Emilio Lustau — The Styles of Sherry,

Thursday, January 17th — 5:30 to 7:30

From bone dry to syrupy sweet, Sherry is fortified wine made from the grapes Palomino Fino & Pedro Ximenez in southern Spain. Sherries are aged using a unique system called a solera. A solera consists of a series of wines of different ages. At bottling only a portion of each barrel of the oldest stock is drawn off, blended with other solera stock. The barrels are then topped from the barrels of the next oldest, which in turn are filled from the next oldest until they reach the youngest barrels which are filled with new wine. These new blends with time take on the characteristics or the older wine. The number of levels in a solera varies with each producer and style. This Thursday we are sampling some of the Solera Reserva Sherries of Lustau, one of the important sherry houses. We’ll have tapas on hand to accompany the wines. It should be a fun and tasty tasting.

 
Light Manzanilla “Papirusa” $15 — 375ml $9
The Papirusa is bone dry, light and fresh, very tangy, clean and crisp with just a hint of saltiness. Served chilled, Manzanilla is great as an aperitif, or with oysters, Manchego cheese, or other appetizers.
 
Dry Amontillado “Los Arcos” $15 — 375ml $9
The Arcos is dry and soft, with hints of wood and smoky raisins and a distinctive nutty bouquet. It’s delicious on its own or can accompany a wide variety of dishes from light meat soups to seafood, game dishes and meat terrines. Amontillados should be served cool, but not too chilled.
 
Palo Cortado “Peninsula”   $25
The Peninsula combines the finesse and delicacy of an Amontillado bouquet with the richness of an Oloroso. It is dry with rich flavors of light chocolate, coffee, figs and toffee. Served slightly cooled with cheeses and very rich meats such as venison and smoked game.
 
Oloroso “Don Nuño” $25
Aged for 12 years in American oak casks through the traditional method of “solera and criaderas”, the Don Nuño has penetrating smoky aromas, and is reminiscent of dark chocolate and walnuts in the mouth. It has an intense and concentrated finish, lightened by a tangy acidity. The wine goes good with game, Osso Bucco and other meats as well as a digestif.
 
Old East India Solera $25 — 375ml $13
In the past, casks of sherry that were lashed to ships sailing for the Indies as ballast were found to develop an extraordinary smoothness and complexity. Lustau revives this style in the East India Sherry. A blend of soleras averaging 15-20 years of age, this wine has a dark amber, red and caramel hue, and flavors of raisins, candied peel and nuts.

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