Solera Cincuentario Palo Cortado 1955

Nose: even for a Palo Cortado this is remarkably nutty, with walnuts, toasted almonds, hints of toffee, and polished wood. Hints of golden raisins and honey as well, nicely balancing it. Something of balsamic oranges. Just a hint of vanilla and light saline touches. Mouth: again this nutty backbone (walnut skins, toasted hazelnuts) with an above-average acidity and even a frankly bitter edge. It’s one of the lean, vertical Palo Cortados whereas some others are more on the buttery, glyceric side. Hints of coffee, lemons, mild spices. Overall fresh but rather delicate. Medium-long finish, very nippy.

These wines are not from 1955 and in fact, they are not vintage wines, they are a multi-vintage blend aged in a solera that hypothetically would have been started around 50 years after the winery was created in 1905, hence the brand name 1955. This is quite similar to the Oloroso, in fact I would have had problems pronouncing it a Palo Cortado, and it would be difficult to say more than that it is a great old oxidative wine with great elegance, concentration and power.