NV Valdespino - Jerez Contrabandista Medium Dry Sherry

Bodegas Valdespino traces its origins to 1264, when King Alfonso X granted land in Jerez to Don Alfonso Valdespino, one of twenty-four knights who helped drive the Moors from the city. The company as it exists today formed in 1875, though commercial winemaking on the property is believed to date back even earlier, to around 1430. Valdespino was purchased in 1999 by Grupo Estévez, which has maintained the bodega's traditional methods and its holdings in Macharnudo Alto, one of the most prized vineyard sites in Jerez.

Contrabandista starts as Palomino Fino from vines over twenty-five years old, fermented naturally in old oak barrels until a protective layer of flor forms on the surface. The wine then ages biologically under that flor for around eight years before shifting to a slower, oxidative aging process for roughly another eight years as part of the Tío Diego Amontillado solera. At the end of this long maturation, a small portion of Pedro Ximénez is blended in, softening the wine's edges and adding a touch of sweetness without overwhelming its dry, nutty core.

The finished sherry shows a light mahogany color with a bright amber rim, and its aromas of roasted hazelnut, dates, and raisins are layered with butterscotch and toffee. Medium-bodied and smooth, it carries balanced sweetness through to a long, gently bittersweet finish. It works well as an aperitif or alongside foie gras, roasted nuts, or a wedge of creamy cheese like Camembert.