Wine Tasting: Lustau Sherries (1st Feb 2000)
Lustau sells these wonderful wines in a six pack of half bottles - an excellent ready-built tasting. I presented these to my Wine Appreciation group, Bearsden Academy. (I don't know when, so I guessed at the date). I've averaged the prices and doubled since they were half bottles.
1. Lustau Almacenista Manzanilla Olorosa MC Jurado
1st Feb 2000 GBP14 Sherry Fortified Other
Ochre/gold with a touch of green. Slightly corky initially but developing into a tangy, seaside nose with lurking toffee apple. Medium to full bodied and quite acidic, with nutty, salty flavours and a trace of varnish. Dry finish. Serve well chilled. Good.
2. Lustau Almacenista Oloroso Pata de Gallina JG Jarana
1st Feb 2000 GBP14 Sherry Fortified Other
Deep umber. Rich, seaweedy nose with toffee, baked apples and raisins - nutty and complex. Medium to full bodied with lots of juicy acidity, rich raisin fruit and a savoury, leathery, dry finish. This would be outstanding with a bowl of broth.
3. Lustau Emperatriz Eugenia Oloroso
1st Feb 2000 GBP14 Sherry Fortified Other
Deep umber/ochre with a green tinge. Lovely, tangy, multilayered nose with toffee, brine and a touch of orange. Medium bodied with intense raisin/varnish/brine flavours and a long, savoury, dry finish. Plenty of acidity but lovely on its own, if a bit simpler than the first two wines.
4. Lustau Old East India
1st Feb 2000 GBP14 Sherry Fortified Other
Deep nut brown to ochre/green at the rim. Lovely, warm, complex nose of molasses and toffee, still an obvious grapiness though. Full bodied and intensely sweet with rich grape fruit flavours. Fresh and satisfying with nutty, savoury notes on the finish. Excellent.
5. Lustau Emilin Moscatel Superior
1st Feb 2000 GBP14 Sherry Fortified Other
Deep nut-brown with a green tinge. Sublime, luscious, sweet/savoury/floral nose - gorgeous! Full bodied and intensely sweet, this is thick, layered stuff with grapes, prunes and figs carrying through to a savoury, herbal finish. Fresh acidity keeps this in perfect balance.
6. Lustau Solera Reserva Pedro Ximinez
1st Feb 2000 GBP14 Sherry Fortified Other
Very deep mahogany at core, with a fine ochre/green rim. Intense and slightly volatile on the nose, with notes of green leaf mulch and wet hay. Viscous, intensely sweet with a touch of cocoa, lots of grapes, burnt toffee and figs and good acidity. Delicious but heavy going - would be fantastic dribbled on homemade icecream.
