Dry white wine – Palomino Fino
11.5% alc. – 75cl
Production: 6,000 bottles
Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain
The palomino fino grape conforms—together with moscatel and pedro ximénez—the trinity of historic Andalusian varieties. The grape of Sherries and Manzanilla, it has been for over two hundred years the dominant variety in Sanlúcar vineyards, and its domain over the Sherry triangle was established after the phylloxera debacle. Its ideal natural alcoholic content usually ranges between 11.5/12% alc. near the coast or the Guadalquivir river, and 12/13% (or even higher depending on the yields) further inland, especially in Jerez, but also in Sanlúcar (Mahina), and Trebujena.
There exists a widespread (and false) belief that the wines (“mostos”) from palomino fino before fortification are of little interest, neutral, or even vulgar. This is in our opinion totally mistaken. Despite the variety’s low acidity and lack of exuberant aromatics, it has virtues that few other grapes can offer, such as its low pH and minerality potential. Palomino fino is extremely true to terroir, hence its characteristic sharpness and “seaside” profile when sourced from the best albariza soils—which fortunately abound in the region.
OVNI 2021 Palomino Fino comes from old vines close to the coast, in the pago Miraflores la Baja in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Fermentation occurred in inox vats and then it spent a very short time in vats, all of it intended for keeping it apart from the influence of the flor yeast so as to allow it to express the minerality of the terroir with utmost precision.
OVNI 2021 has been conceived for lighthearted consumption, likely within the first couple of years after the vintage, although it is a serious wine of outstanding quality whose evolution in bottle we expect to be splendid.
The idea behind this project by Coalla Gourmet and Equipo Navazos is to provide a new perspective on the true essence of Andalusian wines. Without renouncing authenticity in any way, the magical chalky soils of lower Andalusia can produce the raw ingredients for wonderful finos, manzanillas, amontillados, palos cortados and olorosos—unquestionably wines of world quality and reputation—but also refreshing and minerally structured wines like this OVNI 2021 Palomino Fino.
A cheerful wine with neither artifice nor pretension, pure, authentic, and natural.