What is amontillado? Amontillado used to be a fino, but the layer of flor stops developing because it can’t find enough nutrients in the wine. This is the romantic story, as most of the time the flor is deliberately ‘killed’ by adding alcohol. After the flor dies, the amontillado ages in an oxidative way.

Appereance

The wine is clear and has a deep golden colour.

Notes

• An Amontillado Sherry is likely to be ‘deep’ in colour, even though an older Oloroso, a PX or a Rutherglen Muscat would show as even deeper.

Nose

The nose is clean with pronounced intensity, showing aromas of bread, brioche, salt, hazelnut, caramel, dried apricot, orange peel, dried apple, almonds, honey, old wood, oak.

Notes

• Sherry usually has a medium+ or pronounced intensity.

Palate

The wine is dry and has a medium- body with medium alcohol. The wine has a medium acidity and medium+ flavour intensity with flavours of bread, brioche, salt, hazelnut, caramel, dried apricot, orange peel, citrus, almonds, honey, old wood, oak.

The finish is medium+.
The wine should be drunk now and is not suitable for further ageing.

Notes

• Sweetness: Port is defined as sweet, whereas Rutherglen Muscats, PX sherries and some TBAs are defined as luscious.
• Most sherries have a medium acidity
• Low alcohol (below 17%): sherry fino and manzanilla
• Medium alcohol (between 17% and 19%): amontillado
• High alcohol (above 19%): port, madeira (amontillado)

Conclusion

This is a very good quality wine, as it shows complexity in flavours (dried fruit, nutty and oak aromas) and length. It lacks concentration to be outstanding.

Le Club also made a tasting note of a fino sherry. Find out more >