La Riva Manzanilla Fina Miraflores Baja 2025

La Riva Manzanilla Fina Miraflores Baja is made by Bodega De la Riva from Palomino Fino under the D.O. Manzanilla de Sanlucar de Barrameda. It comes from a single almacenista-style solera from the old Luis del Rio winery, refreshed with wine from grapes grown mainly on the Casilla Verde estate in the Miraflores Baja plot in Sanlucar. These are chalky albariza vineyards, pale soils that retain winter rain and reflect light to ripen the fruit through the dry summer. After fortification to around 15 percent the wine ages three to three and a half years under a veil of flor in the criaderas and soleras system. The flor seals the wine from oxygen and feeds on it, giving the dry, saline, citrussy character of fine Manzanilla, the cool Atlantic humidity of Sanlucar keeping the veil active. The colour is pale yellow. The nose is intense, with lemon and citrus peel, almond and a clear chalky, mineral note edged with hydrocarbon. The palate is dry and tense, with hints of anise and herbs and a long saline finish. Serve well chilled at around 7 to 9 degrees in a white wine glass.