Palomino, Jerez, Spain

Founded by a cooper in 1830, José Antonio Sierra sought to fulfill his dream of making sherry when at the time, sherry was almost solely made by noble families. He rose to prominence as an almacenista (wholesalers, often family-owned, who matured sherries but did not bottle or sell them), bottling his sherries with an image of noblemen on horseback hunting the little rabbit that is El Maestro. To this day, the bodega employs a cooper for in-house repairs & ages their top-tier wines in casks made by Sierra himself. An underdog story for the ages! Aged for 4-6 years, this rich but fresh Fino has an intense flor note – savoury & nutty with a cheesy, nutty & oxidative note. Cashew brittle, pumpkin seed oil, smoked apple, green herbs & fancy olive brine with a salty citrus acidity. Throw caution to the wind & pair this with a hearty, wine-heavy braise or simply savour the magic on its own.