Valdespino Fino Inocente

Valdespino Fino Inocente is a single-vineyard fino sherry from Valdespino in Jerez, made from 100% Palomino Fino grown in the Macharnudo Alto vineyard. It is fermented in American oak casks, aged under flor through ten criaderas and a solera, and bottled at an average age of 10 years at 15% ABV.

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The grapes come from Viña Valdespino in the Pago de Macharnudo, on white, chalky albariza soil, and are picked by hand. Most fino is fermented in steel tanks, but Inocente keeps the old practice of fermenting in cask. The solera itself is more than a century old, and its structure is unusually long: ten criaderas plus the solera, where most finos use far fewer stages. The young wine also rests for 9 to 10 months before it even enters the last criadera. The result is a fino with more depth and structure than usual, with under 1 g/l of residual sugar.

Valdespino’s own tasting notes:

Nose: Straw yellow with golden glints; pungent, delicate and complex, with roasted almond.

Palate: Delicate yet round and buttery, with firm structure.

Finish: Long and mineral.

Valdespino recommends it well chilled, at around 10°C, in a white wine glass, as an aperitif or with seafood such as prawns, oysters, clams and grilled fish, smoked salmon or Japanese food. Unlike most commercial finos, the bodega says Inocente keeps developing in bottle, gaining colour and aroma. Once open, keep it in the fridge.