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Valdespino Contrabandista Amontillado
Valdespino is one of Jerez’s historic houses, formally established in the 19th century but with family roots in the region extending much further back. Its style is unusually traditional, with important wines tied to the famed Macharnudo Alto vineyard and long aging through the solera system. Contrabandista is part of that old-school lineage: a medium dry Amontillado built from mature Palomino and a small amount of Pedro Ximénez, giving it more roundness without losing the savory character of the base wine.
The wine is approximately 94% palomino fino and 6% Pedro Ximénez. The Palomino is fermented dry in old American oak barrels, then spends years aging biologically under flor before being fortified further and moved into oxidative aging. The mature Amontillado is then blended with a small amount of sweet PX, producing a wine with an average age of roughly 15 years. The result is richer and softer than a dry Amontillado, but still far from the lushness of a Cream Sherry.
Contrabandista shows roasted hazelnut, dates and raisins with toffee, butterscotch and subtle spice. The palate is smooth and lightly sweet, balanced by the nutty, saline and slightly bitter character of mature Amontillado, with a long savory finish.
