The Big Fortified Tasting 2021

The last time (which was also the first time) I went to the Big Fortified Tasting (also known as the BFT) was in 2019. New to the wine world and even newer to the fortified wine world, it was a real moment of discovery. During my whistle stop tour around the room in Church House, I worked my way through some incredible sherry from Bodegas Cruz Conde, some excellent port from Sandeman and some truly unforgettable bottles of Justino’s Madeira, including the Boal 1978 (I know, lucky me!).

Last year, due to the pandemic there was no Big Fortified Tasting, but fortunately it’s the nature of a fortified wine lover to practice patience. Patience can be rewarding, as it was this year, when I got the chance to discover some fantastic fortified wines once again. 

QR codes on labels

While it’s true that we weren’t able to gather at an event together in person, the wonderful organisers at the BFT managed to arrange samples to be sent out, which could be tasted alongside a wealth of information in the show guide on their website. Much of what I love about wine is sharing the occasion with others, but here I had the chance to consider the wines in my own time, which undoubtedly was a pretty special experience. The producer of each wine may not have been in front of me, but a QR code was, taking me to the dedicated page on the BFT website and telling me everything I needed to know about it. 

My personal education in fortified wines has evolved since 2019. I have delved deeper into sherry and port, but I have also uncovered a relatively new interest in vermouth. I love the culture around vermouth; how it was drunk at fashionable cafés in Turin in the 1800s, marking the end of the working day and the beginning of evening. The phase ‘L’hora del vermut’ (‘the hour of vermouth’ or ‘vermouth time’) contains such joy. I was very pleased to have three vermouths included in my tasting pack: Barbadillo “Ataman” Vermut; Bodegas Malaga Virgen Pimpillo Vermouth and Mora-Figeuroa Domecq El Palique de Jerez Vermut.

As for sherry, I wanted to explore the Oloroso category and the PX category further. I relish the dry tang of a Fino or Manzanilla, but Oloroso is different, due to the oxidative way it is aged, without flor. In Spanish, Oloroso means ‘scented’, referring to its rich, dried fruit aromas and nutty character. I find PX (Pedro Ximénez) to be utterly delicious (who doesn’t?) and I order it for dessert if I ever see it on a menu, but I wanted to find out the subtle differences of one PX to another. There’s only ever one PX on a wine list (if it’s on there at all), so how do different producers express this special wine in their own unique way? I was able to dig a little deeper with two PXs and a very special Oloroso to taste.

I was also lucky enough to have a Rutherglen Muscat included in my sample box. Rutherglen in Victoria, Australia is renowned for its muscat and I was thrilled that I finally got to sample the delights of Muscat a Petits Grains Rouge for myself. 

The Big Fortified Tasting: The Vermouths

All hailing from Spain, these were three exceptionally different vermouths, ranging in intensity and flavour. The first I tasted was the Barbadillo “Ataman” from Sanlúcar de Barrameda. This small-batch vermouth, made with a 3-year-old Manzanilla base, had aromas of orange peel, fig and almond, beneath heady herbal notes. These really came through on the palate: I tasted charred rosemary, toasted almonds and the rich bitterness of oily orange peel. 

Next up was the Bodegas Malaga Virgen Pimpillo.This vermouth was much more savoury and earthy on the nose than the Ataman: I detected dried herbs, dried fruits and a little grapefruit. The sweetness and viscosity were a pleasant surprise when I tasted it, and the grapefruit, bitter orange peel and herbs were all prominent. The finish was long and honeyed.  

The Mora-Figeuroa Domecq El Palique de Jerez Vermut rounded off my vermouth tour very nicely. The aromas were a spice market for the nostrils: cinnamon; nutmeg; cloves. Everything was lifted by the sweet scent of orange blossom, with dried apricots and candied orange peel. Made with a 15-year-old Oloroso base, the oxidative characteristics added depth and character, but the overall effect was still so fresh and vibrant. Though I didn’t have the beautifully decorated bottle in front of me, I found myself wanting to linger over this vermouth for a long while! 

The Big Fortified Tasting: The Sherries 

There was to be no lingering, however, as I was to move on to the sherries. Starting with the Barbadillo “Cuco” VORS Oloroso, my palate was immediately perked up with the savoury tang of walnuts. Layers upon layers of aromas of flavour swirled around: sweet wood; cinnamon; dried fruits; liquorice. The lively acidity belied this bottle’s age: it was 50 years old! Wow. This was on hell of an Oloroso.

Then, it was time for sherry royalty: Pedro Ximénez. I had two to try: Dimobe Arcos de Moclinejo PX dulce transañejoand Bodegas Yuste PX Aurora. It seems that PX really does come in different shapes and sizes! One was more citrusy and one was more treacly - and it’s fair to say that both were sublime. I found the Dimobe Arcos was the lighter, fresher PX (even though it’s had 40 years of ageing!) and though there were warming aromas of coffee, nuts and dates, it had a bright, citrus acidity on the palate.  

The Aurora had heavenly aromas of dried apricots, raisins and ripe figs… I just knew this was the kind of PX I could melt into. I was right: gorgeous flavours of sticky dates, walnuts, almonds, chocolate and treacle slid into all the corners of my mouth. A lovely acidity and a smooth, honeyed finish made me want to go back for another sip almost straight away. One good thing about home tastings is that you don’t have to remember your manners while you try to catch the very last drops from your glass! 

The Big Fortified Tasting: The Muscat 

I ended my fortified wines voyage with a proper Aussie sticky: the Rutherglen Muscat. This viscous treat was a true pudding wine - devilishly sweet with excellent acidity to keep things fresh and elegant. I could keep this stocked up at home because I can’t think of any desserts it wouldn’t pair well with. A stunning wine and the perfect sweet note to finish on.

After my first adventure at The Big Fortified Tasting, I felt like I’d just scratched the surface of the world of fortified wines. Now, I feel I’ve scratched deeper and found there to be more layers than I could have ever imagined. There’s much more to fortified wines than a selection of three at the back of a drinks list – this is an exciting category which I look forward to learning more and more about.

The Big Fortified Tasting: The wines I tried in order:

 Barbadillo “Ataman” Vermut

 Bodegas Malaga Virgen Pimpillo Vermouth

 Mora-Figeuroa Domecq El Palique de Jerez Vermut

 Barbadillo “Cuco” VORS Oloroso

 Dimobe Arcos de Moclinejo PX dulce transañejo

 Bodegas Yuste PX Aurora 

 Stanton & Killeen Classic Rutherglen Muscat NV, Victoria, Australia