newbie sherry question:

I have just begun enjoying sherry, I have had a couple Palo Cortados, a couple of Amontillado (from Montilla-Moriles, and Jerez) and previously one Manzanilla.

This wine:

http://www.ninanet.net/bp/hidalgo02.jpg

is labeled (white portion, bottom left) as Manzanilla (the firm is from Sanlucar), but includes 'Cortado' in its name. Indeed, this wine is much darker in color and flavor than either previous Amontillados or Manzanilla I have tried. However, my experience is just these few bottles. Is there such thing as a 'Palo Cortado' from Sanlucar (& thus a 'Manzanilla Cortado')? I love these wines but prefer to understand what I am tasting.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Steve,
the white bit is not part of the official label, from what I can see. This is a Palo Cortado style wine from Bodegas Hidalgo in Sanlucar. To call it a Manzanilla Cortado is like calling a Cortado from Jerez a Fino Cortado. It make little sense except pointing to the fact that this wine comes from Sanlucar rather than Jerez. Manzanilla and Fino are non-oxidatitve styles of sherry, while Cortado is much more oxidized, and thus much darker, with a less fresh, more nutty flavor profile.

Peter

Thank you, Peter!

So, it looks and tastes like the oxidized style, and even says so...

A Palo Cortado it is then, just from Sanlucar.