Delgado Zuleta, D.O. Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Manzanilla is the appellation name for a Fino sherry which is raised at Sanlúcar de Barrameda, a relatively cool, humid seaside village. The resultant sherry has a definite tang of the sea, and perhaps a suggestion of camomile flower (manzanilla is Spanish for camomile). Much finer, and more delicate than finos from Jerez, inland, and usually bottled at about 15% alcohol.

DZ is a manzanilla pasada, meaning it has been aged for a relatively long time (8 years, compared to manzanilla standard of about 4 ½). The wine is bottled, however, before the flor yeast can die off, thus avoiding any amontillado characters. The oyster shell suggestion in normal manzanilla becomes a richer scent of abalone, and the wine has a fabulous builders' lime streak which directly reflects the flavour of the chalky 'albariza' soils in which it's grown.