Each individually registered bottle of the "Valdespino V.O.R.S. Collection" represents over 100 years of careful selection by generations of expert oenologists. The result is a Sherry unique in character, intensity and complexity. Palo Cortado is a rare type of Sherry. It began life as a Fino under a veil of flor yeast but soon changed its mind and the flor disappeared, leaving the wine to age oxidatively like an Oloroso, but always with that memory of the flor. In simple terms, Palos Cortados have the aroma of Amontillado and the flavour of Oloroso. The grapes for this outstanding and rare wine come from very old vines planted in the chalky soils of vineyards in the famous Pago Macharnudo Alto. The youngest criadera of this tiny 7 butt solera is replenished with carefully selected 25 year old wine from the CP (Calle Ponce) solera, and when Cardenal is finally bottled it has an average age of over 50 years. Light mahogany in colour with greenish tones, it has complex, mineral, nutty aroma, while it seems to last forever on the palate with slightly balsamic notes of nuts, oak and minerals, even a trace of smoke.
Serve at 14-16 °C with fish, all kinds of tapas, soups.
92
/ 100
Penin Guide
Colour: old gold, amber rim. Nose: elegant, balanced, candied, fruit, sweet spices, varnish. Palate: rich, flavourful, dry, fine solera notes.
93
/ 100
Robert Parker
The NV Palo Cortado Viejo C.P. produced from Palomino from the Macharnudo Alto is feed with specific casks of Fino Inocente and Amontillado Tio Diego. It was traditionally aged in the Calle Ponce (Ponce Street), and if has kept the C.P. initials since then. It’s not age-certified, but the average age of the bottled wine is 25 years. The color is old gold or light amber, and the nose hints at a relatively old wine, with plenty of lactic notes, sweet vanilla, iodine, bitter oranges and spices. The palate is clean and delineated, subtle and on the elegant side of Palo Cortado, ending very dry.
