Lustau

If the best vineyards on "albariza'' (chalky soil) are not located at the seaside but rather between 10 and 30 km from the sea, it is the ageing in barrels near the ocean that arouses the maritime notes that can be found in some sherries. The best known of all is Manzanilla, a separate appellation for Finos raised in the seaside town of Sanlucar de Barameda. However, the sea aspect is also present in the sherry grown in El Puerto de Santa Maria, very close to the port of Cadiz.

We often hear that the iodized sea air infuses wines while they are in barrels. What gives sherry a little extra is first of all the combination of oxidative aromas with those born during ageing in flor, i.e. the marriage between salty and caramelized notes, for example. In addition, the permanent blend in the barrel structure of the solera gives rise to a union of wines rich in oxidative aromas, with younger and more lively wines. These latter characteristics are generally not found in "classic" oxidative wines.