(2024) From the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, this is made in a traditional solera, seeing eight years of ageing minimum. 'En Rama' indicates that it is bottled without fining or filtration, and ‘Pasada’ indicates a longer ageing than is usual for Manzanilla. I have to say it is utterly delicious. It is a burnished yellow/gold colour and has the ozone and salty tang of Manzanilla, but a wonderfully creamy hazelnut and almond sheen too. Complex yeasty notes from the long ageing under flor add pungent layers of chamomile, bruised fruit and intrigue. Full, textured, more nuttiness and a certain meaty, umami character in the mouth, it has fabulous length and sparkling acidity. The £15.99 price for a full 75cl bottle at Carrington Wines at time of review is very good - half bottles are selling for £11 - £13 quite widely.
(2023) A pink vintage Cava made from Pinot Noir, this spent 20 months on the lees. A delicate salmon pink, the nose is pretty with a touch of elderflower to raspberry and something a little riper, like guava or mango. In the mouth more of that full-fruited character, this is all about fruitiness and pretty floral characters, though the acidity is very well judged and the cushion of mousse gives a quiet sense of opulence. Quite unusual and very enjoyable.
(2022) Whilst I am reasonably familiar with the less expensive 'Von der Fels' Riesling from Rheinhessen's cult producer, Keller, what a treat to drink this single vineyard Großes Gewächs, a designation for the finest dry wines fron the equivalent of Grand Cru sites. Aromatically it has fabulous waxiness and ripe lime peel aromas, all flecked with leafy green herbs - dill maybe - but so pure. On the palate it is glacial, again that purity and ravishing mineral acidity, but that peachiness of the mid-palate gives sweetness with great elegance.
