'De la bota a la copa': raw intensity from the vine
Wonderfully perfumed and intense, the current release of Hidalgo Manzanilla La Gitana En Rama displays delicate notes of dried chamomile flowers, and a warm nuttiness is balanced by a subtly saline edge. It has a real rawness and is satisfyingly full on the palate. There's also a herbaceous, refreshing nettle-like flavour, as well as a touch of pear and baked yellow apple. It's true that this is not exactly a crowd-pleaser, in fact it's a real Marmite wine, but for those who enjoy its distinctive umami yeastiness you couldn't do much better. Dry sherry is most typically served alongside olives and a handful of salted almonds, but the complexity and texture of this wine means that it works equally well with dishes like seafood risotto or a piece of meaty fish cooked a la plancha.
Punchy and powerfully flavoured, 'En Rama' dry sherry is aged and drawn directly from separate barrels and is released biannually in rhythm with the natural flor cycle. 'En Rama' refers to a particularly characterful style of Manzanilla that sees minimal intervention, its name literally translating to 'on the vine' or, more colloquially, 'raw'; a very gentle process of clarification is undertaken, leaving behind some of the flor particles (the layer of yeast on the surface of the wine that protects it from oxidation, and makes it taste so distinctive). The result is intensely flavourful, complex and extremely food-friendly. Based in Sanlucar de Barrameda on the coast since 1792, Bodegas Hidalgo is widely considered to be the Manzanilla producer.
As it's bottled unfiltered, the 'En Rama' is best enjoyed sooner rather than later to preserve all of that natural freshness, delicacy and intensity. Join us today for our usual Friday tasting where we'll be showing this as well as three other lovely wines. /RRS
Offered subject to remaining unsold; available now
