Winemaker Notes
Opaque ruby. Smoke- and mineral-accented black and blue fruits, candied flowers, and succulent herbs on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy and focused in the mouth, offering concentrated boysenberry, bitter cherry, and violet pastille flavors that become sweeter as the wine opens up. The dark berry and floral notes linger on the spicy, very long finish, which is given shape by smooth tannins.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Alberto Orte Vara y Pulgar is attractive and rustic in its presence on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of coffee bean, toast, spices, and Old World pungency. Pair it with an old-fashioned Irish stew. (Tasted: October 10, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
Known more formally as Jerez de la Frontera, Jerez is a city in Andalucía in southwest Spain and the center of the Jerez region and sherry production. Sherry is a mere English corruption of the term Jerez, while in French, Jerez is written, Xérès. Manzanilla is the freshest style of sherry, naturally derived from the seaside town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.