This is fantastic. It’s a special bottling of Gonzalez Byas’ Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, taken from the cask when the flor (the layer of yeast cells growing on the surface of the liquid) is at its thickest in Spain. It’s a thrillingly complex, slightly hazy Fino (it hasn’t been clarified or filtered) and it has amazing complexity and finesse. Tangy, nutty, mineral and quite spellbinding. You need to drink this ideally on the day of opening, or the day after, because it loses its incredible freshness quite rapidly in contact with air. A total bargain at £11.95 from The Wine Society.
8 Comments on Tio Pepe Fino ‘En Rama’ – we like!
Fino ‘En Rama’ is superb. But Manzanilla ‘En Rama’ is even better. Thicker flor cover. And “En Rama” out of a bottle just isn’t the same as just poured from the venenciador into the copita.
If this bottled ‘En Rama’ wasn’t filtered or clarified were there flor bits in the bottle? Was it cloudy? Curious …
Sold out within an hour of going on sale!
My bottles haven’t arrived yet, of course, but TWS warn that it is cloudy 9and presumably with “bits”).
You can still get if you’re quick – try Harvey Nics, Harrods, Cambridge Wines and Lea and Sandeman. Or nip down to Bar Pepito/Camino in Kings Cross for a glass with your tapas. Other resturants you could try are Iberica, Hakkasan and Moro. Good luck – it’s worth the hunt!
I managed to find two bottles at Lea & Sandeman on Ken Church St. I hope Wine Society and GB give this another go.
Jamie – can I ask your advice?
I usually have a bottle of Tio Pepe (the usual, not the posh stuff I’m afraid) open in the fridge (just for emergencies, you understand). I use one of those rubber bungs with the little extractor pump. Do you think this is wise? To my uneducated palate, it tastes fine for a few weeks…
Tio Pepe seems to last quite well in the fridge in my experience – I just recork it – I don’t find that vacuvin helps all that much
Thanks. On the subject of Tio Pepe… the Bodega in Jerez is well worth a visit. The trick is to not speak to any of the other visitors on the tour and then sit at a table on your own… that way you don’t have to share the half bottle the put at your table (or the half bottle of Croft…) Ahhh… good but hazy memories…
Tried some during the week at Pinchito Tapas. Very nice!!