Saturday, February 23, 2008

Lustau Añada 1989 Rich Oloroso

I first tasted this wine at the Lustau bodega in Jerez. It was a charmed holiday and this wine was one of the great surprises along the way. We liked it so much we shipped about a pallet back to Scotland. 

The nose is smoked nuts and marmalade with loads of Christmas spice and fruitcake, candied cherries and butterscotch. Basically, there's a lot going on here, and I'm happy to be a part of it. 

All that came before on the nose follows through on the palate, but moreso. It's extraordinary. Fat, sweet caramel with figs, honey coffee grounds, roasted oranges, cloves and nutmeg all rounded beautifully, with a touch of saddle leather and dusty oak drifting into the long and ephemeral finish. It all happens in check - the structure's remarkable; sweet but never gooey, as some of its PX cousins can be. Delightful.

*****
Tasted often, but most recently 23/2/2008 at Luvians Bottleshop

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