The Valdespino Viña Macharnudo Alto Barrel-Fermented Palomino is a completely unique cask fermented wine, a dry table wine in a Sherry style showcasing the best of the Macharnudo region. With delicate lime, white fruit, and mineral notes on the nose, this pale yellow wine offers a round oiliness and a dry, crisp finish.

Critic Review

Decanter Magazine: 96Pts (2018 vintage)

"An unfortified offering from one of Jerez’s oldest bodegas. Grapes are sourced from Valdespino’s historic Macharnudo Alto vineyards. Fermentation took place in used Sherry casks where the wine remained until the following July before being transferred to stainless steel for a final period of settling before bottling. SJE: Gloriously complex. The fine buttery notes on the nose, with Palomino’s subtle aromatics, lead on to a lively, lightweight, fresh crispness. There’s a real sense of place here, with a brisk saline tang and a long, resounding finish. MF: Expressive flor character with Marmite and iodine complexity and a long and complex finish. BW: Lemons and almonds on the nose, clear Sherry character which reminds me of festival-time rebujitos in Jerez. An attractive oxidative character with a hint of tannin on the palate and creamy nutty notes. This speaks of place and variety, but in a reimagined way. A dry table wine in a Sherry style, capturing the essence of Andalucía."
Sarah Jane Evans MW, Matthew Forster MW, Beth Willard

About the Producer

Valdespino is one of the oldest bodegas in Jerez, with a history of Sherry production going back six centuries. Back in 1264, Alfonso Valdespino was one of 24 knights who fought against the invaders for the city of Jerez with King Alfonso X. As a reward for his efforts, he was given the land that formed the basis of the bodega. Today Valdespino belongs to the Estévez family, who purchased the bodega in 1999. They own 750 hectares of vineyards in Jerez, including the renowned 'Macharnudo' Pago. This vineyard ownership allows Valdespino very close control over grape quality. They are one of the few bodegas to make single-vineyard Sherries and are also renowned for their VOS (Very Old Sherry) with over 20 years of ageing and VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry) with over 30 years of ageing.

Vineyard and Winery

Valdespino's single vineyard (Pago) Macharnudo Alto is located in the prestigious area of 'High Jerez', at 135 metres above sea level, with a south-east aspect and a 10% gradient. The white 'albariza' soil, typical of Jerez DO, comes from earth that is rich in marine
fossils as the area was once covered by sea. Thanks to the high calcium carbonate, its clay composition does not split; it is soft when wet and absorbs rain like a sponge. When it dries out it forms a hard layer preventing evaporation. The reserve of moisture encourages the 40-year old vine roots to develop, while also allowing access to water reserves.

The grapes were hand picked at night due to the higher than average temperatures to avoid stress on the bunches. They were then transported to the vineyards in crates to be sorted by levels of ripeness. 75% of the grapes were destemmed and lightly crushed to obtain 60% of the Yema (highest quality must). The must was then transferred to used sherry casks where fermentation took place over seven days. The wine was left on its fine lees to add complexity and structure and was then racked off in January but remained in cask until the end of April, with it finally being transferred to stainless steel to settle before filtration and bottling on the 28th May.