Wine Note
Pedro’s Almacenista Selection Fino (Waitrose £12.25)
It comes in a variety of styles, from very dry to very sweet and at bargain prices, and yet it’s difficult to sell. It’s sherry of course.
For years it’s been thought of as the sort of wine your maiden aunt would bring out from the back of the cupboard at Christmas and then forget about for a year.
Yes, January may be fashionably dry but go against fashion; consume in moderation and try something unfashionable.
Make a new year’s resolution:
DRINK SHERRY.
This a good place to start.
An almacenista is a warehouseman. In Jerez that’s someone who ages sherry in barrels then sells the contents to a blender who then combines the contents with wine from other producers to make enough wine to sell as a brand.
Pedro’s Fino is a mixture of old and new wines. It’s very dry (this is a very long way from cream sherry) but not as steely as young fino. The old wine gives you a rich yeasty character to balance the 15% alcohol.
With smoked salmon, it’s perfect.
Happy New Year.
John Freeland
(u3a Wine Tasting Group)
