Last Updated 5/15/2017

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1 Sherry By Derek Smedley MW Last Updated 5/15/2017 Derek Smedley MW, Rectory Cottage, Lilley, Hertfordshire, LU2 8LU.

2 August 06, 2012 SHERRY Tasting notes from the following Bodegas: Contents Barbadillo... 3 Sanlúcar de Barrameda... 3 González Byass... 3 Jerez de la Frontera... 3 Harveys... 5 Jerez de la Frontera... 5 Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana... 5 Sanlúcar de Barrameda... 5 Lustau... 6 Jerez de la Frontera Master of Wine: Derek Smedley 2

3 SHERRY August 06, 2012 Sherry Date & place of tasting in italics Growers / Wineries are in alphabetical order with area underneath Barbadillo Sanlúcar de Barrameda Mazanilla en Rama 95 Palomino Fno (The Spring extraction) Tasted in Lilley June 2015 Fragrant citrusy with a salty tang the nose has a racy charm. The palate is fresh quite delicate lime and lemon racy and salty on the finish. Oloroso 88 Tasted in Innholders Hall December 2015 The nose is light fragrant quite fresh the palate nutty at the start with slightly more depth in the middle. The back palate lacks a bit of concentration the finish is a touch short and light. Oloroso Cuco Seco 94 Tasted in Innholders Hall December 2015 The nose has a rich mix of flavours the palate has dates and dried fruit with a bowlful of nuts at the back. The layers of flavour give complexity a mix of richness and freshness the finish is long with dried fruits and hazel nuts. San Rafael Medium 89 (Base of Oloroso) Sweet on the nose the palate has a yellow peach apricot mix. Sweet in the middle fair depth but lighter slightly fresher at the back with a mix of raisins and dates the finish just lacks a bit of length. González Byass Jerez de la Frontera Elegante Fino 91 Tasted at Lincoln s Inn March 2013 The nose is lovely and fresh with the saltiness of the sea and the palate is the same crisp and fresh slightly fuller in the middle with hints of Flor and sea salt tanginess on the finish. 3 Master of Wine: Derek Smedley Master of Wine: Derek Smedley

4 August 06, 2012 SHERRY Tio Pepe En Rama Tasted at the London Wine Trade Fair May 2012 This very rare sherry is taken from the heart of the best butts in the four Tio Pepe Soleras, butts that have the best development of flor, the yeast covering the wine. The nose is flowery, fragrant tangy with a touch of nutty spice. The palate has depth of flavour a nutty richness with the freshness coming through on the long floral fragrant finish. This release is very special bottled to celebrate the founder Manuel Maria Gonzalez born 200 years ago. Do remember is it bottled unfiltered and unfined so if slightly cloudy there is nothing wrong!! Dos Palmas Sherry from the 3 rd Annual Release Tasted in Lilley December 2013 Gonzales Byass wine maker Antonia Flores uses the traditional system to classify the butts a palma or chalk mark. There are four classifications Una, Dos, Tres and Cuatro with the Cuatro being the oldest some forty years in age. The Dos Palmas comes from eight year old casks ones which have still retained a delicate covering of Flor, finos that started their life in the Tio Pepe solera and although Fino is character are moving towards Fino / Amontillado delicate yet with an intensity of flavour. The nose is fresh and citrusy with a salty tang light and fragrant and although the palate starts fresh it fills out in the middle apricot in character with depth and richness lovely and concentrated intense. The citrusy salty freshness is there at the back slightly nutty with flor showing on the long and persistent finish. La Concha Amontillado 89 Tasted at Lincoln s Inn March 2013 Almonds and hazel nuts give lots of character on the nose the sweetness from Pedro Ximénez giving weight in the middle. The richer flavours are underpinned by freshness but it fills out towards the back with the sweetness of caramel and a lovely hazel nut walnut mix on the finish. Alfonso Oloroso Seco, 92 Tasted at the Carlton Club July 2016 Walnuts and apricots the nose has a complex mix of fragrances the start of the palate has depth with ripe apricots and yellow peaches. Spicy and nutty freshness under the rich fruit on the mid palate the layers of flavour give complexity. The finish is rich with depth of fruit and just an intriguing hint of spice. Matusalem 30 year old Oloroso 97 Palomino Pedro Ximénez MW Diamond Jubilee Banquet Banqueting House September 2013 Tasted at the Innholders Subscription Dinner September 2014 Rich nutty peaches and dates the nose has depth yet fragrance. The palate has an opulent fleshiness figs and dried fruits but then towards the back it is a bit lighter hints of nuts almonds and hazel nuts. The finish though is rich deep sensuous opulent. Master of Wine: Derek Smedley 4

5 SHERRY August 06, 2012 Harveys Jerez de la Frontera Fine Old Amontillado 30 Year Old 94 Tasted at the IWC Taste of Gold Lords June 2012 Nuts and figs give lots of complexity on the nose. The mid palate is rich a touch of sweetness with a more fragrant lighter nutty feel towards the back. The flavours linger on the long finish. Palo Cortado 30 Year Old 96 Tasted at the IWC Taste of Gold Lords June 2012 There is a lot happening on the nose a mix of fruits hints of nuts a touch of caramel. The palate starts fresh but the mid palate has fruit sweetness and richness lots of figs and apricots. The finish is lighter fragrant long and elegant. Pedro Ximenez 30 Year Old 96 Tasted at the IWC Taste of Gold Lords June 2012 Although the nose is Christmas pudding in a bottle the palate has some mid freshness balancing the fig and date sweetness and richness. There is a lovely mix of flavours towards the back the rich fruits backed by some freshness so that the sweetness and lushness is not overpowering. Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Sanlúcar de Barrameda La Gitana Manzanilla 93 The nose has all of the sea salt freshness that one hopes for in a Manzanilla. There is some richness in the mid palate lots of complexity and then a fresh salty tang on the long finish. Tasted at Lincoln s Inn February The nose has a salty freshness the start of the palate a hint of sweetness. Apple fresh in the middle salty with a hint of nuts the finish is fragrant with a touch of citrus on the finish. En Rama Manzanilla 96 Tasted at the Mentzendorff tasting London February 2014 Nutty and salty the nose has lots of fragrances a racy freshness. Apricot some tropical fruits give a richer feel on the mid palate but the fresh fruit is there at the back with the saltiness wafting in on the sea breezes. Manzanilla Pasada Pastrana 93 5 Master of Wine: Derek Smedley Master of Wine: Derek Smedley

6 August 06, 2012 SHERRY The nose has a mix of flavours lots of complexity a lovely nuttiness under the saltiness. The mid palate is quite rich a touch of apricot layers of flavour on the long finish. Amontillado Napoleón 94 Both nose and palate are rich and deep apricot fruit backed by hazelnut and almonds. There is a great deal happening on the palate layers of fruit depth of flavour complexity. The nutty richness carries on and on. Tasted at Lincoln s Inn February The nose is fresh salty and the start of the palate light with tangerine freshness. There is honeyed richness in the middle with vanilla, old leather and hazel nuts coming through on the finish. Palo Cortado Wellington VOS 96 It stylish refined elegant a complex mix of fruit and nuts. The mid palate is packed with flavour peach and apricot fruit but the back palate is lighter with sweetness yet a freshness and long lingering elegant flavours. Oloroso Seco Faraón 95 Tasted at Lincoln s Inn February 2015 Peaches and apricots the nose has depth of flavour the start of the palate lighter and fresher. The mid palate has a complex mix toasted almonds, walnuts, apricots, tangerine the finish intense, complex with depth of flavour. Pedro Ximénez Triana 94 Tasted at Party Ingredients May 2017 The nose is rich and sweet full of dates and figs. This rich mix fills out the palate sumptuous and lush but although it is fleshy and sweet there is some freshness that balances and gives a lighter feel towards the back. The finish is like the nose packed with the richness of dates and figs. As a glass lovely but poured over ice cream sensuous. Lustau Jerez de la Frontera Solera Reserva Puerto Fino 92 Master of Wine: Derek Smedley 6

7 SHERRY August 06, 2012 There is a salty crispness on the nose and a lovely fresh start to the palate but behind it is richer then the freshness comes again through bringing out the salty tang on the long finish. Solera Reserva Manzanilla Papirusa 92 The nose is quite light with an attractive mix of fragrances backed by the tang of sea salt. The mid palate has a complex mix of flavours and the back palate is racy, crisp and attractively salty. Fino La Ina 91 The crispness on the nose gives it a racy feel and although there is depth of flavour on the mid palate the back palate is crisp slightly salty with flavours that linger. Almacenista Amontillado del Puerto 92 There is depth of flavour on the nose and palate. The richness of apricots is backed by fresher fruit the mid palate dry nutty full of complex flavours. The finish is long with the nutty fruit lingering. Almacenista Palo Cortado 93 There is a lot happening on the nose hints of apricots, nuts, spices all backed by dark chocolate. The palate is the same an attractive mix of flavours quite rich in the middle with almonds and spices on the long dry finish. Solera Don Nuño Dry Amontillado 93 Tasted at Mercers Hall November 2014 The nose has an attractive smokiness with some rich flavours underneath. On the palate there is a mix of flavours chocolate, apricots with a touch of caramel backed by walnuts and hazel nuts. Towards the back there is depth of flavour yet a lovely elegant feel on the finish. East India Solera 96 Tasted at the IWC Dinner Hilton Park Lane London September 2012 There are a lot of rich flavours on the nose dried fruits, walnuts and crystallized peel. The palate has depth richness layers of flavour the sweetness balanced by the slightly drier nuttiness. The flavours on the finish go on and on. Solera Reserva Moscatel Emilin 94 The honeyed nose has a citrus freshness at the back and the palate has layers of flavour. Rich sweet fruit is underpinned by honey lovely and rich but this exotic lushness is well balanced by 7 Master of Wine: Derek Smedley Master of Wine: Derek Smedley

8 August 06, 2012 SHERRY citric freshness. The back palate has a complex mix of flavours some sweet fruit some fresh fruit and a hint of spice. Solera Reserva Pedro Ximénez San Emilio 96 The nose has all the richness of Christmas pudding full of complex flavours. The palate is velvety rich the dried figs and raisins backed by coffee beans and dark chocolate the richness the power of flavour voluptuousness sweetness is balanced by an underlying freshness that gives a more elegant feel on the finish. Derek Smedley MW Master of Wine: Derek Smedley 8