Manzanilla sherry from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain and Fino sherry from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain are basically the same wine. They are made from the same grape (Palomino) and processed into wine in the same way (the famed Solera system). The only differences between the two wines are that the vineyards for Manzanilla tend to be nearer the ocean, and the bodegas (wineries) where the wines are stored certainly are. Now comes a study that confirms what most suspected, that both the grapes and the wines of Sanlúcar have a slightly higher salinity than those of Jerez.
I don't have a sophisticated enough palate to distinguish wine much anymore, but when I lived in Spain I got to the point where I actually liked Fino and Manzanilla, which are quite dry and take getting used to. At sherry bodegas when the tourists got to the tasting room it was always fun to watch their reactions when they tasted Fino; they'd taste it, make a face, and quickly pour it out and ask for more Cream sherry.
I love a fino, chilled. Not so much a fan of manzanilla. The priest at our church when I was a kid used it as sacramental wine, and I just can't drink it without getting the feeling that I'm an Altar Boy again ...
ReplyDeleteWe had a saying when we owned the wine store. "Everybody starts sweet, nobody ends there." At times I had my doubts. Had a woman come in once and ask for our sweetest wine. Took a taste, reached in her purse and pulled out a packet of sugar, dumped it in like it was iced tea!
ReplyDeleteInteresting, I didn't know there was 'that' much difference in the same grape.
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