Palo Cortado, VORS, 30 Years, NV

Palo Cortado is perhaps the most elusive of Sherry categories and the rarest of the dry wine styles. Here the aim is a wine that sits between the elegance of an Amontillado and the rich complexity of an Oloroso. Ageing takes place under flor for between 4 weeks and six months, after which the wines age oxidatively and without flor, in a solera for up to 40 years. The result is glorious, purring with long complex supple flavours of hazelnut, orange zest, and salt, with golden tobacco, roasted apple, almond notes in the background and a strong suggestion of olive and sea salt on the finish. Rancio complexity in a silken glove of a wine; of 150 fino casks, 8 are selected for Palo Cortado, a number whittled down to just 2 after one year in the solera. The bodega have full faith that once opened a bottle should last for up to a year if kept upright with the cork put back in - so there’s no need to rush through the bottle, would that restraint so easily be counted upon!