Fernando de Castilla Antique Palo Cortado (500ml)

Full flavored and very balanced.  Not too dry actually, but with a nice salty tang and good acidity.  Burnt toast and a hints of dried figs, walnuts and hazelnuts, hints of eucalyptus, ponzu and citrus, a little juniper with some waxy/resinous notes too.

The Antique Palo Cortado averages over thirty years in age, which qualifies it as a VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum or Very Old Rare Sherry). Grapes are pressed and fermented in stainless steel and then headlined to 20 degrees and undergoes oxidative aging in the traditional solera and criaderas system. 

Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla was founded in 1837, purchased and revitalized in 1999 by Jan Pettersen (a Norweigian with 15 years at Osborne). Jan also took over the cellars of Jose Bustamante next door and quickly established Fernando de Castilla as one of the region’s finest small, independent sherry houses. The company specializes in natural, unblended and unfined products as supreme examples of the ancient winemaking traditions of the Jerez region. The vineyards (farmed without pesticides or herbicides) and winery are all located in Jerez, all sherries are estate bottled.

The amber-colored NV Antique Palo Cortado has a clean, changing, lifted nose of white chocolate, orange marmalade, almonds and incense, while the balanced palate comes through quite intense, sharp, with good acidity and length. 3,000 bottles were filled