This sweet Oloroso “cream” Sherry, a blend of dry Oloroso and sweet Pedro Ximenez wine aged in solera for at least 10 years, shows a clear, dark copper-brown color in the glass, with glints of bronze against the light. Delicious aromatics, fresh cracked walnuts and a background whiff of brown sugar. Unctuous and rich, walnut and brown-sugar flavors follow the nose in a full-bodied flavor shaped by surprisingly bright and tart lemon-squirt flavor that saves the sweet wine from cloying as it becomes more evident in the very long finish. Rich, sweet flavors cloak hefty 18 percent alcohol, typical of Sherry. U.S. importer: Cutting Edge Selections, Mariemont, Ohio; Jorge Ordonez Selections. (March 24, 2017)

FOOD MATCH: The winery calls it “a comforting winter drink” and suggests enjoying it with “sweets, desserts and coffee.” Winter’s ending here, but we enjoyed sipping it after dinner with nuts and cheese.

WHEN TO DRINK: On the one hand, it’s not an ager. On the other, it will last forever, probably without evolving much. Drink it now or drink it later, but don’t count on its value to increase with time.

VALUE:
My local price matches the the $15 U.S. average retail reported by Wine-Searcher.com. It’s certainly a decent buy in the middle teens, and particularly worthy at the shops tagging it in the $12-$13 range.

WEB LINK
Click here for the producer’s fact sheet for Alvear Cream.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Look for vendors and compare prices for Alvear Cream on Wine-Searcher.com.