Tío Pepe Fino ★ 4.8
Tasting notes: Bone dry and pale with green apple, fresh almond, sea breeze and chamomile aromatics; the solera ageing under a thick flor yeast blanket gives a consistently saline, refreshing finish.
The iconic bottles that define Jerez & Sherry: what they are, who makes them and what they cost.
Iconic bottles of Jerez & Sherry
Inocente Fino ★ 4.9
Tasting notes: Single-vineyard Fino from the Macharnudo Alto albariza pago, fermented in seasoned American oak butts without blending from other plots. Fresh almonds, apple blossom, beeswax and a long, focused clean finish.
La Gitana Manzanilla ★ 4.7
Tasting notes: Delicate and saline with chamomile, sea spray, fresh apple and a briny Atlantic finish; the Miraflores pago in Sanlúcar provides a fine-boned flor character that is lighter and more fragrant than Jerez Finos.
Goya XL Manzanilla En Rama ★ 4.8
Tasting notes: Unfiltered and unlightened en rama release from the La Goya solera; richer in texture and flor-yeast character than the standard La Goya, with live yeast, sea air, fuller doughy body and vibrant citrus oil.
NPU Amontillado VORS ★ 4.9
Tasting notes: Deep amber with old walnut, dried orange rind, antique furniture wax and tobacco on the nose; the palate brings bitter almond oil, toffee and woody spice before a very long, austere dry finish.
Capataz Andrés Amontillado ★ 4.6
Tasting notes: Complex Solera Reserva Amontillado with dual ageing: first biological under flor, then oxidative in American oak. Toasted hazelnuts, toffee, tangerine peel and dry spice; walnut and bitter caramel on the finish.
Faraón Oloroso ★ 4.8
Tasting notes: Intensely concentrated VORS Oloroso from Sanlúcar with dark dried fruit, roasted coffee, toasted oak and leather; the characteristic saline mineral of the appellation persists through the full oxidative weight of 30-plus years.
Don Nuño Oloroso ★ 4.5
Tasting notes: Rich, full Oloroso from the Lustau Solera Reserva: dark amber with roasted walnuts, tobacco, dark dried fruit and toasted oak on the nose; dark coffee, caramel, dried plum and smoky wood spice on a long dry finish.
Peninsula Palo Cortado ★ 4.7
Tasting notes: A well-documented example of Palo Cortado: Amontillado-like elegance on the nose with orange bitters, mahogany and roasted hazelnuts; Oloroso depth on the palate with bitter walnut, dry orange peel, dark spice and a long tea-tannin finish.
Noé Pedro Ximénez VORS ★ 4.9
Tasting notes: Near-black and viscous VORS PX of extreme concentration: compressed dried raisins, tar, black coffee, leather and dried tobacco on the nose; the palate delivers tar, black figs, treacle and salted caramel with an extraordinarily long, glycerol-rich finish.
Cardenal Cisneros Pedro Ximénez ★ 4.6
Tasting notes: Rich, intensely sweet PX from a century-old solera: deep black-brown with dark raisins, roasted coffee, toffee and dates on the nose; concentrated figs, dark molasses, caramel and warm spice on a long warm finish.
La Bota de Fino ★ 4.8
Tasting notes: Single-cask unfiltered Fino selected from an exceptional bota in a Jerez bodega: chamomile, toasted almonds, beeswax and light herbs on the nose; saline minerals, lemon zest, almond cream and natural flor complexity on the palate.
Signature Wines in Jerez & Sherry, FAQ
When is the best time to visit Jerez & Sherry for wine?
Peak wine-travel season in Jerez & Sherry is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
Do I need an appointment to taste at Jerez & Sherry estates?
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
What hours do Jerez & Sherry cellars and tasting rooms keep?
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
How does tipping work at Jerez & Sherry tastings?
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
What is the one wine to try in Jerez & Sherry?
If you only open one bottle, open Tío Pepe Fino by González Byass. It is the wine most associated with Jerez & Sherry.