Bodegas Tradition Tasting

J

Jay Miller

Jay Miller
This is a Sherry house I've wanted to like more than I have so I eagerly snapped up a ticket to a tasting at Flatiron Wines when Seth couldn't make it, a store I had never been to in person before (and I'll add - nice store!).

My end result was ... very uneven.

Fino Tradicion
Second bottling of their fino. 12 years old. Pure lithe beautiful wash of flavor Not terribly complex when first poured but continued to improve with air and even more with food. B+/A-

Oloroso VORS
45 years old. Attractively saline nose, becoming more expansive with air. Pleasant and simple on the palate at first, develops more complexity with air though the finish remains short.
B

Amontillado VORS
47 years old. Nose is a bit dull, as is the palate. Not bad but not anything I'd buy at the price.
B-

Palo Cortado VORS
hauntingly beautiful nose. Crystalline on the palate - quite nice but there are many less expensive PCs that I prefer.
A nose, B palate.

VOS PX
explosively exotic nose, amazing complexity on the palate, fruit cake, spices, earth, licorice. continued to develop more layers of flavor and complexity with air, I'd love to try it after it was open a few days. Remarkable wine and up there with my all time favorite PXs. A

VOS Cream
not much on the nose, sweet creme brulee and orange peel on the palate. Not my thing but then I don't even like the La Bota Cream Sherries so it may just be a stylistic thing.
C
 
Your experience of these wines is different than my own, as I rank them very highly indeed. The difference in opinion may simply be a matter of decanting or not. More air is more better for these, I think.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Your experience of these wines is different than my own, as I rank them very highly indeed. The difference in opinion may simply be a matter of decanting or not. More air is more better for these, I think.
Click to expand...

I wondered if that might be the case though I've had the opportunity to follow both the Amontillado and the Oloriso over the course of the evening in the past and they've always been outclassed by the other Sherries on the table.
 
Jesus and Peter Liem spoke very highly of them in their book as well which is why I always approach them hoping to be impressed.

That said, I loved both the Fino and the PX (neither of which I'd had before) and the Palo Cortado was lovely, I can just think of multiple other PCs that I prefer at a lower cost. The Amontillado and Oloroso were the really disappointing ones (as they have been in the past). Cream Sherry just isn't my thing.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by MarkS:
Or a question of liking Sherry...or not.
Click to expand...

Jay I think has demonstrated several times that he has a genuine interest in sherry.
Click to expand...

Thanks Levi. I'd drink a lot more if more of my regular drinking crowd could tolerate it.
 
I quite like Tradicion. A new winery (1998) built on old botas partidas (lots) and soleras thay have been purchasing from a number of bodegas

It surprises me how the wines have shown as I know positivelly that Jay understands and likes sherry. Having tasted the wines in a number of ocasions, I am a fan of the VORS Amontillado and Palo Cortado. Also I am less inclined to their fino (I find other finos much more complex: Navazos, Panesa or Tio Pepe en Rama) and their PX as for me it is a little bit to young and lacks complexity...

FWIW, they also bottle some vintage olorosos (1970 and 1975) which are good but not great and very expensive

A bodega to follow
 
I remember meeting Jesus with a few folks at Grand Sichuan some years ago and with all the Sherry there, I felt like Ross Perot's running mate at the vp debate, "Who am I? What am I doing here?"
 
originally posted by Ignacio Villalgordo:
I quite like Tradicion. A new winery (1998) built on old botas partidas (lots) and soleras thay have been purchasing from a number of bodegas

It surprises me how the wines have shown as I know positivelly that Jay understands and likes sherry. Having tasted the wines in a number of ocasions, I am a fan of the VORS Amontillado and Palo Cortado. Also I am less inclined to their fino (I find other finos much more complex: Navazos, Panesa or Tio Pepe en Rama) and their PX as for me it is a little bit to young and lacks complexity...

FWIW, they also bottle some vintage olorosos (1970 and 1975) which are good but not great and very expensive

A bodega to follow
Click to expand...

I concur.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top