El Maestro Sierra

12 Años Amontillado Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Palomino Fino

9.169 ratings
9.218 pro ratings
Jerez, Andalucía, Spain
Palomino Fino
Top Notes For
Ellen Clifford

This is all the cheese plate items minus the actual cheese, in a glass. Omigod what if cheese plates included Sherry? Would that be overkill? What if I started a wine bar and it was all just cheese and Sherry? I guess I’d desire a crust of bread at some point too, but when do I not want bread?

Never.

Ahem. This is salty marcona almonds and deeply caramelized to the point of being pleasingly bitter-NOT-sweet walnuts and mildly olive-esque brine-y and then there are some dried apricots in the mix plus a glass of lemon water (not that I’ve ever been served lemon water with a cheese plate but maybe it’s the equivalent of the plate accoutrements plus a glass of Gavi).
Seriously though? This Sherry is a great cheese plate.

This is all the cheese plate items minus the actual cheese, in a glass. Omigod what if cheese plates included Sherry? Would that be overkill? What if I started a wine bar and it was all just cheese and Sherry? I guess I’d desire a crust of bread at some point too, but when do I not want bread?

Never.

Ahem. This is salty marcona almonds and deeply caramelized to the point of being pleasingly bitter-NOT-sweet walnuts and mildly olive-esque brine-y and then there are some dried apricots in the mix plus a glass of lemon water (not that I’ve ever been served lemon water with a cheese plate but maybe it’s the equivalent of the plate accoutrements plus a glass of Gavi).
Seriously though? This Sherry is a great cheese plate.

Apr 25th, 2021
Lee Pitofsky

Tangy, green earthiness, almonds

Tangy, green earthiness, almonds

Mar 12th, 2017
Jusden Aumand

Refined complexity. Lighter yet balanced. So versatile.

Refined complexity. Lighter yet balanced. So versatile.

Aug 9th, 2015
Emily Schindler

Could pair with so many things... chopped chicken livers, white bean soup, boudin noir...

Could pair with so many things... chopped chicken livers, white bean soup, boudin noir...

Mar 29th, 2015
Jordan Gianelli

Hell yeah. Such a wonderful, round mouthfeel with intoxicating aromas that pull you in from the very first whiff. I want to just sit and eat olives, cured meats and aged cheeses on a shaded patio in the late afternoon. Wonderfully complex layers and nuances on the mid and back end of the palate share a great nutty character as well as the longevity of oak exposure. I likened it to the flavors on the mid-palate of my favorite Bourbons, without the heat. Standing ovation.

Hell yeah. Such a wonderful, round mouthfeel with intoxicating aromas that pull you in from the very first whiff. I want to just sit and eat olives, cured meats and aged cheeses on a shaded patio in the late afternoon. Wonderfully complex layers and nuances on the mid and back end of the palate share a great nutty character as well as the longevity of oak exposure. I likened it to the flavors on the mid-palate of my favorite Bourbons, without the heat. Standing ovation.

Feb 12th, 2015
Alex Alvärëz

Great amontillado. Still plenty of flor character, a wisp of caramel and nut tones.

Great amontillado. Still plenty of flor character, a wisp of caramel and nut tones.

Dec 15th, 2014
Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.1

One can taste the nuanced, piquant flor character along with toasted almonds and kernels of grain. Sublime.

One can taste the nuanced, piquant flor character along with toasted almonds and kernels of grain. Sublime.

Dec 15th, 2013
Andrew Schirmer

Fungus, toasted almond, orange zest. Terrific freshness and poise.

Fungus, toasted almond, orange zest. Terrific freshness and poise.

Dec 26th, 2021
Keith Herrick

Very vibrant and flor driven

Very vibrant and flor driven

Dec 22nd, 2018
Rob Havana

Vuelve carolina

Vuelve carolina

Dec 13th, 2016