WTN: Emilio Lustau Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Palo Cortado Península

My second Palo Cortado, I find this stuff like the ultimate adult dessert. Drunk over the period of a week, about 2 ounces at a serving. Poured cold and gently warmed to room temperature while sipping. Beautiful transparent honey color, concentrated caramel, nuts and toffee at the nose, adding molasses and honey on the palate. The first few days this was accompanied by a slightly searing acidity when cold and almost overpowering fragrance of fruit cake when warmer. After a few days it became calmer, a total concentrated treat of confectionery flavors, but without the sweetness! Huge and long finish, overpowering anything else put into the mouth for at least a couple of minutes. I am captivated, despite this obviously being unfriendly to most foods; probably best with full-flavored cheese or sausage, or perhaps a dense spice cake. What a ride for US$20!
93 points

Sherry is such an under appreciated drink - and you show how heavenly it can be when appreciated in small amounts over a period of time.
Long live Lustau. May they continue to provide us with these beauties.

Thanks for this timely note! The local regional paper (San Francisco Chronicle) had a feature story Friday on Sherry!

Until this weekend, I had never experienced the wonders of Sherry. At Terroir Wine Bar, there was a young Spanish man there who was showing some of his company's range-I remember this amazing utterly dry Sherry that tasted like liquid walnuts! Then, last night, at Wine Styles, we sipped through much of a bottle of Bodegas Baco Dio??? Oloroso! Yum!

[Jenise]

Steve, we're working our way through a bottle of this too--my hubby loves sherry, and this was one of two Palo Cortados I gave him for Christmas and the better, by far, of the two (the other being a Barbadillo, IIR that name correctly). You captured it perfectly. We tend to sip it after dinner with a bit of sliced comte, tart green apples, and almonds.

I adore Sherry and PC is perhaps my favourite style - especially when made fully dry. But there are some very lovable slightly sweet ones, too, like the Osborne PAP. I have found the Península a bit soft to my tastes, however - certainly not bad, but lacking a bit in the intensity I hope to see. Sherries in general are hugely underrated as they can cause some of the most heart-breaking love affairs of wine.

[Jenise]

I adore Sherry and PC is perhaps my favourite style - especially when made fully dry. But there are some very lovable slightly sweet ones, too, like the Osborne PAP. I have found the Península a bit soft to my tastes, however - certainly not bad, but lacking a bit in the intensity I hope to see. Sherries in general are hugely underrated as they can cause some of the most heart-breaking love affairs of wine.

I wonder if our bottles of Peninsula were different--I'd group this bottle we're drinking now among the most intense sherries I've ever tasted.