Lustau Palo Cortado Peninsula

Wine Enthusiast, 90 pts

Dark amber in color, with maple, walnut and other sweet-meets-nutty aromas. It's a bit tangy, but being as zesty as it is propels maple, white chocolate and apricot flavors. This one has depth and a very long finish, which makes it a regal but still approachable palo cortado. Overall it's similar to an amontillado, but with more pulsing, piercing acidity.

Emilio Lustau, a renowned Spanish sherry producer, has a rich history and an esteemed reputation in the world of fine wines, particularly sherry. The winery's journey began in 1896 when José Ruiz-Berdejo, a secretary to the Court of Justice, started cultivating vines on the family estate, Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza. Initially, these wines were sold to larger sherry producers, a practice known as being an "almacenista" or stockkeeper​​.

In 1931, the winery saw significant development under María Ruiz-Berdejo Alberti, José's daughter, who acquired a small winery closer to the center of Jerez de la Frontera. This move brought increased visibility and notoriety to the winery. Emilio Lustau Ortega, Maria's husband, further expanded the winery in the 1940s, moving it to the historic quarter of Jerez. By 1945, Lustau shifted focus to promoting its own brands, such as Papirusa, Jarana, and Escuadrilla, marking the beginning of its journey as a distinguished sherry brand​​​​.

The 1980s were prosperous for Lustau, introducing the Solera Familiar and the first Almacenista bottlings. A significant milestone came in 1990 when the winery merged with Luis Caballero, a Spanish company specializing in wine and spirits, providing important financial support for further development​​.

Today, Lustau operates out of restored 19th-century bodega buildings in the center of Jerez, housing their principal ageing bodegas. The winery boasts two vineyards in the Sherry Triangle: Viña Montegilillo and Viña Las Cruces. These vineyards are instrumental in producing a range of sherries, including manzanilla, fino, amontillado, and oloroso from Palomino grapes, and sweet wines from Muscatel and Pedro Ximénez grapes​​.

Lustau's excellence in sherry production has been recognized globally. It was awarded Best Spanish Winery in 2011 and Best Sherry Producer in 2014 and 2016 by the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Additionally, Lustau made history by being the first winery to win the Len Evans Trophy for consistency twice, in 2011 and 2016, at the International Wine Challenge​