Wine By Nine

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Alvear from Spain. The vineyards, located at an elevation of 1,050 feet, are comprised of the famous chalky soil called Albariza and the 40-year-old vines produce extremely low yields. The grapes were hand-harvested at the peak of maturity and dried on mats in the sun. This is one of the oldest wines in the cellar since the Solera was started at the beginning of the last century. The impressive 1927 Pedro Ximenez Solera, from a Solera begun nearly 80 years ago, boasts a dark amber color as well as an extraordinary nose of creme brulee, liquefied nuts, marmalade, and maple syrup. Huge and viscous, yet neither cloyingly sweet nor heavy, it is a profound effort priced unbelievably low. Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 96 Points

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Domecq from Spain. La Ina is considered by many critics to be one of the benchmark Spanish Finos. Bone-dry with a lovely pale-straw hue, this medium-bodied sherry features fresh apple, almond and yeast flavors from its biological aging under a protective layer of flor yeast. La Ina is an ideal companion for olives, nuts, cheese, anchovies, sardines, shrimp or grilled sausages, and should always be served well chilled.

Dessert, Fortified & Fruit Wine by Hidalgo from Spain. Number 47 on the Wine.com 100 of 2007! The standard of type and leader both in Spain and abroad. Manzanilla is the rarest of all authentic sherries, being uniquely site-specific in origin. Matured beneath a constant veil of yeast (called flor) as only occurs in beachfront and protected cliffside bodegas of sanlucar, giving Manzanilla a dry, haunting delicacy analogous to fine Champagne. Very rich, almost painfully intense wine pungent freshness and great subtlety. Incredibly long aftertaste features a hint of almond skin, an intense fruitiness and the tang of the sea. Perhaps the perfect apertif. -International Wine Cellar