Decanter

HIGHLY RECOMMENDE­D

(Continued) 90–94pts

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Bodegas Frontonio, Botijo Blanco Garnacha Blanca, Valdejalón 2018

91 PBT 90 SJE 92 PM 90 £10.70 Jascots

Alluring aromas of citrus and peach, with some floral and herbal hints. Soft, well balanced and elegant, with a creamy, silky texture. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13%

Mas Doix, Murmuri, Priorat

2018 91 PBT 89 SJE 92 PM 91

POA OW Loeb & Co

Attractive nose of herbs and apricot, continuing on the palate with some minerality. Really pure and clean, with a lovely finish.

Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13%

Azul y Garanza, Naturaleza Salvaje, Navarra 2018

90 PBT 89 SJE 93 PM 89 £17.50 Vintage Roots

Light amber colour. Interestin­g nose with distinct orange peel characters. Bright and fresh on the palate, easygoing and enjoyable.

Drink 2020-2021 Alc 11.5%

Edetària, Finca La Terrenal, Terra

Alta 2016 90 PBT 89 SJE 90 PM 92 £40 The Wine Treasury

An intense wine, with indicators of oxidative developmen­t and barrel-ageing. Very characterf­ul, with a long and lively finish. All about the acidity. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 14%

Costers del Priorat, Blanc de Pissarres, Priorat 2018

91 PBT 90 SJE 91 PM 91 £14.95 Jeroboams

Fine interplay of oak and white fruits. Altogether complex, with lifted freshness and minerality, as well as some richness in the mid-palate. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 13%

Morlanda, Priorat 2017

91 PBT 93 SJE 90 PM 91 £18 Slurp, Waitrose Cellar

Wonderful nose of burnt sugar and vanilla oak. Fleshy, plump and ripe, with some savoury notes on the finish. This shows lots of personalit­y. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13.5%

Coca i Fitó, Blanc, Montsant

2018 90 PBT 92 SJE 89 PM 88

POA OW Loeb & Co

Rich and expressive, with notes of apple and some confected fruit. Straightfo­rward and youthful, with a long, fruity finish.

Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13.5%

Herència Altés, Garnatxa Blanca,

Terra Alta 2018 90 PBT 90 SJE 90 PM 89 £13.99 Bancroft Wines

Exotic aromas, with some fresh citrus fruit. Nicely textured, balanced and expressive, with hints of minerality. Appealing and mouthwater­ing. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13%

Herència Altés, Benufet, Terra

Alta 2018 91 PBT 92 SJE 92 PM 90 £16.27 Bancroft Wines

Classic, ripe, developed style, revealing a Mediterran­ean energy. Underneath there’s a riot of fruits, together with a distinctiv­e stony character. Drink 2020-2024 Alc 14.5%

Abel Mendoza, Garnacha Blanca,

Rioja 2018 90 PBT 89 SJE 89 PM 92 £28.99 Alliance Wine, Cellar Door Wines

Vanilla oak overlaying citrus notes. The full body of the wine is a good counterpoi­nt to the oak, and there’s balancing freshness. Beautifull­y made. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 14%

Costers del Priorat, Blanc de Closos, Priorat 2017

90 PBT 94 SJE 88 PM 88 £24.95 Jeroboams

An orange-style wine; plenty of complexity with notes of roasted oranges, saltiness and wood smoke. Very unique and delicious.

Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13%

Izadi, Larrosa Garnacha Blanca,

Rioja 2018 90 PBT 90 SJE 90 PM 90

POA Widely available via UK agent Liberty Wines

Aromas of citrus and dried herbs, with a lively freshness in the mouth. Nicely balanced, with good clean fruit. Open and expressive.

Drink 2020-2023 Alc 13% ➢

Lustau, Almacenist­a Cuevas Jurado Manzanilla Pasada 95 £22.95/50cl Berry Bros & Rudd, The Oxford Wine Co

Aromatic, yeasty, proud and foursquare, with freshness and plenty of life. The higher alcohol isn’t apparent on the palate, but adds to its savoury power. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 17%

Valdespino, Deliciosa 94 £11.88-£15.99 Widely available via UK agent Liberty Wines

About five to six years old, from La Guita bodega. Bright astringenc­y and vivid intensity, with a long, refreshing finish. Not subtle, or washed out; and in this case, I preferred this to the en rama version. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15%

Delgado Zuleta, La Goya 92 £6-£8.25/37.5cl Blanco & Gomez, Corney & Barrow, Frazier’s, South Downs Cellars, Ultracomid­a, Weaver’s

Smoky, almond aromas. In the mouth a fresh, savoury classic. Has all the complexity of many finos, but with the freshness and mid-weight of Sanlúcar. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15%

Equipo Navazos, La Bota 90 de Manzanilla Pasada 94 £39.52-£41.66 Alliance Wine, Fine & Rare, The Drink Shop

Glorious toasty aromatics promise a wine of real distinctio­n. So it proves: powerful, with treacle, bitter orange and a spicy finish. One to spend time with. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 16.5%

Callejuela, Añina 2015 93 £46/50cl Bottle Apostle

Aged under flor, but not in a solera. The only vintage wine in this tasting, part of a growing category. Single vineyard, from the Blanco brothers. Delicious in the mouth: roasted orange peel, tangy astringenc­y. Characterf­ul. One for collectors. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15.5%

Equipo Navazos, I Think En Rama 92 £10.99-£12.99/37.5cl Alliance Wine, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Corks, Milestone Wines, Noble Green, Quaff, The Fine Wine Co, Virgin Wines

The palate is youthful and straightfo­rward, but it develops complex undertones of honey, citrus and saline. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 15%

Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín, La Guita En Rama 94 £10-£12/37.5cl Bibendum Wine, Noble Green, Simply Wines Direct, The Beckford Bottle Shop, The Whalley Wine Shop

Smoke and brioche aromas. Elegant palate with subtle stony, iodine notes. Squeaky clean, with a salty delicacy. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15%

B Rodríguez La-Cave, Barbiana 92 £51.58/150cl Turville Valley Wines

Rodríguez La-Cave merged with Delgado Zuleta in the 1970s. Many La-Cave brands disappeare­d, but three remain: Goya, Quo Vadis and Barbiana. This is bright gold, and nicely balanced with astringenc­y and mineral purity. Textbook. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 15%

Sánchez Ayala, Gabriela Oro En Rama 92 £26.50-£27.55 Les Caves de Pyrene, The Good Wine Shop

Carries its seven years of maturity lightly, with finesse. Single vineyard, from Balbaína Alta. Delicate and elegant palate, lightly saline, with walnut notes. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15%

Yuste, La Kika Manzanilla Pasada En Rama 92 £26.18-£27.67/37.5cl Blanco & Gomez, Butlers Wine Cellar, The Dorset Wine Co, Top Selection

Spot-on. Refreshing, bright. Not sure I’d know it’s en rama, but it has fine roasted characters and elegance. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 15%

Hidalgo, La Gitana En Rama 91 £16.99-£18 Cambridge Wine Merchants, Ellis Wharton, JN Wine, Lea & Sandeman, Tanners, VinQuinn, Virgin Wines

A favourite: single-vineyard Finca Pastrana, 10 or more years old; lively, likeable, fresh pasada. Roasted nuts, bitter-orange marmalade, an elegant saline finish. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15%

Fernando de Castilla, Classic Manzanilla 90 £11-£16 Highbury Vintners, ND John, Worth Brothers, WoodWinter­s

This may not be up there with the Antique range, which has won DWWA trophies, but it has attractive linearity, a mineral character and a penetratin­g finish. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15%

Barbadillo, Nave Trinidad En Rama 91 £12.95/37.5cl

Ultracomid­a

Designed to appeal to younger drinkers, less familiar with Sherry’s arcane arts. From the cool Trinidad cellar. Aromatic: grassiness, citrus peel. Silky entry, bright astringenc­y, distinct saltiness. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 15%

La Cigarrera 91 £16.25-£22 Comptoir Café & Wine, H2Vin, Terra Wines, The Black Dog Wine Co, The Wine Parlour Brixton

Expressive, not subtle, with camomile and a suggestion of honey and smoke on the nose. Mouthfilli­ng, powerful, with astringenc­y and salty mineral notes. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 15%

Herederos de Argüeso, Las Medallas 90 £11.95-£14.99 Corks, Shaftesbur­y Wines, The Wine Reserve, Wine Raks

Classic aromas: grassy, with dried herbs and almonds. Silky entry, with a lift of freshness. Reliable and straightfo­rward, the essence of a young manzanilla. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 15%

Callejuela 91

N/A UK www.callejuela.es

Classic mature wine from the Blanco brothers. Light gold colour with smoky notes. Shows its seven years. The palate is distinctly savoury, full bodied and expressive with saline notes; tangy and mouthwater­ing. Follows through to a long finish. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15.5%

Emilio Lustau, Papirusa Manzanilla 90 £8.75-£10.50/37.5cl Averys, Berry Bros & Rudd, Oddbins, Reserve Wines, The Drink Shop, The Old Bridge Wine Shop, WoodWinter­s

This is a classic five year old: young, lively palate with fennel and mineral notes. Sings of the seaside. Drink 2020-2021 Alc 15%

Waitrose, No1 El Benito Manzanilla Pasada 90 £11.99

Waitrose, Waitrose Cellar

Unsurprisi­ngly, the only high-street wine here is from Waitrose, the result of its partnershi­p with Lustau. Bold style, penetratin­g astringenc­y. Match with jamón or any salty, umami-driven dish. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 15%

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