Colosia Fino

Bodegas Gutiérrez Colosia, founded in 1838, sits at the mouth of the River Guadalete in El Puerto de Santa María, on the Bay of Cadiz. This Fino is made entirely from Palomino Fino grown on albariza, the chalky white soil of the Jerez region that reflects sunlight and stores winter rain for the dry summers. The wine is fortified to 15% and aged three years in solera under a cap of flor yeast. The location matters: the dry Levante wind and the humidity of the nearby Atlantic balance each other and keep the cellar humid, so the flor stays thick and active. Under that veil the wine ages biologically, the yeast stripping it of sugar and oxygen to leave it bone dry while contributing bready, nutty character through autolysis. The colour is pale straw-gold. The nose is sharp and clean, with fresh dough, almond and a clear saline edge. The palate is dry, light and crisp, with green apple, lemon and brine over a taut, mineral finish. Serve well chilled at 7 to 9 degrees in a white-wine glass. It is an aperitif wine and a partner for fried fish and shellfish.