-COLOSÍA FINO, DO JEREZXÉRÈS-SHERRY 3285 GUTIÉRREZ-COLOSÍA SHERRY CASE

$ 30 $ 360

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GUTIÉRREZ-COLOSÍA PEDRO XIMÉNEZ, DO JEREZ-XÉRÈS-SHERRY

Palomino 15%

Good Fino character with apples, smoke, marzipan and doughy notes with a hint of cheese. It has good intensity of aromas, dry crisp palate, with a nice bitter finish and long yeasty flor taste.

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GUTIÉRREZ-COLOSÍA OLOROSO, DO JEREZXÉRÈS-SHERRY Pedro Xímenez 17%

Deep translucent mahogany brown in colour. It has a savoury slightly horsey, stable, manure character with raisins and dates behind. The sweetness is balanced by tangy acidity with nice treacle and raisin flavours, candied orange peel, vanilla, bitter cherry and chocolate.

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GUTIÉRREZ-COLOSÍA AMONTILLADO, DO JEREZ-XÉRÈS-SHERRY

Palomino 18%

Simpler aromas than Colosía Amontillado with toffee and candy floss. Smoky notes emerge in glass. It is delicious on the palate with many flavours: nutty, smoky, and dry fruit. A sherry that is rich, round, and smooth. Palomino 18%

Bright orange amber colour. It has aromas of raisins, treacle, caramel, smoke and vanilla. It is mellow and complex with nutty smoky flavours. Great balance with good acidity, long and a long nutty finish.

THREE BOTTLES EACH

FINO, OLOROSO PEDRO XIMÉNEZ, & AMONTILLADO

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3286 AMERIGO VESPUCCI BRANDY DE JEREZ, SOLERA RESERVA

Brandy 38%

$ 96 $ 192

Brandy de Jerez is a specialty of the Jerez region. Amerigo Vespucci is a deep amber mahogany colour. It has mellow caramel and chocolate aromas. Sweet raisiny fruits with a touch of smoke come through on the palate. It is smooth with some alcohol burn countered by sweet fruits. Wines made from local Palomino grapes were distilled, then the grape spirit matured in a solera in American oak barrels previously used for sherry maturation. The average age of the spirits is ten years, with a small percentage of 50-year-old brandy and a dash of sweet PX wine added for complexity and sweetness.

THE ICONIC REGION OF JEREZ CAPTURED IN A BOTTLE.

WINE TOURISM Treasures from Jerez

by Louise Wilson MW

If you’re like me and get excited about wines that punch above their weight, Sherries from the Jerez region in southern Spain are worth exploring.

Sherry is often underestimated, yet it delivers great quality and outstanding value for money. At the same time, an overly narrow perception of the “style” of Sherry may be the result of the omnipresence of entry-level examples in the category. In actuality, one of the most intriguing aspects of Sherry is its diversity: from ethereal sea-kissed expressions to luxuriously rich dessert wines. The unique signature of authentic Sherry begins with the use of indigenous white grapes varieties: Palomino Fino, Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez (PX). In the winery, base wines are fortified and matured in a system of barrels called the solera. This bespoke aging process allows young fresh wines to be blended with more mature wines to achieve maximum depth of character. Within the barrels, the presence of an ambient yeast called flor results in the production of pale-coloured, protectively-aged wines with a characteristic tang. Wines raised in the absence of flor take on a toasty hue and a dried fruit and nut character. Wines from Sherry can be bone dry to lusciously sweet, presenting an option for all palates and occasions. Manzanilla is the lightest of the styles. It is the perfect opener with its fresh minerality and clean dry finish, calling out for a plate of Malpeque oysters. Fino, also matured under flor, has a dry finish too, but slightly more body. A chilled glass of Fino served with green olive tapenade on sourdough crostini is a wonderful way to practice self-care. In contrast, Oloroso is matured without flor, exposing the wine to oxygen. Full-bodied with notes of walnuts, figs and toffee, dry Oloroso and its sweet Cream counterpart are a clever pairing for duck confit. Amontillado is initially developed under flor and then matured oxidatively. Lighter than Oloroso, Amontillado is delicious with a board of cured ham, Oka cheese and almonds. The most opulent of the Sherries are made from soleo (sun-dried) PX grapes, resulting in decadent sweet wines. Think molten chocolate cake or bacon-wrapped Gorgonzola stuffed dates. This mouth-watering discussion offers but a glimpse into the possibilities with Sherry. If you consider yourself a wine lover searching for new experiences, then the Sherries of Jerez are not to be missed. Salud!

LOUISE WILSON MW lives in the Niagara region and is one of ten Masters of Wine based in Canada. She has over 20 years of experience in the wine and spirits industry and is Opimian's Senior Procurement & Category Manager.