González Byass gears up for vintage fino sherry launch

By James Lawrence

Published: 05 June, 2018

González Byass has unveiled plans to launch a new range of vintage fino sherries in the near future.

The range, for which no release date has been set yet, will comprise two finos from the 2010 and 2011 vintage, with 700 half bottles bottled from each.

Although González Byass could not confirm the release date at this point, communications manager Charlotte Hey told Harpers that the project, while still in its infancy, would change the way consumers view sherry.

“These two wines will be sold together in a two bottle case which will include information about the vintage conditions in each year. The idea being to give consumers the opportunity to be able to appreciate the two wines side by side and learn/taste vintage variation, the different terroirs of the vineyards Macharnudo and Carrascal and the distinctiveness of vintage fino,” she said.

Until recently, vintage expressions of fino sherry were unheard off in the region, the very idea being antithetical to the staunchly protected tradition of blending wines via the solera method.

However, commentators such as Christine Parkinson have suggested that releasing more vintage expressions will help sherry lure new consumers into the fold.

“Other fine wines tend to have an advantage, with the new vintage release offering consumers a fresh story each year. It’s hard for sherry, which is mainly a ‘non vintage’ product, and very consistent over the years, to find opportunities to say something new,” said Parkinson.

According to Hey, the new vintage expressions will form part of the González Byass Finite Wines collection.

Further information, including the release date, would be revealed in due course, said Hey.

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