Emilio Lustau n/v Almacenista Obregón Dry Fino del Puerto Sherry

Much like Champagne, Sherry is the name of both a place and a wine. The name Sherry comes from the word Jerez, a city of just over 200,000 people – and wine region set about 15 km inland from the Atlantic coast. Emilio Lustau’s main estate vineyard is Montegilillo, 15 kms to the north of Jerez, but quality grapes are also purchased from growers throughout the Jerez DO.

Dry Sherry is made from a grape variety called Palomino, which is grown virtually exclusively in the Jerez region of Spain. Palomino is a thin-skinned white grape, which produces very light, delicate and not particularly aromatic juice. There are three main soil types with the Sherry producing zones of Spain: Barros, Arenas and Albariza. Barros and Arenas soil types are planted primarily to vineyards growing grapes to be used in the production of sweet or cream style Sherry.

When it comes to Palomino – the grape used to produce dry expressions of Sherry – Albariza is king. Albariza is a chalk-rich, glowing white soil which is prized across the appellation for a couple of key reaons: (i) it forms a sort of hard, crusty surface layer which helps the soils beneath retain moisture, and (ii) white soil reflects sunlight back up onto the vines above encouraging vegetative growth and better fruit maturity.

Much like grape varieties grown in other parts of the world with less inherent aromatic qualities, Sherry wines made from Palomino rely on process to impart flavours and aromas. Chardonnay is an example of another grape which, like Palomino, is less aromatic than other white grapes (like Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling) and hence Chardonnay is often enhanced with fermentation or aging in oak barrels to bring complexity. Aging processes are employed in the production of Sherry with the same objectives in mind.

The cellars of Emilio Lustau hold stock of 40,000 casks (each containing 500 litres). Sherry regulations dictate that up to one third of the total stockholding can be bottled and shipped per year, but Lustau age their sherries much longer, and consequently ship less.

Winemaking takes place in a modern, state-of-the-art winery, with fermentation carried out in stainless steel temperature-controlled tanks to produce fresh, clean wines. The musts (grape juice) are fermented completely dry and then fortified with grape spirit. Unlike most Sherry producers, Lustau ensures that all their wines spend at least some time under ‘flor’ (a naturally-occuring film of yeast which protects the sherry from oxygen) – this gives added complexity, while maintaining a youthful delicacy.

Within the broad category of “Sherry”, we find 6 distinct styles. Each involves slightly different production methods, but the key distinguishing factors tend to revolve mainly around how and for how long these various styles are aged.

The most delicate soleras (which remain under flor for an extended period) are bottled as Fino, or aged until the flor dies and the wine becomes Amontillado. The Lustau examples are special because the soleras were established so long ago, and contain a high proportion of old wine. Lustau also have access to the cream of the very old and very fine stocks held by the Almacenistas (private stock holders who raise and age their own small lots of Sherry), with whom Lustau (originally Almacenistas themselves) maintain excellent relations. No other Sherry house can draw upon such fine, mature stocks.

The aging process changes the wine, imparting a distinctly amber colour, with flavours and aromas of ripened tree fruit like golden delicious apple and pear, with more subtle wood and raisin elements. This wine is a perfect partner for umami rich foods like mushrooms or aged cheeses, and is a lovely tipple with tapas showcasing green vegetables like asparagus or artichoke.