Bodegas Luis Pérez La Escribana 2020
Willy Pérez, Winemaker
Willy Pérez, heir to Bodegas Luis Pérez, is one of the most innovative winemakers in Jerez de la Frontera, bringing out new styles of sherry and white wine from the best vineyards of the province of Cádiz. He’s helped popularize vintage and unfortified Sherries through his highly rated releases, but has also been a pioneer in the production of white wines from vineyards typically used for Sherry production.
Willy and his friend and fellow winemaker Ramiro Ibañez have resurrected the Spanish style of white wine known as vino de pasto. They use this term to refer to white wines made from grapes grown in chalky albariza soil, usually with some aging in barrel and with some presence of flor, a yeast that grows on the surface of wines and Sherries that gives Fino and Manzanilla Sherries their characteristic aromas. Today, these vinos de pasto are appreciated by wine enthusiasts worldwide for their complex aromas and flavors.
La Escribana, Vino de Pasto
La Escribana is the flagship vino de pasto from Willy Pérez and one of the finest white wines made in Jerez. The grapes are sourced from Pago Macharnudo, one of Jerez’s top quality vineyards. Willy harvests the vineyard in two passes, with the first bringing acidity and the second ripeness and body. The grapes lay in the hot sun for a few hours after harvest to concentrate their flavors and sugars, a process known as asoleo, or sunning. Asoleo was once used for most Sherry, but today Willy is one of the few winemakers doing it, since most producers fortify their wines instead. La Escribana ages in used sherry barrels for a year, with some space left in the barrels so that the layer of yeast known as flor can form on the surface of the wine. This bit of flor consumes residual sugar in the wine and generates some of the flavors and aromas associated with fino and manzanilla sherries while protecting the wine from exposure to the air.
Tasting La Escribana
The final result of Willy’s winemaking talents is a mature white wine that transmits the unique terroir of Jerez and is lightly marked by the flor yeast, without being overwhelmed by it. It’s related to Fino Sherry while remaining clearly distinct from it. When you pour it into the glass, the color is golden, not light like most Fino Sherries or basic white wines. The nose is complex, changing as the wine opens; the aromas range from tropical and citrus fruit to chalky and salty notes that evoke the albariza soil and the Atlantic winds. On the palate, this wine is very lively, with freshness and acidity but also intensity and depth. It makes your mouth water and your mind begin to imagine food pairings. It’s salty and delicious, a perfect representation of vinos de pasto at their best, complex but very drinkable, deep yet accessible.
Food Pairing
The cult following of Jerez white wines is partly due to their affinity for food and ability to pair with difficult flavors. La Escribana shares some characteristics with Fino Sherry, having aged in barrel under flor and coming from the same albariza soil. Classic Fino pairings like oysters and clams can be wonderful, alongside more creative matches like fresh tuna or sushi. The wine’s body and acidity differentiate it from most sherries, allowing La Escribana to accompany dishes with deep spices and even hot food. The wine’s deep complexity and unique aromas, which at times resemble a Riesling, allow it to accompany shrimp, dishes with citrus flavors, and those with tough matches like ginger. This is a flexible, gastronomic wine, and a great reason to grab a bottle is to test it with different dishes and flavors to find your own favorite pairing.