Wine Type: Fortified

(2026) As it pours this is not red, but a distinctly golden-amber. Produced from the same base white wines and following the same fortification and aromatisation process, the aromats are clearly a little different. I guess this must have seem time in barrel, though it may take its colour from caramel? There are spicier, clove and cinnamon notes and toffee in the background. Green herbs do come through. In the mouth this is a very smooth Vermouth - sippable on its own for me - with plenty of warming spice, coffee and fudge that is sweet and warming. Again, Negroni or Manhattan springs to mind, or just a dash of soda.

(2026) Strucchi Bianco's base is white wine, fortified and flavoured with wormwood, thyme and sage as well as a touch of vanilla. The sage and thyme, stalky green herb character comes through most powerfully on the nose. Plenty of personality here, with lovely sweetness in the mouth. Here the vanilla with some baked pear flavours dominate, but the more complex herbal aromas do re-emerge, and the keen limey acidity gives plenty of freshening bite. Serving suggestionss: white Negroni or simply top with soda and lemon peel.

(2026) Diatomists, named after diatom fossils that influence the white soils of Jerez, is a small company set up by three enthusiasts, bottling the very best Sherries sourced from different bodegas in the region. This Manzanilla from Sanlucar was aged five years in cask, yet it has an abundant, singing freshness. Of course there are the nutty and floral overtones one would expect, the briny tang too, but this is a direct, focused and pure style of wine. In the mouth it is dry as a bone and that ozone and sea-spray zip melts throughnutty camomile and citrus, into a long, shimmering finish. Note there are many independent retailers of this wine with prices ranging from below £15 (like the stockists I quote at time of review) to £19. Use the wine-searcher link to check availability and price. Watch the video for more information.

(2025) The colour here darkest of all, into nutty brown tones with a hint of ruby. Here, fruitiness is subsumed under spice and cedar, dried fruits, nuts and some sous-bois character. A more comtemplative style, the palate is easily the glycerine richest of the range, slippery in texture and unctuous, with coffee and caramel underpinning and warming the whole fireside picture, though a sweet depth of fruits, dried and mellow, joins excellent acidity. A distinctive style.

(2025) A similar chestnut colour to the Verdelho, there is a lovely figgy richness to this, and underpinning of mocha coffee and the expected nutty tones. But that fruit quality - fig and quince - is evident. Sweet on the palate, but not tasting dramatically moreso than the Verdelho for me, due to the fine acid core and the taut nature of this wine, smooth and elegant into the finish.

(2025) A little deeper and more chestnut in colour compared to the Sercial, this doesn't quite have that wine's aromatic fireworks, more subdued and nutty, with a deep sheen of polished wood. In the mouth it is noticeably sweeter and has a ripe feeling to the fruit, which is more forward than in the Sercial, more unctuous, with classically fine citrus acidity slicing through the finish.

(2025) Pouring a realtively pale tobacco brown colour, this has a delightful nose of citrus - Seville orange mostly - with nuttiness and that bready, yeasty lift that is so appealling. In the mouth it is definitely not 'dry dry', but the unctuous flavours that run from butterscotch to rich coffee have a depth of sweetness that is then cut by a sweep of acidity that certainly freshens and cleanses the finish. The warming nutty tones are there of course, but a delightful, balanced and long wine that's certainly on the dry side.

(2025) Not that much darker than the 50 Years White, but with more of a ruby hue to the colour. The nose again has that lovely, mellow, burnished character of nuttiness and dark mollases and raisins. But again, there is a freshness suggested by some citrus and a lifted, light shellac character. In the mouth sweet with 129 g/l of sugar, and more mellow and arguably more simple than the white. It is absolutely delicious, warming as it finishes between spice, toffee and that freshness.

(2025) Pouring a deep, burnished gold, this is an instantly powerful wine aromatically. Soaring from the glass are wonderfully warming aromas of walnut and toffee, a yeasty breadiness, some lemon and glycerine and hints of old polished furniture. With just over 100g/l of resudual sugar this has sweetness, really quite unctuous with caramel and fudge, but that vibrancy of lemon fruit is remarkable. Intense, golden raisin depth marries with coffee and chocolate in the finish, powered by perfect acidity and the golden richness of age.

(2024) If you have tried Noval's LBV before you are in for a treat: unflitered and aged five years in casks, the fruit (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Sousão) comes from their own vineyard and is trodden by foot in traditional lagares. It has a heavenly nose, spices and intense floral and dried fruit notes combine with juicier blueberry and a hint of dark cocoa. The palate is powerful and structured, framed by powdery tannins but abundantly sweet with 90g/l of residual sugar it seems endlessly long. This will also cellar for a decade or more. Watch the video for more information.