The 2022 Spring Release Of Bodegas Hidalgo-La Gitana En Rama
Always a keenly anticipated release of the year, the Spring 2022 release of the Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana En Rama is now available in the UK. As well as winning a Gold Medal in the 2022 IWC competition, Bodegas Hidalgo En Rama has also won the ‘Manzanilla En Rama’ trophy.
Sea salt and ocean breezes….freshly bottled, natural and straight from the cask! One sip and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the Bodega and treated to an ice cold glass of Manzanilla direct from the barrel.
Produced from 100 % Palomino grapes grown on white albariza soils at Hidalgo’s highest quality vineyards of Balbaina and Miraflores. Manzanilla En Rama is Sherry at its very best - unfined and only lightly filtered free-run juice which has spent eight years in the solera.
This Spring 2022 release is available in limited quantities (only 35 barrels of the solera are used) and can be considered the best value sherry in the world.
Tasting Note:
Intense, complex and balanced on the nose, this En Rama is a crisp, citrusy and salty wine, influenced by the close proximity of the cellars in Sanlucar de Barrameda to the sea (only 300m away) as well as the altitude of the Balbaina vineyard (110m). Matured using the traditional ‘Criaderas y Solera’ process in American oak casks, under a layer of flor integrated by the yeasts.
At 15% alcohol, it is perfect served as an aperitif with salted nuts, olives and jamon or with fish and seafood.
Bodegas Hidalgo – La Gitana
Established in 1792 making it the 9th oldest company in Spain and the 3rd oldest sherry Bodega. Bodegas Hidalgo is now owned and run by the 8th generation – Luis, Antonio, Juan and Fermin Hidalgo. There are two markers of quality for a sherry – terroir of the vineyard but also terroir of the bodega and where it is. Hidalgo is located in Barrio Bajo, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which is only 300m away from the sea and several bodies of water. This means a high level of humidity (higher than in Jerez) which is great for the flor and means finer sherries.
Bodegas Hidalgo have 2 permanent coopers to repair their casks, some of which are more than 150 years old. They own 100% of their vineyards which is very rare for the region and means complete control of quality. Albariza soils – marine sedimentary. Very chalky, 50-80% limestone
Bodegas Hidalgo En Rama Manzanilla
‘Rama’ means ‘branch’ in Spanish – and En rama would be translated as on the vine or figuratively ‘raw’ – in its natural state, straight from the cask. It comes from the same vineyard as la Gitana – Miraflores.
La Gitana En Rama is produced only from free run juice without any pressure being exerted. 2 years longer in solera than la Gitana (8 years in total) - old American oak casks, under a layer “flor” formed by the yeasts.
Taken from best barrels in San Luis winery. Most houses use the same wine for their En Rama as their Manzanilla and Fino, but Hidalgo specially select 35 casks of wine for their En Rama.
Comments from the critics
Wine of the Week: a pulse-quickening Sherry.
“This is a bone dry, palate-invigorating, sharply tangy sherry and it is bottled without filtration or fining. It is literally taken from the barrel and is the untainted juice directly harvested from palomino grapes grown in the famous Albariza soils of Sanlúcar de Barrameda - Matthew Jukes Money Week and Matthew Jukes.com 2021
“Very pale gold. Very bready on the nose with notes of almond stones, light and saline – so appetising! – and bone dry on the end.” - Jancis Robinson MW on JancisRobinson.com 2021
Johnny Ray – Spectator – Six Wines to savour during May
Oh my goodness this is tasty! Indeed, I can’t for the moment think of a better aperitif or kick-starter to a lockdown-jaded appetite. Family-owned Bodegas Hidalgo was founded in 1792 and is famous for its La Gitana Manzanilla sherry, produced in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
This, La Gitana En Rama, is even more toothsome, being sherry in its rawest, least mucked about, most natural state. Produced from 100 per cent Palomino free-run juice, it’s un-fined and only lightly filtered having spent eight years in the solera. It’s spicy, salty and citrusy with a fine savoury kick to the finish and I absolutely adore it. Johnny Ray - Spectator 2021
Can’t travel? Uncork the brand-new En Rama from La Gitana and it will waft you instantly to Sanlúcar. Savoury, smoky, nutty, creamy, succulent, intense – via Instagram. - Sarah Jane Evans MW
To experience this in all its glory, drink as soon as possible; it has a limited shelf life. It's all sea salt and ocean breezes, with great energy. Amazing crispness and tangy vibrancy. Super-delicious. - Decanter 2020
Just tasted…. La Gitana Manzanilla En Rama, Bottled 2020, If you can’t get to sunny Spain then the latest Manzanilla ‘EnRama’ release is the next best thing. Freshly bottled, straight from the cask, this is a bitingly crisp, salty, complex, light textured wine, at only 15 percent alcohol. It is a perfect summertime aperitif, ideally served with salted nuts and jamón. - Christine Austin – The Yorkshire Post
…especially when it’s as delicious as the latest En Rama release from Manzanilla la Gitana. Simultaneously fresh and full, lots of almonds. So good. – via Instagram. - Henry Jeffreys
Source: Mentzendorff