List with the best palo cortado sherry wines for all budgets
This is the list with, in my opinion, the best palo cortado wines, as well as some of my other favourite palo cortado sherry wines. Of course the list includes sherry wines that people can generally buy and is not only for wine collectors.
I have separated the best palo cortado wines by cost, to cover all budgets. But first of all, learn more about how palo cortado and the different types of sherry wine are produced please click here. On the other hand, you can watch the following video to learn how each sherry wine is made.
Extra information about sherry production
Moreover, you can buy the book “Sherry” written by Julian Jeffs by clicking here. This is one of the many sherry books I love, and one of my favourites together with “El Jerez y sus Misterios” written by Beltran Domecq.
As I lead sherry wine tours in the province of Cadiz, some guests have asked me which sherry I recommend. In this blog I talk about my recommendations and some of the palo cortado wines that I use on my tours. If you are planning to buy one of these sherry wines, I am leaving you a direct link to buy them through Amazon. It won’t cost you more, but It will really help out this project.
If you are interested in all this, you may want to know about the new changes in the Sherry rules. Please click here to read about the new regulations that the DO Sherry has done in 2022.
Hopefully this blog helps you decide which palo cortado sherry to buy. I use many of the following wines on my routes, as I consider them my favourites. Sadly in the British amazon there are only two of all the manzanilla sherry wines I recommend.
However, if you live in Spain, click this link to find all the options in the Spanish version.
Other types of sherries, from dry to sweet
If this blog makes you feel like you need a sherry in hand and it doesn’t fit, you may want to check out the following blogs. Click on any of the following links if you are interested in knowing my favorite sherry wines for each type of sherry.
If your favorite Sherry wine is Amontillado wine, click here. Find here my favorite Amontillado sherries for all budgets. Moreover, if you prefer biological ageing and your favorite is manzanilla wine then click here. On the other hand, if you prefer fino please click here. If you love oxidative ageing then click here to find my favourite oloroso sherry wine.
However, if you prefer sweet sherry wines, click here to see what I recommend within cream sherry.
On the other hand, if you want to learn more about: biological and oxidative aging; the soleras system; and the “flower” (the layer of yeast that grows on some sherry), click here.
Thanks to la judería restaurante in Vejer de la Frontera for their photos. Their wine menu is only Andalusian and has incredible wines as one of the owner is a local sommelier.
Best palo cortado sherry wine
In this section I will be writing down the most incredible palo cortado wines, in my opinion, that you can buy. The price is higher than a budget wine, but not as high if you compare the quality of the wine to other types of wines like champagne, wines from Bordeaux, Bourgogne or Napa Valley regions. These palo cortado sherry wines are both over 30 years old and incredible quality, so they are VORS. However, sometimes when the sherry is so unique, some bodegas decide not to put it in a category, as they are in a category on their own.
You may ask yourself, how can you compare these wines to those famous wine regions? Well it surely has the history, considering that sherry has between two to three thousand years of history. But not only that, sherry has the quality as well to compare itself to them. Look at the scores that famous wine magazine put on them like Peñin or parker.
Valdespino palo cortado Cardenal VORS
I had to include this palo cortado on the list. The Cardenal VORS palo cortado’s grapes come from a specific land, and comparing it to other sherries, Valdespino gives importance to the terroir. All grapes were produced in the “pago” (land) macharnudo alto. This palo cortado VORS is, as the name states, over 30 years old. Valdespino palo cortado Cardenal VORS received 99 points by Parker.
Conde de Aldama palo cortado
My favourite, and for my personal taste the best palo cortado sherry, is the palo cortado Conde de Aldama. This is an extraordinary palo cortado sherry that is over 100 years old. How is it possible to drink a century old sherry for around €100? This is the main problem for sherry; since it is not a very well known wine, not many people drink it and it is very undervalued. Thus, for me, sherry wine has the best value in the world. Peñin wine magazine gave 94 points to the Conde de Aldama palo cortado.
Palo cortado Tradicion VORS
This palo cortado sherry wine is another outstanding wine with over 40 years of age. Palo cortado Tradicion VORS received 96 points by both Peñin and parker.
Palo Cortado Wellington VORS
This palo cortado sherry wine is another incredible wine with over 60 years of age. Palo cortado wellington VORS received 95 points by both Peñin and parker.
Great value palo cortado sherry
In this section I will name a few of my favourite palo cortado sherries that have the best value. Aged palo cortados with great value for all budgets.
Cayetano del pino Palo cortado
This palo cortado is a great sherry from Jerez de la Frontera and has over 20 years old. Cayetado del pino is a palo cortado specialist bodega. They make complex sherry for a very affordable price.
Palo Cortado Wellington VOS
This palo cortado VOS is around 20 years old old it has a great value. The palo cortado Wellington VOS sherry wine received 94 points by Peñin and it is the younger sibling of the VORS.
Palo Cortado Horizontal Las Botas
A famous somellier and other partners in the area started this project. It consists of trying several casks around the province and choosing the best casks of sherry to use for their brand “Las Botas”. The wine has an approximate average age of 28 years and is bottled without any filtration or stabilisation.
Sherry wine tours in Cadiz province
Thank you so much for reading this blog of the best palo cortado sherry wines. If you are looking for Sherry wine experiences to taste and understand the types of sherry wine even better, contact us. We do cultural and culinary experiences throughout Cadiz province. I will now take advantage to show off to you the great food tours in Cadiz province that we do. Officially, Vejer de la Frontera is one of the most beautiful villages of Spain, you should come and meet us!
Sherry wine tours
Join my virtual online sherry tour if you are interested in doing a sherry tasting from home with me while we learn about sherry history, sherry production and how each type of sherry is made.
Join my Ultimate Sherry wine Tasting tour within Jerez-Sherry-Xeres D.O. and Manzanilla, and learn the full sherry process from the vineyard to your glass. Enjoy the best Sherry bodega tours, local culture and traditions and the local gastronomy. In case you don’t have a car we can arrange transport, restaurant and the rest of your trip for you. We can design a private tour just for you and your family.
Please watch the next video to see what do we do in the sherry winery tour:
If you are staying in Vejer de la Frontera or within Cadiz province we can organise a private Sherry wine tasting with local gourmet tapas for your group. We will go to your place and do a Sherry wine or Andalusian wine tasting for you privately. Each sherry wine will be paired with with a local food tapas. We can focus on premium Sherries; a mix of VORS and premium Sherries; or Andalusian wines in case you do not like Sherry wine.
Our sherry & tapas tour in Cadiz or Vejer de la Frontera is always a good hit! Learn about 5 different sherry wines (from dry to sweet), wine tastings, and how to pair it with gourmet traditional food from the area. The tour includes 5 gourmet tapas and 5 wine/Sherries.
Sherry wine love is very contagious, surely you will also become a sherry lover!
Contact us
To learn more about sherry, culture and travel guides, please hit the big blue button to read other blog posts. If you have any ideas and suggestions, please do not hesitate to write us an email at info@explorelatierra.com. Please read our privacy policy before you get in touch with us. We will take your new recommendations into consideration.
