Bob McDonald

9.0

See several previous Delectable notes. Deeply coloured but not deep in palate - medium bodied. Liquorice and almonds, a juicy palate. Finishes with a skinnsy bitter note. Great with free range chicken legs. Probably best drunk young. From a highly reputable producer in GD Vayra. My last bottle of 6. — 7 days ago

Peter Sultan

9.2

End of the evening dessert & wine- paired with Hastings’ finest gluten free almond macaroon cookies, chocolate cookies, & poppy seed tea cake. Given the graceful aging next time I would pair with cheeses & less sweets. Still, a window into a well produced 26 yro wine with beautifully rounded white flower & faded apple notes. Medium body & a flavor transparency that I found beguiling. For about 30$ a qpr — 2 years ago

with Owen

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.3

Dessert wine, but not extremely sweet
Very fresh
On the nose is almondy and cheese plus amazingly floral as if you are on an Alpine highland where cows are free range
It reminds me of a Malga Toma di Gressonay
On the palate is very citrusy somewhere between an orange rind and a grapefruit plus all the flowers still there and a almondy finish
Very very good
Production is so limited i can't even hope to get another bottle unless i go to visit Val d'Aosta
I guess the label doesn't follow any legislation/doc, but a little writing on the side of the label should hint that grapes were sourced from the 2012 vintage🤷‍♂️😅 — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

2018 vintage. Solid balance of fruit and structure for the $20 range. Currently grippy but give it 3-5 years and this should be really nice for the price. Will pick up a few more bottles for guilt-free drinking while the big boys slumber — 3 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.5

I think people dont get brunello. There is so much on steroids brunello in the market everyone thinks it’s all like that. Not the case.

This is higher altitude brunello. No weightier than the average modern day barolo. It’s just Sangiovese instead of Nebbiolo. Honestly it’s almost middle of the Range for pommard. Not quite but it’s not far off.

Nose is almost licorice flower. Blackberry flower. Almost pommardian. As this opens so fucking beautiful. That blackberry flower licorice flower fusion.

Palate is such precise blackberry. Very linear and clean. Mineral. A hint of candied blackberry. Just a gorgeous hint. Expansive. Not thick at all. More silky texture like burgundy.

This is drinking well in one level but I feel like I killed it too young. In 5 years this might be epic.

As this opens - the fruit graciously takes a back seat. Almost some lavender on the nose. Palate is more about lavender and licorice flower. Yeah. You think you know brunello ? Nah. This is what it should be but ain’t. Pommard of Italy. Honestly 1er cru pommard in Density balance and aromatics. For 40% of the cost.

Bought from fass selections. — 4 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.2

Perfecto!
An old, Chinchona infused vermouth that’s date, anise, bitter luscious.
Based on 20 yr. Oloroso.
W some soda on a hot day, pow!

@Delectable Wine : This is Valdespino Quina.




HISTORY

The history of the aperitif dates back to the 5th century B.C. when Hippocrates concocted a wine-based beverage macerated with wormwood flower and other herbs, which was traditionally used as a restorative and an appetite stimulant. In the late 1700s, in Italy, a flavored wine called "vermouth" was introduced as an appetite booster before meals. This tradition later spread to France and Spain.

In Spain, the aperitif and the "tapa" have together contributed to create a unique "social occasion" which has gradually become a key attraction for the general public and tourists worldwide; that is, the longstanding association of social gatherings with Spanish gastronomy.

The main difference between Spanish aperitifs (Vermouth and "Quina" or Tonic Wine, in particular) and their French and Italian counterparts lies in the quality of the aromatic flavors and the botanicals and fruits employed. Spanish aperitifs are somewhat sweeter and lighter, whereas Italian aperitifs are distinctive for their bitter flavor, while their French counterparts tend to be drier.

VALDESPINO AND
THE ORIGIN OF THE APERITIF

The connection between the Valdespino family and the aperitif dates back to the end of the 19th century and became especially relevant in the first quarter of the 20th century, at the height of the sherry wine boom.

By 1920 the House of Valdespino was already producing several wines macerated with root extracts and botanicals. They were called "tonics" and "quinados" and were recommended as "tonic – aperitifs" or "fortifiers", as shown on the labels of the time.

From 1930 until the second half of the 20th century, The House of Valdespino was particularly active in the production of beverages macerated with different botanicals, fruits and bitter root extracts (cinchona bark and vermouth). The company marketed several wines with considerable success, mainly on the domestic market but also in countries like the USA, where, in the 60s, Valdespino, together with their associate Jack Poust, launched a vermouth with orange called "Tomboe", designed mainly for the younger clientele.

Thanks to the boost provided at the time by the export of sherry wines to England and its overseas provinces, there was a boom in the production of wines made, or rather, macerated with the root of Cinchona Calisaya, whose bark, popularly called "quina", was the basis of quinine, an extract that contributed effectively to malaria prevention.

Since then, Valdespino has been macerating and bottling blends of different varieties of their own sherries.

THE ORIGIN OF
THE "JEREZ APERITIF"

The Estévez family, owners of Bodegas Valdespino since 1999, carried on with this tradition, and continued to macerate old wines from the different Valdespino soleras with various botanicals, natural extracts and fruits. These were small productions and batches, bottled for their own consumption, elaborated experimentally and in advance of what has now become the family's new collection.

The launching in 2021 of "Valdespino Aperitifs" represents an important milestone for the company, since it is a unique range in the Valdespino catalogue.

Valdespino's original "Tonic for the Sick" label, dating back over a century, has been selected in an attempt to recover some of the iconic designs from the family labels museum. The image, somewhere between Art Deco and vintage, has inspired the design, which is intended as a benchmark for today's aperitif ranges.

This is the first time that a Jerez winery has developed a collection of aperitifs by recovering old recipes and original labels from the early 20th century, using Very Old Oloroso Wines from the founding soleras of the Jerez firm, which today constitute our prized "VOS" and "VORS" (Sherry Wines of an average of over twenty and thirty years of age, respectively).


VERMOUTH

A coupage of Very Old Oloroso Sherry Wine (aged for 15 years) and Moscatel, which provides a stylish citrus note. After undergoing a hydro-alcoholic maceration process with bitter extracts of mugwort, coriander, elderberry and gentian, together with chamomile flowers, aromatic cloves, cinnamon, dried Seville oranges and juniper berries, the final blend is then aged in barrels which have previously contained Valdespino Oloroso Wines, all these coming together to make an intense and complex vermouth with a sumptuous balance of aromas.

This vermouth is a signature aperitif with an unmistakable identity characterized by the prominence of the Old Oloroso from Jerez, alongside an elegant dash of bitterness, which is offset by the sweetness of the Moscatel. The result is a subtly balanced taste with unique spicy and citrus notes provided by the botanicals and fruits.

Bright mahogany color with coppery tones.
Intense spicy aromas with hints of Oloroso Sherry.
Citrus notes from oranges, with a lovely, spiced blend of clove and gentian. An elegant, enveloping bitterness resulting in a complex yet smooth palate. Warm and welcoming, faintly sweet aftertaste.
Serve in a tumbler glass, with ice and a slice of grapefruit or orange. Ideal as an aperitif, accompanied by nuts, olives and pickles, it also combines superbly with canned fish tapas such as anchovies, pickled tuna and the like.

QUINA

This aperitif is the result of the coupage of 20-year-old Oloroso Wines with Pedro Ximenez from the soleras of our iconic PX "EL Candado". The procedure involves a hydro-alcoholic maceration process of Cinchona bark (Quina) with gentian root, natural licorice extract and nutmeg, along with a selection of dried citrus fruits, such as grapefruit and Seville oranges.

The result is a stylish, complex, one-of-a-kind aperitif with a bitter refreshing note. The Pedro Ximenez also provides a characteristic nuance of dried fruit (sultanas, dried figs, dates) that makes this tonic wine ever more unique.

A fresh and sweet palate with citrus and slightly tart notes, all wrapped up in a spicy combination of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla … leaning into the sweet reminders of the Oloroso Sherry barrels where it is aged.

Dark mahogany color with coppery tones.
Spicy aromas with vegetal notes from the botanicals and Oloroso Sherry.
Slightly bitter notes of Cinchona, combining well with the botanicals (licorice, nutmeg) and hints of dried fruits (dates, sultanas). A stylish citrus touch and the quinine bitterness bring about a warm, lingering aftertaste.
Ideal as a complement in cocktails (Rum Old Fashioned, Negroni, Mahattan, etc), it also makes for a perfect aperitif in a tumbler glass, on the rocks, with a cinnamon stick and a twist of orange.Serve with crisps, olives and pickles.


BODEGAS VALDESPINO
CTRA. N-IV, KM. 640 - 11408 - JEREZ, SPAIN
Bodegas Valdespino - All rights reserved 2021 — a year ago

Daniel M

8.9

Nose of orange, yuzu, lemon, lime, apricot, there is a tiny touch of pineapple too. There is tiny touch of vanilla and some gun powder touch. This is rich and intense. The palate is rich too, a good acid backbone but some matter and some width, a soft mouthfeel with almost a liquorish, thickness to it like what could find in some nice condrieu. There is a bit of grip and a tiny bitter note in the end that plays along the freshness of the acid drive. This is actually very nice! We had it along a free range chicken we cooked on the grill and it was a great pairing. — 2 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.2

Very vegetal and fine expression of gamay. Nose mixing cherry, raspberry and herbaceous notes, infused, hay, vetiver. With 4 years of aging 2017 has magnificently evolved on notes of dried flower petals (rose, peony), truffle and humus, the mouth also displays liquorice and root notes. A precise wine, of great delicacy, with very fine tannins. To ventilate a good hour before tasting so as not to miss it. For this price range, it's a very beautiful wine.

Expression très végétale et fine du gamay. Nez mêlant cerise, framboise et notes herbacées, infusées, foin, vétiver. Avec 4 ans de garde 2017 a magnifiquement évolué sur des notes de pétales de fleurs séchées (Rose, pivoine), truffe et humus, la bouche déploie également des notes réglissées et racines. Un vin précis, d’une grande délicatesse, au tanins très fins. A aérer une bonne heure avant dégustation pour ne pas passer à côté. Pour cette gamme de prix c’est un très beau vin. — 3 years ago

Jason Keefer

9.0

Very interesting wine made from lavender and lemon! Reminds me of a mead. Obviously very lavender heavy, but not overbearing. Fun to try! — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

Functional Costco purchase @ $18.99. Delectable has this at $30. 🙄 Wouldn’t it be great for users & the app if we could buy wine through Delectable at more reasonable prices plus free shipping? Think of all the platform bugs Delectable could fix with the added revenue.

The nose shows; honeysuckle notes, ripe, ruby & sour lemons, overripe pineapple juice, dried apricots, yellow peach, touch of marmalade fruit, combo of white with shades of pink grapefruits, melted caramel, saline, limestone, soft, understated chalkiness, toasted nuts, candle wax, green leaves that are not quite eucalyptus, melted raw sugar, butterscotch notes with candied yellow lilies and a touch of mixed flower greens.

The body is; thick, full, round with high viscosity. Honeysuckle notes, ripe, ruby & sour lemons, overripe pineapple juice, dried apricots, yellow peach, tangerines, touch of marmalade fruit, combo of white with shades of pink grapefruits, melted caramel, vanilla, saline, white spice, limestone, dry, crushed volcanics, soft, understated chalkiness, toasted nuts, candle wax, warm toast, green leaves that are not quite eucalyptus, melted raw sugar, butterscotch notes with candied yellow lilies and a touch of mixed flower greens. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is; rich, ruby, elegant, well balanced fruit & earth and persists nicely for minutes.

Smashing with Turkish Dried Apricots.

Cheeses; Jasper Hill Alpha Tolman & Willoughby, Mimolette. Dried Turkish Apricots, Cashews & Columbus Italian Dry Salami. Otherwise, tonight’s dinner.

1/8/21 — 3 years ago