Bodegas San Francisco Javier Vina Corrales Pago Balbaina Fino Sherry Jerez NV

96 pts Wine Advocate
The NV Fino Vina Corrales Pago Balbaina (bottled in 2020, which is also shown on the cork) comes from the old solera of Camborio, and the bottled wine is eight to nine years old on average. This is a single-vineyard Fino from a plot in Balbaina with "tosca de barajuela" albariza soils, a kind of laminated limestone that is highly sought after. The vineyard is currently in the process to become certified organic. They selected the wine in spring, when the flor is working at full capacity and after the "beticus" yeasts (which gives complexity a little a la Meursault) have calmed down a little. That yeast represents some 25% of the solera and the rest is "moltuliensis," a yeast that produces more acetaldehyde. It's a bright golden color, and the nose is textbook old Fino (what in the past could be called Fino Amontillado, a mention that isn't allowed anymore) with notes of dried herbs, wet chalk and some iodine with a twist of volatility. They want a vinous wine, and it's incredibly textured, powerful but with great freshness and very tasty flavors and even some notes of celery on the finish. This is a powerful and fresh Fino, pungent and persistent, long, amazingly elegant, vibrant and alive. I was floored by the complexity and elegance of this wine. It feels light without actually being light, with the finesse of Balbaina starting to show through in the blend. The incredible lightness of Fino! This first saca consisted of 1,200 Burgundy bottles that were filled unfiltered (en rama) in April 2020. Future sacas should be around 8,000 bottles, but this first one is going to be quite scarce."

PRODUCT DETAILS

• SKUW19840
• TypeDessert & Fortified Wine
• Sub-TypeSherry
• CountrySpain
• Size750mL

RATINGS & AWARDS

• WA 96

PRODUCTION

• OrganicYes