Bodegas Lustau, Palo Cortado, Península, Solera Reserva, Jerez, Spain

Bodegas Emilio Lustau

Emilio Lustau was established in 1896 and was initially a small family concern until the founder`s son-in-law placed it on a business footing.

The firm is perhaps best known as pioneering the Almacenista system, whereby individual dry sherries are produced from small private holdings. These are bottled under Lustau`s name but with the individual bodega's name on the label as well. Today they are amongst the most sought-out Sherries in the region.

The firm also produces superb wines from its recently acquired 170 hectare Montenegrillo vineyard.

Palo Cortado

Palo Cortado is a very rare variety of Sherry. Iinitially put to age under Flor yeast to become a Fino or Amontillado, but after the inexplicable demise of flor, oxidative development takes over in the lines of Oloroso ageing. 

Bright mahogany-coloured, it combines the delicate savory character of Amontillado with the rich vinous qualities of Oloroso. Its alcohol content varies between 17ºand 22º. Palo Cortado is a great apéritif served with olives, nuts, cheese, or foie gras. It can also accompany fowl, red meats, or game.

Palomino Fino

Palomino, named after Fernan Yanez Palomonio, one of King Alfonso X`s knights, is the primary grape variety for Sherry styles (Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado) production.

It is a high yielding variety that is widely planted in Spain producing mostly insipid thin, dull wines lacking in fruit and acidity. However it thrives on the predominantly chalk based soils of Cadiz  where it produces large bunches of golden yellow grapes, which ripen in early September. The resulting must is transparent in colour and somewhat neutral in flavour, but the subsequent wine can develop a coating of flor before maturing in the solera system and produce a whole range of intense and aromatic sherries.

It is also grown in South Africa, California, and Australia where it is fortified to make sherry-style wines.