Amontillado – Soleras Especiales (Hidalgo)
The ageing evolution of Amontillado up to 60 years of age
In 2021 bodegas Emilio Hidalgo presented a series called Soleras Especiales. It was a limited release of three Amontillados, bottled in a different stage of the same path of ageing. Hidalgo claims to make the most classic sherry wines possible, the sherry of always. It is this heritage and celebration of age that is celebrated through its Soleras Especiales.
First there is an Amontillado Fino of around 12-14 years old, still deeply marked by the veil of flor (an extra aged version of La Panesa, probably). This is the wine we’re reviewing today. Also in the box is a textbook Amontillado of 20-22 years in which they play with biological ageing without extra fortification. The third one is a 60 year old Amontillado taken to the extreme of concentration and opulence. I assume the final wine comes from the solera that also produces their Amontillado Viejo El Tresillo 1874.
The plan was to have a new set of Soleras Especiales every year, but as far as I can tell, there has only been the Amontillado edition and an Oloroso version.
(c) Diario de Jerez / Manuel Aranda – www.diariodejerez.es
Amontillado Soleras Especiales (15,5%, Emilio Hidalgo)
Nose: quite a potent Fino-Amontillado. Roased almonds and walnuts, with hints of salted caramel. Still a lot of Fino elements here as well, like lemon peels and coastal aromas. Then some farmy notes as well, lovely horse stables and such. Hints of iodine and rosemary, with mild vegetable notes. Like a Tres Palmas, somewhere in the middle between Fino and Amontillado.
Mouth: really good. Full of hay and yeasty notes, with a good acidity and a nice umami note. Also brioche and plenty of nuts like hazelnuts and almonds. Whiffs of dried herbs, sour apples and lovely bitterness (perhaps a little more than La Panesa). Light oxidative notes, but always remaining gentle in a way. Lemon peels with a smoky edge in the end.
Availability: each set of three 50 cl bottles costs € 175.
Summary: A very intense Fino-Amontillado - a profile that is hard to find these days. Plenty of flor intensity, coastal notes and herbal character, with just a glimpse of the rounder Amontillado profile. Quite a serious wine, with heaps of character.
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
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