Sherry

Winemaker Description 

Tio Pepe is pale golden yellow in color with a very unique nose of elegant aromas of yeast and toasted almonds. On the palate it is bone dry with flavors of almonds and a slight saltiness on the finish. Surprisingly fresh after 4 years of ageing. Serve very chilled. Perfect as an aperitif with olives, almonds and Spanish jamon however also ideal for dishes such as seafood and fish.

Expert Review

90 Points James Suckling | This is the prototypical fino sherry with all the salty and yeasty character you expect. Also dried-apple, pear and lemon-zest character. Generous, but very dry and salty on the palate with a refreshing touch of austerity. Where are the olives? Drink now, if possible from a freshly opened bottle.

Expert Reviews 

Wine Spectator 94 Points | Singed black sesame, rye, buckwheat honey, Black Forest cake and blackberry reduction notes form a large-scaled core, with a viscous texture and a long, palate-coating finish. A light echo of peanut toffee adds just enough cut on the finish.

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points |  Ripe aromas of apricot, raisin and chocolate offer complex notes of dried cheese and sweat, making this anything but usual and normal. A jacked palate is racy and untamed, with bright acidity that's uncommon for wines this sweet. Chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg and coffee flavors carry an acidic balsamic note, while this remains bold, fiery and blasting on the finish. *Editor's Choice*

Wine Advocate 91 Points | The NV Noe Pedro Ximenez Muy Viejos VORS 30 Anos from sun-dried Pedro Ximenez grapes originates in the Nectar solera, and has a final average age of more than 30 years. The sugar level is 400 grams per liter. It has a different character and profile, more vinous than other PXs, it displays a volatile nose, with some minty, herbaceous and balsamic notes, intermixed with incense, ash and tar. The palate is extremely intense, velvety and round, with balanced sweetness, ending with a varnished note that lifts the wine up.

James Suckling 95 Points | To anyone who knows British Christmas pudding, the dense flavors of dried fruit, burnt sugar and spices will be nothing new. However, the sheer density of flavor will be something new to many, as will the stunning acidity at the finish.

Winemaker Description 

Leonor is a 12 year old Palo Cortado Sherry and described as the wild child of Jerez. It shows a light mahogany color with golden tones and a slight orange rim. On the nose intense and complex with notes of hazlenut perfectly balanced with aromas of bitter orange and mature oak. On the palate powerful and intense with toasted notes yet smooth and silky. Due to its power and structure this wine is perfect with mature cheeses and stong meats such as venison. Serve chilled.

Expert Reviews 

93 Points James Suckling | A very elegant example of this rare type of Sherry, which combines the best of Fino freshness with Oloroso richness. Long finish with delicate dried-fruit and toasted-nut character. Drink now. Aged for 12 years in cask. Drink now.

92 Points Wine Spectator | Bright, with fennel seed, Brazil nut, green tea, ginger and hazelnut husk notes that are racy and dry from start to finish. Dried green fig accents add a subtle seduction on the finish.

91 Points Decanter | Aromas of caramel and curry spices. Milk chocolate on the palate with a soft texture and delicate body. A very harmonious wine with a long and spicy finish.

91 Points Wine & Spirits | Elegant and refined, with soft touches of candied cherries, walnuts and almonds, this is a textbook Palo Cortado. Aged 12 years in botas, it falls halfway between Amontillado and Oloroso in flavor, but much closer to the former. It needs only smoked trout.

90 Points Wine Enthusiast | This dry Sherry is a touch hot, with alcohol swirling around the glass, but there’s also complex, welcoming aromas of almond, apricot and toffee. The palate is appropriately rich, with flavors of caramel, toasted nuts and buttered toast. A finish with walnut, truffle and mushroom flavors urges contemplation.

Winemaker Description 

Certainly! The Herederos De Argueso Jerez-Xeres-Sherry Amontillado is a dry and nutty white wine from Andalucia, Spain. It has sharp peanutty aromas and a tawny color with hints of orange. On the palate, it offers sour citrus fruit flavors, burnt nuts, and cocoa, finishing dry and chalky. You can find it in a 375ml half bottle for around $25. It’s a delightful choice for those who appreciate intense, tangy flavors. 🍷🥜🍊

Argeso Amontillado is an exquisite fortified wine of subtlety and grace. On the nose, it unfurls a spectrum of delicate scents reminiscent of hazelnuts and aromatic herbs, with a distinctive hint of dark tobacco.

Upon tasting, its lightness astonishes, yet it retains a marked dryness and a complexity that unfolds gently. This Amontillado exemplifies the artful dance between simplicity and intricacy, presenting a sophisticated and approachable taste experience. 

Winemaker Description

Very dry, crisp and fresh with a slightly salty finish. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review

93 Points Wine & Spirits | Deliciosa grows at the Pago Miraflores in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and it’s typically aged for five years under flor. This lastest saca shows a lovely mix of almond flavors, salt and white fruit, all melding into the wine’s deep mineral notes. It’s substantial enough to serve in the company of blackened redfish.

Winemaker Description 

Tawny gold colour, this elegant and classic Amontillado is pungent and aromatic, with oaky notes. Nutty on the palate with a hint of sweetness and a lingering dry finish. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review 

Wine Spectator 93 Points | This has lots of range, with ginger, date, toasted almond, blood orange, singed sandalwood and green tea notes all allied to finely beaded acidity, letting everything drape beautifully on the finish. Alluring on its own, but this really begs for some Cabrales. Drink now.Wine Advocate 91 points The NV Almacenista Jose Luis Gonzalez Obregon Oloroso del Puerto produced from Palomino grapes and aged in Puerto de Santa Maria by the sea, has a chestnut color with a green-amber edge, clean sweet notes of roasted nuts, cake and oranges, a medium- to full-bodied palate with a smoky character and great length.

Winemaker Description 

Harveys Bristol Cream features flavors of roasted nuts and raisins, with a subtly spicy finish. Harveys Bristol Cream is usually served well chilled as an aperitif, as an after-dinner drink straight, or on the rocks with a wedge of lime or slice of orange.

The ice lessens the viscosity and the citrus lowers the sweetness to create a refreshing drink. As a dessert wine, serve with cheesecake, flan, bread pudding or crème brulée. 

Expert Reviews 

95 Points Wine & Spirits | Inocente is Valdespino’s flagship, a wine from the Macharnudo Alto vineyard, where the soil is pure white albariza. It ferments in 600-liter wooden casks without added yeasts, a practice that has become increasingly rare in Jerez. The intensity of the wine’s salinity is remarkable—iodine and salt—coming together with ripe white fruit, scents of nuts and exotic spices. The structure is dry and austere, like drinking the juice of stones. This will last for a decade in the cellar, but it’s impossible to hold onto a bottle if there’s raw seafood nearby.

94+ Points Robert Parker | As with many other wines from the José Estévez group, there is a special bottling of Valdespino's flagship NV Fino Inocente in magnum, but in this case they have kept the bottles for six months as the wine is from the saca otoño 2016, the autumn bottling from 2016. So the wine is offered with some extra bottle age. It has all that you expect from Inocente, a long aging wine fermented in bota from grapes grown exclusively in the Macharnudo Alto vineyard and bottled with an average age of ten years. All the textbook aromas and flavors are there, coupled with the elegance and mineral intensity the Macharnudo white chalky soils provide. Customers who purchase one of this scarce magnums probably know Inocente already. This will have a longer development in bottle.

Winemaker Description 

Luminous amber colours. The aromas are pungent, almondy and persistent. On the palate it is slightly sweet, refined and with hints of dry flavours from the ageing. In short, the characteristics of an exceptional amontillado.

Straw-yellow, bright and transparent . Pungent and delicate. Light and dry on the palate.

Expert Review 

Tim Atkin, MW 95 Points | Lustau's Almacenista range is a treasure chest of unique sherry experiences and thiscaptivatingly subtle, airy Oloroso is yet another example. True to its El Puerto origin, it mixesa white almond smoothness with a distinctive salinity, while keeping the sturdier oxidationcharacters of wood in the background. Dangerously drinkableµ"

Producer Description 

Tawny gold colour. Complex and elegant, this classic Amontillado is pungent and aromatic, with fine notes of oak. Nutty on the palate with a hint of sweetness and a lingering, dry finish.

 Fragrant, concentrated with smoky wood aromas.

Winemaker Description 

The Cortado La Barajuela 2017 comes as the Palma Cortada y la Raya, from Viña el Corregidor, from the Sub-pago de Carrascal Alto, in the Pago de Carrascal. The harvest was carried out in the middle of September in the later passes, selecting the fully ripe bunches.

Producer Description 

Medium deep amber colour. Rather fruity nose of prune, fig with earl grey tea and candied orange. Rather sweet palate with a creamy texture, some nutty complexity, and rather long finish. 

Winemaker Description 

Tio Pepe Fino Sherry is a star bright, pale golden color. It is elegant and distinctive, with fresh bread and almond aromas. The palate is full bodied, crisp and very dry, with a complex, long finish.

Perfect with canapes and tapas, Asian food, seafood and all fish based dishes. Try it with caviar, oysters, anchovies or tuna carpaccio. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review 

James Suckling 90 Points | This is the prototypical fino sherry with all the salty and yeasty character you expect. Also dried-apple, pear and lemon-zest character. Generous, but very dry and salty on the palate with a refreshing touch of austerity. Where are the olives? Drink now, if possible from a freshly opened bottle. 

Expert Review

Michael Schachner of The Wine Enthusiast 89 Points | A cloudy brown color along with nutty, slightly fiery aromas of caramel and cocoa open this aggressive oloroso with somewhat sharp acidity. A narrow flavor profile includes toffee, mushroom and orange peel, while saltiness drives a tannic finish.

Expert Reviews

Expert Review

Wine Spectator 88 Points | A pungent, dry and bracing fino, full of iodine, apple and walnut flavors. Light-bodied, with a clean, walnut aftertaste. Drink now. 1,000 cases imported.

Expert Reviews 

Decanter 95 Points | Elegant and inviting, with layers of dark bitter chocolate, burnt orange and barley sugar leading on to a lush, rich palate of toffee, caramel and espresso. Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | A smooth nose deals typical P.X. aromas of chocolate, fig and raisin. On the palate, this is thick and a touch chewy but that's not abnormal for this type of wine. Rich flavors of café mocha and chocolate finish long, sweet and satisfying.

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Thick and oily in feel, with buckwheat honey, toasted sesame, prune and date flavors forming the core. A Christmas pudding note pervades the exotic finish.

Winemaker Description

Nectar is a young PX showing rich aromas of fresh fruit such as raisins and hints of honey, syrup and fruit preserve. On the palate it is velvety and smooth with good acidity with alleviates the sweetness. Perfect with desserts such as vanilla ice cream, black chocolate and cheesecake.

Producer Description 

Antique Palo Cortado (20%, Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla) Nose: highly aromatic and very elegant, with orange marmalade and bright hints of lime juice. Some roasted almonds and hazelnuts. Marzipan and caramel.

It also shows a delicately exotic spicy side, with rose pepper, aniseed and hints of incense. Soft coastal notes as well. Mouth: full flavoured, very balanced. Not too dry actually, but with a nice salty tang and good acidity.

Burnt toast and hints of dried figs. Walnuts and hazelnuts. Hints of eucalyptus. Ponzu and citrus, a little juniper. Some waxy / resinous notes too. Long finish.

Expert Reviews

92 Points Decanter | Complex, refined style, nutty and fruity, expressive, subtle. Balanced, deep, gently bitter, long. Textbook fino! One sip and you never want to leave.

91 Points Wine & Spirits | Most of my notes—and the notes from Chris Struck, my fellow taster—are about food rather than the wine itself. Or maybe the wine tastes like game, like partridge meat, nutmeats, sautéed onions deglazed with lime juice. Complicated, fascinating, reductive and delicious, this is a wine to pour with any of the above.

Winemaker Description 

Pale straw color with greenish reflections, bright and clean. This is a Jerez style Fino: fresh, mineral and pungent on the nose with almonds and bakery notes. Dry and crisp on the palate, yet rich and with a full finish.

Aged under a veil of yeast, called “flor”, in Bodega Las Cruces in Jerez de la Frontera. The inland climate in the town of Jerez de la Frontera provides a more rounded and fuller style of wine.

A perfect dry aperitif, ideal with fresh seafood, smoked salmon and fish. Amazing when paired with Ibérico ham. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description 

Matusalem is a 30 year old blend of Oloroso and PX. It shows an intense mahogany color with profound aromas of dried fruits, raisins, spices and mature oak. On the palate it is smooth, sweet, long and velvety. This wine has an interesting bittersweet finish due to the sweetness of the PX and the bitter tannins from the oak. Ideal with mature cheeses and blue cheese such as Stilton. Also perfect as a dessert wine with apple pie. Serve chilled. 

Expert Reviews 

96 Points Decanter | Perfumed with inviting layers of coffee, almond savoury herb and spice, then to a luxurious palate of caraway, orange zest, molasses and bitter chocolate.

94 Points Wine Enthusiast | Forget about Sherry styles, Matusalem operates in its own zone with its own rules. An intense, smoky nose shows charred barrel notes and prune aromas. A rich but snappy palate is not the least bit sticky, while deep flavors of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and molasses finish with grace.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Walnut, halva, raisin and buckwheat honey notes are layered, backed by hints of bitter almond and toasted pecan. Shows good energy for a cream style, with the bitter edge imparting length and cut.

Expert Review 

James Suckling 90 Points | This is the prototypical fino sherry with all the salty and yeasty character you expect. Also dried-apple, pear and lemon-zest character. Generous, but very dry and salty on the palate with a refreshing touch of austerity. Where are the olives? Drink now, if possible from a freshly opened bottle.

Winemaker Description 

Pale yellow with golden glints. Slightly cloudy as it contains flor in suspension, reflecting it’s having been bottled ‘En Rama’. Complex aromas of almonds, lemon and floral notes combined with sea spray and minerals. 

The palate is concentrated and sightly creamy with a salty tang and impressive depth of flavour boasting toasted almonds, apple skins and bready undertones. The finish is rounded and alluring, clearly harking back to its origins in the albariza soil yet also reflecting the Significance of its biological ageing. This wine is the purest definition of the vines and the winery. 

Our Notes

Oscar, 67 Wine Buyer, writes:  In 2015, I was one of only three invitees from the United States selected to participate in the prestigious Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Sherry Master program. This incredible experience allowed me to earn certification as a Sherry Master through their renowned education program. To this day, it remains one of the highlights of my professional wine career.

I was captivated by the vineyards, the historic Sherry bodegas, and the wealth of knowledge I gained under the guidance of the legendary Antonio Flores, Master Blender at Bodegas Gonzalez Byass.

Fast forward to 2025, and I am thrilled to invite all wine aficionados to explore our newly revamped Sherry selection at the shop. We have curated an extensive collection of over 100 selections ranging from delightfully crisp, saline-driven Finos and Manzanillas to complex and rare Amontillados, Olorosos, and Palo Cortados. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming Sherry tastings and other exciting events celebrating the magic of El Marco de Jerez.

Today, I'm especially delighted to feature one of my favorite Finos, typically available only in the spring: Ti­o Pepe Fino en Rama Saca 2023. Bottled in the spring of 2023, this en rama Fino undergoes minimal filtration and remains unfined, preserving its raw, expressive character. Hand-selected by Antonio Flores, this release showcases a vintage label from the Gonzalez Byass archives, making it a collector's item.

The wine itself is bursting with aromas and flavors of green olives, citrus, saline notes, and delicate yeasty nuances. Bone dry and intensely flavorful, it pairs beautifully with cured meats, cheeses, and grilled skewers of shrimp and calamari.

Producer Description 

The Antique release of Fernando de Castilla Fino is heavier than the Classic. Rich and complex with notes of citrus fruit and a classic salty tang.

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. 

Winemaker Description 

The Antique Amontillado comes from a very old Fino (8 yrs old) which is refortified from 15.5% to 18.0% ABV and introduced into a solera of Amontillado where it spends a further 12 years.

Light ambar color. Exceptionally aromatic, completely dry and long aftertaste. 

Expert Reviews

92 Points Robert Parker | The NV Antique Amontillado is amber-colored and has a subtle nose of tobacco, some iodine, pollen, beeswax and hazelnuts. The medium- to full-bodied palate shows lots of concentration and acidity, with a very intense finish. 4,000 bottles are produced yearly.

91 Points Wine Spectator | A dry, nervy style, offering balsam wood, clove, dried orange peel and Brazil nut notes that weave together through the lacy finish. Shows range, but stays delicate in feel overall.

Winemaker Description 

The wine is showing light legs, an intense and powerful nose which reminds us of the veil of the flor, chalk, dried fruits as well as citric, salty and mineral notes.

On the palate, the wine is fresh, salty and tasty. The finish is persistent and balanced, reminding us of salt, hazelnuts, yeast and green olives, with a dry and slightly bitter aftertaste.

The Macharnudo and Carrascal pagos express the best of our soils in this intense, salty and flavour some Fino.The Solera, with over 6 years of biological ageing, is made up of a total of 139 casks, from which number 79, 95 and 96 were selected, all found on the second floor of the Gran Bodega Tio Pepe.

Memo Summary Notes

That's a very specific and excellent sherry! The Tio Pepe Una Palma Fino Saca 2021 is part of a special, limited-edition collection of Fino and Amontillado sherries from González Byass in Jerez.

Here is a summary of the details for this particular release:

🌟 Key Characteristics
* Type: Fino Sherry
* Producer: González Byass (Tío Pepe)
* Origin: D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, Spain
* Grape: 100% Palomino Fino
* Ageing: Approximately 6 years under a dense layer of flor (a veil of yeast) through the traditional Solera system.
* Saca (Bottling Release): 2021 (Bottled in October 2021)
* Style: "Una Palma" (One Palm) indicates it's the youngest and freshest in the "Las Palmas" series, but still an older and more intense Fino than the standard Tio Pepe. It is typically bottled "en rama" (unfiltered or lightly filtered) to retain maximum flavor and character.
* Bottle Size: 500ml (50cl)

* The Saca 2021 is celebrated for its concentration, intensity, and purity of the flor character:
    * Appearance: Pale yellow to bright golden color.
    * Nose: Intense and powerful, dominated by yeasty notes from the flor (like fresh  bread or brioche), combined with aromas of almonds/nuts, chalk/talc, seaweed/brine, and sometimes a hint of bruised or green apple.
    * Palate: Bone-dry, full-bodied, fresh, and intensely salty (saline) and savory. It offers flavors of green olives, hazelnuts, and a persistent, slightly bitter, yet balanced finish.
    * Overall: It is an intense, concentrated, and very dry sherry that beautifully captures the essence of prolonged biological aging.
* 🍽️ Pairing
This Fino is an ideal aperitif and pairs wonderfully with:
    * Traditional Spanish Tapas: Almonds, olives, Jamón Ibérico.
    * Seafood: Anchovies, sushi, sashimi, smoked fish.
    * Complex Dishes: Artichokes, asparagus, and Asian cuisine, which can be difficult to pair with other wines.

Producer Description 

Varieties : 100% Palomino Fino. Vinification Method : This wine is sourced from a solera at bodegas Del Rio of Luis del Rio in Sanlúcar. Nick selected barrels on the warmer side of the bodega, giving the wine a fresher, more playful character.

Buelan Compañia de Sacas is a bottling project of barrel-selected sherries created by Nick Africano, musician and founder of En Rama Sherry Co.

Nick works with the wines of Ramiro Ibañez of Cota 45 and Willy Perez of Bodegas Luis Perez through his work with Spanish wine in New York City and with his experience working with José Pastor Selections. He was thrilled when he learned of Ramiro and Willy’s joint project, M. Ant. De La Riva, imported by José Pastor. After meeting Ramiro and Willy a few times in Spain, Nick immediately connected with their ethos, and knew he wanted to work with them in some capacity beyond selling their wine in NYC.

They are true modern masters, and will one day be legends of the category. For Nick, it felt like a dream come true to work with them for his first release: an idea Nick had to bottle a sherry to be co-released alongside a new song of the same name.

Buelan aims to bottle sherries that capture a depth of meaning and place, of metaphor and artistry, and, most importantly, they aim to capture the stories of the people who make the wines. Each bottling expresses a particular theme, be that a song, an idea, or just a certain style of sherry Nick wants to highlight. 

Producer Description 

The Maestro Sierra Oloroso, aged 15 years, is dark amber with flavors of walnuts, butterscotch and figs. Dry but with great intensity.

Expert Review

Michael Schachner of The Wine Enthusiast writes 88 Points | Mildly oxidized aromas of honeyed fruits and salt water are less alert than ideal, while this feels plump but without intense acidic cut. Toffee and caramel flavors include a note of white mushroom, while this golden Manzanilla feels dry and tastes a bit like fresh butter on the finish.

Winemaker Description 

Manzanilla La Jaca is the most famous wine from Bodegas Álvaro Domecq, together with the Fino La Janda. Last year all of the entry-level wines (not the ‘1730’ series) were given a modern, graphical label with abstract motifs and bold colours.

La Jaca is around four years old.

Expert Review 

Michael Schachner of The Wine Enthusiast writes 90 Points | A tan-gold color and oily aromas of almond and walnut open this surprisingly refined Fino. Flavors of butter, peanut and baked apple turn smokier and huskier as this sits, while nut flavors control an expansive finish.

Winemaker Description 

Alvear Fino is straw in color. Clean and tangy with a refreshing finish and a softness which makes it delightfully easy to drink. Perfect as a chilled Aperitif, accompanied by Tapas of olives or shellfish. Serve Chilled. Treat as a white wine. 

Winemaker Description 

This Manzanilla spends nine years under flor and is the most intensely aromatic bottling. Good freshness and balance on the palate, finishing with a salty twist and a bitter note. Only 1,500 bottles made.

Expert Review

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | The non-vintage Fino offers up aromas and flavors of sea salt and roasted nuts. It is excellent as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to sushi. 

Winemaker Description 

Aged for 15 years in Jerez de la Frontera. Since the foundation of its Solera by Mr. Emilio Lustau in 1921 to commemorate the visit to Jerez of Eugenia de Montijo, the last Empress of France.

Dark gold in colour with khaki hues. Penetrating aromas of noble woods, varnish and nuts with a great concentration. A rich and mellow wine, with immense flavours of smoky wood, prunes and bitter chocolate. Complex and ample on the palate, smooth and warming with a lingering aftertaste.

Winemaker Description 

Aged following an oxidative ageing for 12 years in Bodega La Campana in Jerez de la Frontera.

Dark bronze colour with golden rim. Pungent nutty aromas with a smoky wood background. Rich flavours of bitter chocolate, walnuts and baked chestnuts. This Oloroso wine has an intense, concentrated aftertaste, lightened by a tangy acidity.