540. Gonzales Byass, Palo Cortado Apostoles VORS, NV (2010)

£16 / 37.5cl; 20%

Having been really impressed by this in Tenuta Cuatro tapas bar, I was really happy to be given a bottle by SJ as a thank you! This is between off-dry and medium, thanks to 25% PX in the blend. This makes a well-chilled glass extremely drinkable, with excellent balance. Its 30+ years as a VORS serve it well. Deep amber with a broad yellow-olive rim. Intense coffee, chocolate, toast, walnut, cakebread-spice and rancio nose: rich. Medium, but its salty dryness at the finish stops it being unbalanced. Lemony / citrus touches over cocoa, vanilla and spice. Long, rancio-laced finish. Not as austere as the Hidalgo VORS, but as good in a different way.