Amontillado

A Brief Introduction

Amontillado is a very unique wine due to its dual aging process: first under the veil of flor, typical of Fino and Manzanilla, followed by a period in which the flor disappears and the wine is exposed to oxidation. Made from palomino grapes, this fusion of aging processes makes the Amontillado wines extraordinarily complex and intriguing.

Tasting Notes

This is an elegant wine which ranges from pale topaz to amber in colour. Its subtle, delicate bouquet has an ethereal base smoothed by aromas of hazelnut and plants; reminiscent of aromatic herbs and dark tobacco.

Light and smooth in the mouth with well-balanced acidity; both complex and evocative, giving way to a dry finish and lingering aftertaste with a hint of nuts and wood.

Did You Know?

There is a wide range of Amontillados, resulting from the different stages that occur between the two ageing phases that the wine is made from: biological and oxidative. Thus, some Amontillados have a paler color with very sharp notes and faint memories of yeast, from being aged longer with the flor. In others, however, the notes of oxidative aging—spices and wood—predominate.

amontillado vinos de jerez sherry

Production and Ageing

Amontillado is a unique wine produced from the complete fermentation of palomino grape must. The fruit of the fusion of two different types of ageing processes (both biological and oxidative), Amontillado is resultingly an extraordinarily complex and interesting sherry.

The first stage of its fascinating ageing process takes place, as in the case of Fino and Manzanilla, under a film of flor and these early years spent in the criaderas lend the wine a sharp pungent note which enhances its dryness on the palate. At a given moment in time the flor begins to disappear, giving way to a second stage of oxidative ageing which gradually darkens the wine and enhances its concentration and complexity.