In the wine classes I teach, we discuss the market performance of the types of wines we study--which for Sherry means admitting that few wine lovers today care much about this type of wine.  This, to me, is one of the tragedies of today's wine market.  Sherry is not only one of the world's classic and historic wines, but also Sherries such as this dry, aged amontillado are great and glorious wines, period.

Sherry is naturally a dry wine--it is fortified with spirit after the wine has fermented dry--but the majority of Sherries are slightly sweet to sweet, from blending with sweeter wines after fermentation and aging.  The dry Sherries are the real class of the category, and the most challenging to make.  Sweetness in wine can cover inadequacies like make-up can, and the dry wines must be naturally beautiful.

Amontillados are part of the fino family of Sherries, meaning that they mature under a layer of yeast called "flor."  The flor feeds on oxygen from the air above it and glycerine in the wine below it.  It protects the wine from oxidation but thins it somewhat, and gives it a slightly tangy, yeasty note.  Amontillados age in barrel longer than finos--particularly this aged, Viejo Amontillado--and in the process, the flor thins and the wine darkens a bit; the wine becomes nuttier than fino itself and more robust, but retains a bit of the flor tanginess.

Gonzalez-Byass, which produces the upscale Amontillado del Duque, also makes the world's largest-selling Fino Sherry, Tio Pépe.  Another fine Gonzalez-Byass Sherry is the great Palo Cortado called "Apostoles," priced the same as Amontillado del Duque.  Palo Cortado, the rarest of Sherries, is a cross between Amontillado and the richest type, Oloroso.

If you know Sherry, particularly amontillado, then you can get a sense of how Amontillado del Duque tastes by imagining a dryer, more concentrated amontillado than any you have tasted.  Describing this wine to the Sherry newcomer is more challenging.  Amontillado del Duque is a totally dry, full-bodied wine with thin texture and fairly intense nutty flavor.  It's soft and yet its 21-percent alcohol bites in a way that energizes the wine in the mouth. Altogether, it's compelling.

Somehow, I suspect that words don't suffice; you have to try it.  Serve it cellar temperature before dinner with nuts and green olives, or after dinner with a hard cheese such as Manchego.  Or drink it with a light soup, or with grilled shrimp or stuffed mushrooms.  This wine is so riveting that one glass often satisfies.  The rest of the wine keeps well in the bottle for two or more weeks, if stored in a cool place.

I drink this Sherry even in summer, but it's perfect on a midwinter's night with a fire roaring.  You have to try it.

Outstanding: 93