NV Valdespino - Jerez Tio Diego Amontillado Sherry (750ml)

Valdespino is considered the oldest bodega in Jerez, with roots reaching back to 1264, when King Alfonso X rewarded the knight Alonso Valdespino with vineyard land for helping liberate the city from Moorish rule. The modern company was formally established in 1875 and went on to supply the royal houses of Spain and Sweden before being acquired by Grupo Estévez in 1999. Valdespino remains the only Sherry house still fermenting its wines in oak barrels rather than stainless steel, and it is known for producing rare single-vineyard bottlings from its prized Macharnudo Alto vineyard.

Tío Diego is made from Palomino grapes grown in that same Macharnudo Alto vineyard, prized for its pure albariza soil and high elevation within the Jerez region. Like all Amontillados, it begins life aging under flor, the veil of yeast that protects young Sherry from oxidation, before that flor gradually weakens and the wine spends additional years developing oxidatively in cask. In Tío Diego's case this extended, gradual transition, roughly eight years under flor followed by another eight of oxidative aging, produces an Amontillado with unusual softness and integration for the style.

In the glass this Amontillado shows an intense amber color. The nose carries hazelnut, dried fruit, and a touch of toffee alongside oak and tobacco, while the palate stays dry, complex, and medium-bodied, with well-balanced acidity through a long finish. Pair it with roasted almonds, Iberian ham, grilled fish, or firm cheeses like Manchego.