Gonzales Byass Oloroso Dulce Solera 1847
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Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
Gonzales Byass Oloroso Dulce Solera 1847
Gonzales Byass (presumably known on TPF for making an occasional vintage port) Oloroso Dulce Solera 1847. Bottle label seemed to be 1940s style, so perhaps bottled then. Cheap T-stopper, that came out easily.
I have very little experience of drinking old sherry, where “very little† means I can’t remember ever having had sherry older than a few decades.
Undecanted
Not even a coffee filter could thin the cloud: the fine particles rendered the liquid almost opaque.
Nosing lightly of sweet well-melded sherry. No fruit, just something a little softer than Maderia, but that same oxidised smell, and hint of, well, sweet sherry.
And to taste lovely. Light sherry-type sourness, and what wasn’t quite toast. But of astonishing length, that my host and I both timed, twice each, at just under two minutes. Completely well-melded: the sugar and sourness wonderfully fused together. Very fine.
An hour later
My wife’s glass had not been touched, on account of her being in the middle of putting the baby to bed. I went to check on her, and she was going to go to sleep herself. So her glass had to be consumed. Nobly my host and I volunteered outselves.
And the hour in glass had made it much worse: dominated by sourness. The nose, early taste and to a lesser extent aftertaste had all gained much sour. Much less good.
Are there sherry experts on TPF who can comment on this transformation after opening?
I have very little experience of drinking old sherry, where “very little† means I can’t remember ever having had sherry older than a few decades.
Undecanted
Not even a coffee filter could thin the cloud: the fine particles rendered the liquid almost opaque.
Nosing lightly of sweet well-melded sherry. No fruit, just something a little softer than Maderia, but that same oxidised smell, and hint of, well, sweet sherry.
And to taste lovely. Light sherry-type sourness, and what wasn’t quite toast. But of astonishing length, that my host and I both timed, twice each, at just under two minutes. Completely well-melded: the sugar and sourness wonderfully fused together. Very fine.
An hour later
My wife’s glass had not been touched, on account of her being in the middle of putting the baby to bed. I went to check on her, and she was going to go to sleep herself. So her glass had to be consumed. Nobly my host and I volunteered outselves.
And the hour in glass had made it much worse: dominated by sourness. The nose, early taste and to a lesser extent aftertaste had all gained much sour. Much less good.
Are there sherry experts on TPF who can comment on this transformation after opening?
About to walk the bottle round to her restaurant
About to walk the bottle round to her restaurant for an expert opinion.
Gonzales Byass Oloroso Dulce Solera 1847
So today’s was straight from the bottle, not through a coffee filter.
The colour the same red-less brown, fading to, on the rim, what I called grey but Jennifer called “ash†. Larger particles, brown rather than the paler smaller particles that had survived yesterday’s filtration.
More acid to the nose, the she finding caramel (I get sugar and burnt, though separately), citrus zest (acid for me), yeast (my toast?), and—great word—quince (though for me cooked quince).
More acidity in the mouth, but that same sweet lingering length. Lovely still.
I asked about the bottling date: 1940s typesetting (maybe), but plastic stopper. Stopper probably not original, says she.
The colour the same red-less brown, fading to, on the rim, what I called grey but Jennifer called “ash†. Larger particles, brown rather than the paler smaller particles that had survived yesterday’s filtration.
More acid to the nose, the she finding caramel (I get sugar and burnt, though separately), citrus zest (acid for me), yeast (my toast?), and—great word—quince (though for me cooked quince).
More acidity in the mouth, but that same sweet lingering length. Lovely still.
I asked about the bottling date: 1940s typesetting (maybe), but plastic stopper. Stopper probably not original, says she.
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Andy Velebil
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Gonzales Byass Oloroso Dulce Solera 1847
You making up words as you go here or whatjdaw1 wrote: Nobly my host and I volunteered outselves.
BTW, very cool to try an old Sherry. I've only had one that had no label, but was believed to be from the early 1900's. Very tasty I must say..sadly I had no pen and paper, thus no TN on it
Re: Gonzales Byass Oloroso Dulce Solera 1847
Neighbouring keys—not an impressive reason, I know.ADV wrote:You making up words as you go here or whatjdaw1 wrote: Nobly my host and I volunteered outselves.
Are there any dates that you make for to the sherry tasting that’s being planned?
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Andy Velebil
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
- Posts: 3032
- Joined: 22:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
- Contact:
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uncle tom
- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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- Location: Near Saffron Walden, England
From the photos, my money is on it being an early 60's bottling, but that's only a guess.
The label is very different to the 1937 GB coronation sherry that I indulged a few months back, which had a driven cork, and was (I think!) a true 'vintage' sherry.
I can't claim to be an expert on sherry soleras, but it has always been my understanding that they are tapped and refreshed year on year for generations, unlike the madeira soleras, which seem to get refreshed a few times before being left to fester!
I fear this bottle should have been opened and drunk a very long time ago - but an amusing adventure!
Tom
The label is very different to the 1937 GB coronation sherry that I indulged a few months back, which had a driven cork, and was (I think!) a true 'vintage' sherry.
I can't claim to be an expert on sherry soleras, but it has always been my understanding that they are tapped and refreshed year on year for generations, unlike the madeira soleras, which seem to get refreshed a few times before being left to fester!
I fear this bottle should have been opened and drunk a very long time ago - but an amusing adventure!
Tom
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Your fear is quite misplaced. It was delicious.
Your fear is quite misplaced. It was delicious.uncle tom wrote:I fear this bottle should have been opened and drunk a very long time ago - but an amusing adventure!