Structure

Bodyfull
Tanninlow
Aciditymedium
Sweetnessdry
Oakoak aged

Drinking window

Best 5 to 25 years from bottling.
bottling5 yrs25 yrs27 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.

In the glass

Full-bodiedLow tanninMedium acidityDryLong With Characteristic Palo Cortado Tension Between Biological And Oxidative finish

Aroma: hazelnut, dried fig, walnut, leather, sea breeze

Palate: caramel, dried orange, rancio, saline mineral, coffee

Palo Cortado from Sanlúcar with the hazelnut nose of Amontillado and the full, rancio palate of Oloroso; the intermediate style at its most distinct.

What it pairs with

  • Cured ham with aged cheese board
    The wine's dual personality bridges the salty-dry and the nutty-rich.
  • Duck confit
    Rich game fat requires the wine's combined acidity and oxidative weight.
  • Grilled sardines
    Oily fish with charred skin echoes the wine's dried-orange and saline notes.

How to serve Obispo Gascón Palo Cortado

Allow 5 minutes from open to pour.

  1. Open and pour. Open and pour directly. No decanting required for this style.
  2. Serve at 8-10°C. Cellar temperature (8-10°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
  3. Glassware. Use a Sherry copita: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
  4. Pair with. Cured ham with aged cheese board, Duck confit, Grilled sardines. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Palo Cortado is the rarest and most unpredictable sherry style, arising when a cask destined for Fino or Manzanilla biological ageing spontaneously loses its flor coverage partway through development. Barbadillo's Obispo Gascón, named after a 19th-century Bishop of Cádiz, is a consistently bottled Palo Cortado from the Sanlúcar designation, offering the distinctive Amontillado-Oloroso hybrid profile.

  1. 1825: Obispo Gascón Palo Cortado designation established at Barbadillo

Facts

Producer
Bodegas Barbadillo · visiting guide
Grapes
Palomino Fino
Classification
DO Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Oak
Rare biological-to-oxidative transition; intermediate solera combining Amontillado and Oloroso characteristics
ABV
20.0%
Price
€18-30 at retail
Drinking window
5-25 from bottling
First vintage
1825

Frequently asked about Obispo Gascón Palo Cortado

What does Obispo Gascón Palo Cortado taste like?

On the nose, hazelnut, dried fig, walnut, leather, sea breeze. On the palate, caramel, dried orange, rancio, saline mineral, coffee. Structurally full-bodied, low tannins, medium acidity with a long with characteristic Palo Cortado tension between biological and oxidative finish. Palo Cortado from Sanlúcar with the hazelnut nose of Amontillado and the full, rancio palate of Oloroso; the intermediate style at its most distinct.

When should I drink Obispo Gascón Palo Cortado?

Drink 5-25 from bottling. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.

What food pairs with Obispo Gascón Palo Cortado?

Cured ham with aged cheese board is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Duck confit and Grilled sardines. The wine's dual personality bridges the salty-dry and the nutty-rich.

What grapes are in Obispo Gascón Palo Cortado?

The blend is Palomino Fino. The wine is classified as DO Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Tags

cellar worthy dry fortified sherry full body hidden gem iconic low tannin medium acid mood contemplative mood savoury occasion dinner party occasion special old world pairs with charcuterie pairs with game pairs with oily fish palomino fino price trade up

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