González Byass Del Duque Amontillado NV 375ml

González Byass Del Duque Amontillado is a VORS, or Very Old Rare Sherry, from the González Byass bodegas in Jerez, in a 375ml half bottle. It is 100% Palomino, aged for more than 30 years in solera, and bottled at 21% ABV.

Buy González Byass Del Duque Amontillado Online in New Zealand

Amontillado is a sherry with two lives. It starts as a Fino, ageing under a protective layer of flor yeast, then the flor fades and the wine carries on ageing in contact with air, slowly darkening and turning nutty and savoury. Del Duque has had decades of that second stage. VORS is an official category in Jerez for sherries with a certified average age of over 30 years, checked by tasting panels and laboratory analysis. González Byass was founded in Jerez in 1835 by Manuel María González and is still family owned.

González Byass describes it as:

Nose: Intense walnut, spice and oak, over a deep amber colour.

Palate: Powerful, dry and complex, with seemingly endless length.

This is a bone-dry wine, not a sweet one, and a little goes a long way. Serve it lightly chilled, around 12°C, in a white wine glass and let it open for a few minutes. Pour 50 to 60ml at a time; a half bottle gives six to seven glasses. It is excellent with food that has savoury depth: clear consommé, mushroom risotto, jamón, aged Manchego or Parmesan, and roast nuts. Because it has already aged oxidatively for so long, an opened bottle holds up well for a few weeks in the fridge.