Spain & Portugal
Long regarded as a source of inexpensive reds with only Rioja standing above the parapet, Spain now produces a plethora of exciting wines encompassing myriad different styles. Fresh whites, especially from the Albariño in the Rías Baixas and Verdejo in Rueda, have extended the choice. There have also been interesting developments in Jerez in developing small-scale bottlings of the highest quality Sherry at remarkably affordable prices.
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Berrys' Amontillado Estilo, Medium Dry, Jerez, 18.5%The House of Lustau is one of the greatest names in Sherry, and it pioneered a system of working closely with the smaller producers, known as Almacenistas, who blend and age sherries of great individuality. Long-term partnerships of this nature have resulted in a range peerless in its diversity and quality.
The Amontillado Estilo has been especially blended for us by one of these merchants and aged in Solera for several years to achieve a unique depth of flavour and richness of texture. An Amontillado is essentially and aged Fino, that is to say it maintains the tangy delicacy of the Flor-matured Fino, but then has been, over time, deliberately oxidised to add nutty complexity and an extraordinary depth of flavour to its yeasty core.
Hugely under-rated, sherry is one of the great drinks of the world; the Estilo is a more than worthy ambassador for the category.
Simon Field MW, BBR BuyerBerrys' Amontillado Estilo, Medium Dry, Jerez, 18.5%Berrys' Amontillado Estilo, Medium Dry, Jerez, 18.5%Bottle Price 75cl $29Was $52 -
5 Year Old Reserve Madeira, Broadbent Selection, 19%Imported from Madeira, a volcanic island 400 miles off the North African coast, Broadbent Madeira is the product of Michael and Bartholomew Broadbent, both world-renowned Madeira experts. The wines were hand-selected on the island by Michael Broadbent, the world's most experienced taster of Madeira and his son Bartholomew, who is deemed one of the world's foremost authorities on Port and Madeira, and is credited with spearheading the revival of Madeira in America.
Aged in oak casks for at least five years, this is a delicious, full-bodied and rich dessert wine, with an excellent balance between sweetness and acidity.5 Year Old Reserve Madeira, Broadbent Selection, 19%5 Year Old Reserve Madeira, Broadbent Selection, 19%Bottle Price 75cl $31Was $52 -
Berrys' Fino Jerez Sherry, 15%The unique flor yeast produces a Sherry that is pale, delicate and dry with an elegant bouquet evocative of salted almonds. Drink lightly chilled.
Simon Field MW, Wine BuyerBerrys' Fino Jerez Sherry, 15%Berrys' Fino Jerez Sherry, 15%Bottle Price 75cl $30Was $54 -
Berrys' Meredith, 5-year-old, Full Rich MadeiraBerrys Erevamped Madeira wine range is now available in the popular 50cl format The range of four covers the gamut of styles, and all wines have been up-graded from 3 and 5 year old to the 5 Year Old Premium category. All, most importantly, have been matured by the superior 'canteiro' method, whereby the ageing is achieved naturally by allowing the casks to mature in the lofts of the lodges.
The Meredith is part of the traditional ship-series nomenclature, an evocation of C19th colonial life where trade and war (and indeed trade wars) were often carried out at sea, indeed always carried out at sea for a remote Atlantic island such as Madeira. The Meredith is the richest member of the family, made in the Malmsay/Malvasia style; its characteristic mahogany colour leading to encyclopaedic notes of figs, toffee, dried fruits and roasted nuts. The counterpoint between sugar and acidity is astonishing; the wine is wonderfully full-bodied, sweet and exceptionally long.
Simon Field, MW - Wine BuyerBerrys' Meredith, 5-year-old, Full Rich MadeiraBerrys' Meredith, 5-year-old, Full Rich MadeiraBottle Price 50cl $27Was $49 -
Berrys' Rainwater, 5-year-old, 19%Berrys Erevamped Madeira wine range is now available in the popular 50cl format. The range of four covers the gamut of styles, and all wines have been up-graded from 3 and 5 year old to the 5 Year Old Premium category . All, most importantly, have been matured by the superior 'canteiro' method, whereby the ageing is achieved naturally by allowing the casks to mature in the lofts of the lodges.
Berrys' Rainwater is a medium-dry Madeira. Shrouded in historical mists of Atlantic crossings and open casks absorbing rainfall on the beaches of Funchal, this is a subtle and evocative wine. The Rainwater style, traditionally associated with the Verdehlo grape variety has an inimitable, timeless quality with notes of almonds and dried fruit underpinned by a firm streak of acidity and a smoky backdrop.
Simon Field, MW - Wine BuyerBerrys' Rainwater, 5-year-old, 19%Berrys' Rainwater, 5-year-old, 19%Bottle Price 50cl $30Was $54 -
2017 Les Manyes, Terroir al Límit, Priorat, Spain
I tasted two vintages of the top Garnacha (Peluda), so next to the 2017 Les Manyes, I also had the 2018; it was great to see the differences in the wines, even if the analytical data showed pretty similar. This amazing vineyard at 800 meters in altitude on red clay and gypsum soils has more in common with some vineyards from Montsant than the majority of other vineyards from Priorat. In 2016, they started ageing the wine 100% in concrete, and they have no intention of going back.
This is quite austere and compact and has had a slow oxidation in concrete, and the wine feels quite stabilized and fresher than other 2017s but again perhaps not as deep as the 2018. It's not a showy vintage; it's quite subtle. It takes a long time to open up in the glass, and it's clearly the freshest of the 2017s. 3,200 bottles were filled in June 2020 after a longer élevage, exclusively in concrete for this second bottling lot.
Drink 2020 - 2028
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (December 2020)
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Berrys' Boreas, 5-year-old, Medium Rich Madeira, 19%Berrys Erevamped Madeira wine range is now available in the popular 50cl format. The range of four covers the gamut of styles, and all wines have been up-graded from 3 and 5 year old to the 5 Year Old Premium category. All, most importantly, have been matured by the superior 'canteiro' method, whereby the ageing is achieved naturally by allowing the casks to mature in the lofts of the lodges.
Berrys' ""Ship Series"" of Madeiras reflects the practice, common until the mid 19th century, of naming wines after the ships that carried them. The frigate Boreas visited Madeira in 1784 on its way to Antigua, taking on board four casks for the Governor of Domenica and a quarter for its 26-year-old captain, Horatio Nelson. Berrys' Boreas is a medium-sweet, Bual style Madeira, with characteristic amber colouring with gold highlights. The attractive nose of toffee apple and vanillin is carried through to the palate, which at 19 degrees of alcohol, has a wonderful balancing sweetness and characterisitic firm supporting acidity. Perfect with puddings, fruit and cheeses.
Simon Field, MW Wine BuyerBerrys' Boreas, 5-year-old, Medium Rich Madeira, 19%Berrys' Boreas, 5-year-old, Medium Rich Madeira, 19%Bottle Price 50cl $29Was $52 -
2011 Contino, Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain
Vivid ruby-red. Displays expansive, smoke-tinged red fruit preserve and cherry-vanilla scents, along with vanilla, tobacco and allspice flourishes. Seamless and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated cherry, blackcurrant and spicecake flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. The smoky note repeats on the sweet, seamless and impressively long finish, which features rounded tannins and lingering vanilla and mocha qualities.
Drink 2019 - 20262011 Contino, Gran Reserva, Rioja, Spain2011 Contino, Gran Reserva, Rioja, SpainBottle Price 150cl $220 -
2006 Coranya, Celler Sangenís i Vaqué, Priorat, Spain
Deeply coloured, with a rich, complex nose of black cherry, leather and sandalwood, and a touch of sweet spice. Powerful yet restrained on the palate, with a seam of acidity proving the perfect foil to the dense tannins and the ripe dark fruit character. A spicy finish of impressive length.
Drink now until 2025
Stuart Fyfe, Private Client Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (January 2021)
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2009 Clos Monlleó, Celler Sangenís i Vaqué, Priorat, Spain
If you're interested in how Priorat wines age, this blend of Garnacha and Carignan is an excellent way to find out. Deep cherry colour, with lots of aromas of rich blackberries and plum cake on the nose with a touch of earthiness. Whilst the palate seeks powerful notes of cassis, stewed fruits, leather, chocolate, and liquorice to follow with a sweet spicey finish and an impressive length. It is wonderfully enjoyable at this stage of life.
Drink 2021 - 2032
Josephine Owen, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (November 2021) -
2012 Viña Real, Gran Reserva, C.V.N.E., Rioja, Spain
Brilliant ruby-red. Smoke- and mineral-accented aromas of dark berry preserves, dried cherry, pipe tobacco, vanilla and incense. Stains the palate with intense blackcurrant and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter with air. Packs a serious punch but comes off as lithe and precise, finishing with strong cut and length and silky tannins that come up slowly.
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1999 Torresilo, Cillar de Silos, Ribera del Duero, Spain
The 1999 Torresilo from Cillar De Silos is astonishingly youthful, given its 20+ years of age. There is barely a hint of garnet on the rim of this intense wine. The nose is initially full of wild strawberry and red cherry fruit, which develops into darker, earthy bramble aromas alongside a hint of cured meat. This is a wonderfully pure, perfumed red with aromas that burst from the glass, of scented petals and hints of cherry blossom.
Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (Mar 2021) -
Berrys' Spy, 5-year-old, Dry Madeira, 19%Berrys Erevamped Madeira range is now available in the popular 50cl format. The range of four covers the gamut of styles, and all wines have been up-graded from 3 and 5 year old to the 5 Year -Old Premium category. All, most importantly, have been matured by the superior 'canteiro' method, whereby the ageing is achieved naturally by allowing the casks to mature in the lofts of the lodges.
Berrys' ""Ship Series"" of Madeiras reflects the practice, common until the mid 19th century, of naming wines after the ships that carried them. The Spy was a sloop from Bermuda, carrying grain to Madeira and wine back to the West Indies until shipwrecked off Funchal in 1714. Spy 5-year-old is the driest Madeira in Berrys' Own range; it has a pale topaz colour with golden highlights, a characterisitc bouquet of dried fruit and old school libraries, then an attractive 'burnt' flavour, which in turn belies an astonishing freshness on the finish. A great aperitif.
Simon Field, MW - Wine BuyerBerrys' Spy, 5-year-old, Dry Madeira, 19%Berrys' Spy, 5-year-old, Dry Madeira, 19%Bottle Price 50cl $29Was $52 -
2017 Vivaltus, Ribera del Duero, Spain
Brambled bilberry, loganberry and cassis fruits, the dark tight flesh with well-developed acidity that you have come to expect from this wine, touch of bitter black chocolate on the finish. This is a slow build, well integrated, and the power is subtle rather than overt, at least in comparison to the usual style of Ribera del Duero. Strongly savoury finish, with fennel and aniseed. Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet consultants, with winemaker Montxo Martinez and owners Marcos and Carlos Yllera, made from old vines growing from 750m to 1,000m in altitude, aged in French oak.
Drink 2022 to 20382017 Vivaltus, Ribera del Duero, Spain2017 Vivaltus, Ribera del Duero, SpainBottle Price 75cl $156 -
1977 Dow's, Port, Portugal
Dow traditionally produce a drier and more fragrant style of Port than its siblings in the Symington Family fold. The ’77 Dow’s Port is one of the greats and memorably combines the depth and quality of the vintage with its own inimitable deftness and class.
The nose is complex and intriguing, full of malted fruit, sultanas and figs, which draw you in. The palate unfolds beautifully, with mature walnut and wood smoke notes on the finish. This deserves time in the decanter and perhaps a bit of peace and quiet in front of the fire.
Philip Moulin, Fine Wine Quality & Authentication Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd
1977 Dow's, Port, Portugal1977 Dow's, Port, PortugalBottle Price 75cl $395