April 24, 2020

BODEGAS VALDESPINO “Inocente” Single Vineyard Fino

(Jerez, Spain) $26

Of all Jerez’s finos, Inocente (ee-no-CENT-ay) is the most elegant and refined. The wine’s mossy, almondy, oceanic aroma draws you in; then the flavors emerge—waves of sea spray, minerals, crisp apples, and a powerful vivid nuttiness. The finish is unreal–cooling and ultra long. While most other finos are fermented in tank, Inocente—like the great finos of the past—is fermented in barrel with indigenous yeast. At bottling, the wine is around 10 years old—doubling or tripling the aging in solera of most other finos. Valdespino’s origins are thought to date to 1264, when the conquering knight Alonso Valdespino was rewarded with thirty hectares of land, including almost half of Macharnudo, one of Jerez’s greatest vineyard terroirs. Valdespino also makes one of the most phenomenally delicious, rich palo cortados in Jerez—a wine called Viejo C.P. with an average age in solera of 25 years. (15% abv)

98 points KM

Available at The Rare Wine Company

Each year, the vineyards of the Rhône Valley of France experience Le Mistral. What is it, and what does the term mean?

A. Nighttime visits from migrating peacocks. The word means mistress.

B. Thick fog. The word means mist.

C. An intense wind. The word means masterful.

D. Heavy rain. The word means cascade.

Each year, the vineyards of both the northern and southern Rhône are subject to a howling, icy northern wind known as Le Mistral. In the Occitan dialect of southern France, the word means “masterful.” Strongest between winter and spring, the wind often reaches speeds of over 40 mph (65 km/h) and has been known to get as high as 115 mph (180.1 km/h). The wind, which can pick up a grown woman a foot off the ground (this is based on personal research), can be destructive, but it can also be beneficial in its ability to quickly cool the vines during periods of intense heat. The winds of Le Mistral have long had an influence on the architecture of the region. Houses traditionally face southeast, with their backs to the wind, and many churches have open iron grill bell towers, which allow Le Mistral to pass through.

Bush Vine

A bush-like vine that is free-standing with no trellis system. It is also known as a goblet-trained or head-trained vine. Many of the world’s oldest vines are trained in this manner.

BODEGAS VALDESPINO “Inocente” Single Vineyard Fino

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