You would be hard pressed to find a grape as versatile as Palomino. Throughout history it has been vinified in a virtually endless variety of styles: the many sherries of Andalusia, the mineral Listan Blancos of the Canary Islands, and the lively blends of Galicia to name a few. Despite all of this merit, Palomino is seldom put in the same conversation as other “great” varieties. The terms most often associated with the grape itself are ‘neutral’ and ‘high-yielding’, which, while true, don’t do it justice. A quick internet search reveals that even Wikipedia is skeptical of Palomino’s potential for quality outside of sherry production, saying, “the wine formed by fermentation of the grape is low in both acidity and sugar which, whilst suitable for sherry, ensures that any table wine made from it is of a consistently low quality, unless aided by acidification.” Nonsense! It sounds as though whoever wrote that was never introduced to our wines on offer today. The vino de pastos (unfortified wines) in particular are very high-quality, acid-driven wines. Palomino and its many different iterations serve as a great reminder that there is ultimately no gold-standard in winemaking; it’s the same reason points systems are futile in reviewing wines. There’s no such thing as the right amount of acid, body, alcohol, aromatics, etc. Instead, it is the more nuanced ways in which these elements work in harmony that give way to a wine’s ultimate profile. All of the big wine critics could give a wine 100 points and yet we’d all continue to pursue wines that satisfy our different tastes. Today’s offer highlights wines from producers we consider to be getting the very best out of this exceptional grape. 

Lastly, as a cherry on top, we’ve brought in the new vintages of what I would call two modern day classics in the form of Muchada-Leclapart’s Lumiere and Envinate’s Benje Blanco. With all of the different styles put forth by all of these producers, there’s something for everyone to love about Palomino. Be it oxidative or not, fortified or unfortified, rich or elegant, complex or easy-drinking, there will always be more layers of the grape to uncover. As someone who is constantly tasting wines, it’s always a great feeling when a wine catches you off guard, defying expectations. Almost all of the wines on offer today have had this effect on me, and I couldn’t be happier to be offering them out today. Get them while you can!
 
-Nick Douglas
 
 
*Please note these wines are on pre-arrival, so please allow until Thursday 4/9 for pick up or delivery*