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Ballesteros latest MV to help select Finos Palmas Collection

He is the latest renowned international wine professional to work with González Byass master blender Antonio Flores in selecting the collection.

Over 100 wines were tasted with winery owners and fifth generation González family members Vicky González Gordon and Carlos González Gordon.

Ballesteros said that the “finesse, depth and complexity” were the distinctive features of Las Palmas wines.

“For me, first of all, it an unforgettable lesson in the bodega terroir, which is second to none. The flor yeasts transform the wines in unique unrepeatable ways; each bota is a different ecosystem, amazing,” he said adding it was a humbling and highly demanding exercise to spot so subtle concepts in long series of high quality wines, but that the results were “worth the effort”.

Flores said this year’s selection has been “truly exciting”.

“To have Pedro Ballesteros MW tasting with me, a man who, as well as being a friend, has always loved Sherry wines and in particular those biologically aged wines,” he said.

“As Pedro points out there are two terroirs in Jerez – that of the vineyard and that of the bodega. I would add a third, that of the bottle. This is because, although it seems incredible, the Palmas wines are amazing when they are left to age. In conclusion, we have bottled the strength of the Albariza soil and the magic of the flor.”

Ballesteros is an agricultural engineer with a Master in viticulture and winemaking and one of the first Spanish natives to gain a Master of Wine. He also works in Brussels for the European Commission and has carved out a second career as an international wine critic, judge and journalist.

Other important international critics that have helped with the previous selection the Finos Palmas Collection include Jancis Robinson MW, Sarah Jane Evans MW, Anthony Rose, Jamie Goode and Michael Schachner.

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