IDTT #287:
Antonio Flores of González Byass
González-Byass Palmas
Fino Una Palma (500ml)
Fino Dos Palmas (500ml)
Fino Tres Palmas (500ml)
Amontillado Cuatro Palmas (500ml)
Antonio Flores was born at González-Byass, where his father was winemaker and master blender. Today, Flores holds this position himself.
As Antonio Flores says in the recent I'll Drink to That! podcast, González-Byass is a city unto itself. It encompasses 92 acres in the city of Jerez and can house up to 80,000 barrels. There are even foreign consulates on the grounds.
It's here that Antonio Flores grew up, playing in the bodegas and loving the smell of sherry aging in barrels. As Flores says, "In my veins, I don't have blood flowing through me. I have Tio Pepe." Needless to say, Flores knows González-Byass (and sherry in general) backwards and forwards. The interview is bursting with Flores' unique insights.
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IDTT: 287 - Antonio Flores |
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González-Byass is most famous for Tio Pepe Fino, possibly the most recognizable sherry in the world. Talk to sherry experts and all of them marvel at Tio Pepe, for the amount of quality that it delivers for the price and scale of production. A lot of credit has to be given to Flores' knowledge of their stock and his blending skills.
With all that said, we chose to focus on their ultra-rare Palmas.
We're happy to offer all 4 González-Byass Palmas at special pricing for I'll Drink to That! listeners.
To receive the special pricing, please use the IDTTFORME promotion code. You can purchase online, over the phone or by email.
The idea behind the Palmas is to track "life after Tio Pepe" meaning Fino as it ages. They track Fino's life span with a superlative and rigorous selection of their best and most representative barrels - ranging from 6-45 years of average age. Each of the Palmas represents some of the absolute best we've tasted from sherry country.
González-Byass is a huge operation. When it comes to sherry, there are some serious advantages to this. Their large stocks allow an expansive range to choose from and when you start focusing in on the best and most unique barrels, there are some really amazing finds.
Una Palma (like all of the Palmas) is bottled En Rama, with minimal filtration, to try to capture as much of the texture and complexity as it shows straight from the cask. It clocks in at six years of average age and still very much displays the saline mineral cut of a Fino. At eight years of average age, Dos Palmas also shows some of the concentration that appears as the wines age.
The Tres Palmas stands firmly within the liminal zone where the line between Fino and Amontillado becomes blurred. Along with things like La Bota's Pasadas, it's one of my favorites of this great category. Here a meaty savoriness and depth of complexity of old Fino is introduced. Finally, we jump from Tres Palmas at ten years of average age to Cuatro Palmas at forty-five years. Cuatro Palmas delivers the crushing length and complexity that Amontillado achieves at old age. There's a kinetic energy to the wine that's thrilling.
Needless to say, these are all very limited. We should warn you that they may sell out. I really encourage you to check out the interview to get a better sense of how special these Palmas are and to benefit from Antonio Flores' incredible depth of knowledge.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
González-Byass Palmas
Fino Una Palma (500 ml)
Special IDTT Price: $28.95
Everyday Price $32.95
Fino Dos Palmas (500 ml)
Special IDTT Price: $38.95
Everyday Price $42.95
Fino Tres Palmas (500 ml)
Special IDTT Price: $67.95
Everyday Price $74.95
Amontillado Cuatro Palmas (500 ml)
Special IDTT Price: $94.95
Everyday Price $114.95