3 En Rama 2015 – Fino Jerez de la Frontera (Lustau)

3 En Rama allows you a glimpse of the terroir character of three key cities in the Jerez region

Jerez de la Frontera has a more inland location than the other two towns, and its long, hot summers and mild but wet winters, provide a more rounded and fuller style of Fino.

The Fino de Jerez ‘3 En Rama’ was aged in Lustau‘s bodega Los Arcos, built in 1862 and located in the centre of the town (Calle Arcos). This bodega keeps the barrels for the Fino Jarana, among others. Only two of 708 casks have been selected by the committee to be bottled, chosen mainly for their finesse.

Lustau – Bodega Los Arcos – Jerez de la Frontera

This Fino de Jerez was one of Lustau’s top performers in the 2015 International Wine Challenge. This Fino won the ‘Fino Trophy’ and was one of ten Gold Medal winners, alongside their VORS sherries, the Amontillado Botaina and the Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia, among others.

3 En Rama – Fino Jerez de la Frontera (15%, Lustau 2015, 50 cl., 1000 btl.)

Nose: a very classic nose. It is immediately attractive but it unfolds its complexity nicely over time. I mainly get hay, dry sand and warm canvas, all of which hint towards a deep flor including some autolysis (dead flor falling to the bottom of the cask). Almonds and a light membrillo sweetness. Faint floral notes. There’s also a nice farmy touch (imagine a sheep stable, or horses) and hints of dusty cellars – I love that. Very balanced – this is pretty much an archetypal Jerez nose. The width of the spectrum is impressive.

Mouth: again really smooth and elegant, but full of flavour. The driest of this series, I would say. Bread notes at first, and fairly low acidity. Hints of flor and hay, as well as a nice punch of green olives. After a while it becomes increasingly briney – a nice evolution. As it warms up in the glass, it tends to highlight its apple sweetness. Long, wide finish. Excellent.

Availability: limited to 1000 bottles, available from select Lustau resellers. Around € 20 (50 cl.).

Summary: This Fino de Jerez combines intense flavours with a rare elegance, and for me it's the best example of what flor can do in these wines. A wonderful wine and definitely my favourite expression in the 2015 releases - get it before it's gone!

4.5

Excellent

Tags: 15%, 2015, 3 En Rama, En Rama, Fino, Jerez, Lustau

About the Author

Ruben is a Certified Sherry Educator who fell in love with sherry some 25 years ago, but switched to a higher gear in 2013 and started writing about it. Lived in Madrid for a couple of years, now back in Belgium. I also run a whisky blog over at www.whiskynotes.be