I'm really excited that we had the opportunity to include this wine in the September club shipment. I visited Jerez almost a year ago, and one of the revelations for me were the Vinos de Pasto – or dry, unfortified white wines. Don't get me wrong: I love sherry. But Vinos de Pasto are a beautiful expression both of the terroir and tradition of Jerez.
The tradition part is important. This isn't a response to the declining interest in sherry – or fortified wines, more generally for that matter. Vino de Pasto has been produced for centuries in Jerez. It translates to "pasture wine," and was traditionally a simple table wine to consume with food.
However, a new wave of Spanish winemakers are taking Vino de Pasto to new heights. Callejuela is one such producer. This was one of the top Vinos de Pasto that I tasted in Jerez. It's sourced from Macharnudo, widely recognized as a "Grand Cru" calibre vineyard in Jerez thanks to its classic chalky albariza soils.
There are some similarities to sherry, mind you. The most obvious is the grape variety, Palomino. It's generally regarded as a neutral grape variety that gains its character through the solera process of making sherry. But this wine shows its much more than that, with a Chablis-like precision and minerality. It's also aged under flor for four months – much shorter than the 3+ years typically seen for fino sherry, but enough to give the wine its subtle herbaceous complexity.
For those adventurous enough to try it, I really hope you enjoy it. I would love your thoughts; you can reach me at geoffrey@naramata.store. Hopefully this is just the first of many Vinos de Pasto to be imported into British Columbia.
Tasting Note
There's a real purity and precision to this Vino de Pasto. The fruit is bright and expressive, with a combination of ripe lemon and crunchy green apple that is beautifully accented by fresh herbs and sourdough. It leads to a saline, textured finish, with a tangy acidity that belies the warmth of southern Spain. A terroir-driven wine that is singular and distinctive in the world of wine.
Food Pairing
Chipirones, or fried baby squid. Calamari with a generous squeeze of lemon will also do the trick.