I Think Manzanilla Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Palomino Fino

Sanlúcar de Barrameda was the port that Christopher Columbus set off from in 1492. Just 1 year earlier, duties on wine exports from Sanlúcar had been abolished to take advantage of English merchants desperate for new supply after the loss of Bordeaux.

It began a centuries-long romance between Sherry and English wine lovers, as immortalized in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 2, when Falstaff glorifies sturdy Spanish 'sack' over thin Bordeaux 'claret' and Rhine 'hock'.

But the honeymoon, quite literally, was not to last. Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon drove a wedge between England and Catholic Europe, and left English wine lovers in need of a new source once again. But Sherry fanatics wouldn't have to go entirely without. When Sir Francis Drake sailed into Cádiz and burned the Spanish fleet in 1587, he carried away 2,900 butts of Sherry - enough to supply London for years - as his most famous prize.

(This is adapted from notes for Le Dû’s Wines ‘History of Wine 1453AD-Present’ seminar, where this wine was poured)

Extremely easy to drink all this v fast

Grilled nuts, vanilla, honey, apples. Seems unfortified. Really fine. #manzanilla

Delicioso. Salty and green apple.

Good, but not integrated.

Equipo Navazos "I think" Manzanilla en Rama. This 2012 saca is so expressive and alive after a few years in bottle.

Drinking lovely at a year old with loads of texture an nutty qualities

Clean and fresh but lacking vibrancy a little old perhaps

I think I need another half case.

Apple juice and sea spray with some marconas sprinkled in for good measure