Valdespino AMONTILLADO Tio Diego NV

The benchmark Fino. Dry and supremely tangy, with incredible depth.

This delicious Pedro Ximenez has a liquid Christmas cake character, great depth and a lovely flick of acidity on the finish which serves to emphasise the unctuous sweetness and flavours of dried fig and raisins.

Very dry, light, crisp with a slightly salty flavour. Fresh and intriguing on the nose.

Palo Cortado from a single vineyard, the estate of Marchanudo. Mahogany coloured with copper tinges, delicate and pungent on the nose extremely elegant with reminiscences of old oak and naturally dry fruits. The taste is dry, rich in flavour, good acidity very complex, long and persistent, in perfect harmony with its aroma.

Tio Pepe, the world's best-selling Fino sherry, has been refreshing palates since the 19th century, when a young Sherry entrepreneur from Jerez, in southern Spain, discovered his uncle was ageing barrels of a delicious pale, dry style of sherry. By way of tribute, he named the new wine after his uncle, who was affectionately known as "Tio Pepe". It's ultra-dry, crisp and refreshing.

Note this is a half bottle (37.5cl) Delicate and luxurious, this Manzanilla is truly superb. It's been aged in oak casks through 15 scales of the 'Solear' system of sherry-making.

NOSE Coffee and dark chocolate. PALATE Very sweet with a super thick texture. Appealing almonds/amaretto character. Subtle taste of figs. FINISH Caramel and toffee. Long, thick, and mouth-coating.

Nose: relatively close to a Fino in the sense that it shows similar chalky / yeasty notes and a pungent salinity. Maybe a little more delicate, with a lot of rounder notes as well: a little caramel and dried apricot. Hazelnuts and almonds. Hints of honey, old wood and subtle oak polish. Mouth: very un-sweet of course, but it lacks the austerity that sometimes comes with dry Amontillado. Quite light with few flavours that really stand out. Orange peel. Almonds. Medium acidity. Some half-sweet notes in the background (think figs and citrus). Also a faint bitter edge of chestnuts.