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Our famous five fortified wines for November
Each month, we publish our Wine of the Month. As always, our wines are chosen by Sherry Rose Stolar of Hedonism Wines, Mayfair and London’s best wine store, and owners of Michelin-starred restaurant Hide, Hideaway, and the wine-led pub the White Horse, all in Mayfair.
So many thanks to Sherry for our Wine of the Month in November. Fortified wines this time, and particularly interesting for me as I had the pleasure of visiting the Port houses in Porto and went wine tasting at Blandy’s in Funchel, Maderia. Both are very much worth a visit.
When most people think of fortified wines their minds immediately go to the sweet fruit and intensity of vintage Port. However, there’s so much more to fortified wines to discover. From the dry and saline styles of Fino and Manzanilla Sherries in southern Spain, to the minerally and spicy Sercial styles from the island of Madeira, fortified doesn’t have to equal sweet. Some of the world’s most incredible fortified wines are dry and mouth-watering, just calling to be sipped as an aperitif. That being said, there’s no denying that the sweet vintage Ports, Malmsey Madeiras and Pedro Ximenez Sherries are a welcome treat at the end of a warming, winter meal. The fortified wines of Spain and Portugal in particular offer many styles and tastes for all sorts of occasions.
1 Dos Palmas Fino 50cl
Sherry, White. Jerez, Spain.
£27.50
A sumptuous fortified wine that forms part of Gonzalez Byass` Palmas range of old rare sherries. On the nose, creamy butterscotch and well-integrated oak, followed by crisp acidity, toasted nuts and yeasty complexity on the palate, concluding on a bone-dry finish.
2 Blandy`s Colheita Verdelho 2009
White. Madeira, Portugal.
£89.90
Founded in 1811, Blandy’s are unique in being the only founding member of the Madeira wine trade to still own and manage their original wine company. They offer many styles and quality levels of this unique fortified wine, including blends, single varietal and vintage expressions. This vintage release is made from the Verdelho grape, aged in 650-litre casks at room temperature until bottling. Expect notes of dried fruits, spices, sea salt and brandy.
3 La Guita Amontillado Rama
White, Sherry. Jerez, Spain.
£39.90
This amontillado contains the Sanlúcar essence of the mythical La Guita chamomile, with a sharp and saline profile. It has an average age of 15 years under the traditional system of criaderas and soleras, in which it has been gaining year after year in intensity and complexity. Unfiltered and unfined.
4 Graham`s 30 Year Old Tawny
Port Red. Douro, Portugal.
£92.40
For almost two hundred years, W & J Graham’s has been an independent family business renowned for producing the finest Port wines. The 30-Year-Old Tawny perfectly encapsulates the beauty of wines aged extensively in wood. Whilst wonderfully mellow and rich, with sumptuous flavours of dried fruits, dark chocolate and nuts, it has beautiful levity, brightness and elegance. Incredibly smooth and refined, this would be a wonderful accompaniment to dark chocolate but is, in fact, a treat all by itself.
5 Quinta do Noval Vintage 2017
Port Blend Red. Douro, Portugal.
£75.36
Quinta do Noval is one of the most venerated names in the Douro Valley and is renowned for producing exceptional fortified wines characterised by incredible purity of fruit, finesse and elegance. The 2017 vintage was an excellent follow-up to the highly acclaimed 2016, bringing just a whisper more tannin, power and aromatic intensity. Drink 2030-2075.
So that’s our famous five fortified wines, ideal for the festive season, which is fast approaching. Next month, we focus on Christmas wines, so be sure not to miss next month’s article.
If you would like to join Sherry in wine tasting, her next tasting details are below.
Hedonism Wine School: The Fortified Wines of Spain and Portugal
Monday, 20 November 2023
18.30 – 20.30
Tickets: £75.00
Each month in our Hedonism Wine School series, we invite you to join our events manager, Sherry Rose Stolar, for a deep dive tasting featuring a selection of wines from a particular region, grape variety or style. This month we gear up for the holidays, when fortified wines are on our minds. We’ll explore two styles each of Sherry, Madeira and Port, understanding the processes by which these wines are made and the various differences among them. Dry to sweet, there’s something here for all fortified wine lovers, or those keen to discover this category of wine!
In this tasting, guests will have the opportunity to taste the following wines:
Dos Palmas Fino 50cl NV
Cossart Gordon Verdelho 2008
Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro 20 Year Old Tawny NV
Quinta do Noval Vintage 2016
Blandy`s 10 Year Old Malmsey 50cl NV
Gutierrez Colosia Pedro Ximenez NV
Tickets to this tasting are available on their website. Tickets to this tasting include a £15 voucher, redeemable against any of the wines tasted on the night that are available.
