Valdespino Pedro Ximenez El Candado NV

Veldespino is a cult Sherry brand. This century-old estate dates back to 1264, when Alfonso Veldespino, a man of war, fought at the side of King Alfonso X, in a battle to reconquest Jerez de la Frontera from the Arabs. As a reward, the King gifted Alfonso 74 acres of land. Today, Grupo Estevez owns and directs this traditionalist gem and Valdespino winery is positioned as Sherry’s most historic and traditional house.

The estate owns one of the region’s oldest and most historic vineyards called Macharnudo Alto, and it is here where Valdespino’s iconic Sherries are born. These wines are so pure and profound that Luis Gutierrez from The Wine Advocate named this winery “the Romanée-Conti of Jerez.”

With the arrival of Grupo Esteves, this winery only got better. This included the expertise of Eduardo Ojeda as the technical director. Eduardo is an eminence in the Spanish wine industry and the mastermind behind Bodegas La Guita and Marqués Del Real Tesoro.

Valdespino is the only house today that still ferments its wines in cask, and they age wines far beyond the legal minimums. But it is “Valdespino’s unwavering commitment to the demands and expense of traditional Jerez winemaking that makes its Sherries arguably the region’s purest and most intense.”

This rare elixir, made of Pedro Ximenez, is to be enjoyed with any dessert, particularly with caramel, chocolate, and nuts, blue cheese, or by itself. This wine will happily stay in your refrigerator for months as you take a nip for a nightcap over time.

Aging: Aged for 8 years

Tasting Notes: Produced from sun-dried Pedro Ximénez grapes raised in a solera. 
See Critical Review for detailed tasting notes.