2017 Bodegas Forlong Blanco

Region:  Cadiz < Puerto < Spain

Grapes:  Palomino, Pedro Ximenez.
Vineyard/Cellar Stats:  Certified organic, biodynamic, 11-year old vines, use of biodiverse cover crops, pruning as fertilizer, direct press, stainless steel, very low added SO2, farmed in high elevation albariza soil, 12.5% ABV
Winemakers: Alejandro Narváez, Rocío Áspera

Started by two young entrepreneurs with a passion for wine, Alejandro Narváez and Rocío Áspera began Bodegas Forlong in 2009, with a very clear focus on quality, not quantity.  They’re the only certified organic vineyard and wine producer in the region of El Puerto de Santa Maria.  This slightly peachy-pink wine is full-bodied, yet fragrant, with a crisp minerality, palpable saltiness, and relatively low acid.  It tastes like lime and river rocks up front and ends on a Fino Sherry note (because it is made from the same grapes as Sherry), so you get the savory salty, figgy nuttiness without the extra alcohol (because Sherry is fortified).  Makes an incredible aperitif, chilled with a bowl of salty nuts.