Paranormal Vino de Pasto | Jerez Spain

£12.40

Around 2018 a new description appeared in the sherry region: Vino de Pasto. Though not exactly new – it is a resurgence of a very traditional type of wine that has always been part of the winemaking in Jerez.

Vinos de Pasto are white table wines, sharing some winemaking traditions with classic sherry wines but the crucial difference is they are not fortified. They are close to the base wines for sherry production, the sobretablas that go into the top of a Fino solera. While very common until the late 19th century, they fell into oblivion after the phylloxera plague and the foundation of the Jerez D.O. in 1935.

Paranormal Vinos de Pasto is produced from Palomino Fino grapes grown in Bodegas Baron’s El Poedo 47ha vineyard on the border of Sanlucar and Rota – a Jerez Superior area on hills of albariza soils in front of the Guadelquiver river.

Noted for its double fermentation, winemaking begins with a first, vigorous, fermentation in new American oak barrels at high temperature taking advantage of the natural richness of the first press free run juice; followed by a second, slower, fermentation enhancing the wines distinctive characteristics and converting sugar to alcohol – resulting in a bone-dry wine of <0.01gr/l. residual sugar. It then ages for 8 months on selected fine lees.

Whilst it literally means ‘pasture wines’ (or colloquially, a wine to drink with food) there is now a tendency to use the name as a badge of honour: an intentional understatement for wines of high quality and high complexity.

Around 2018 a new description appeared in the sherry region: Vino de Pasto. Though not exactly new – it is a resurgence of a very traditional type of wine that has always been part of the winemaking in Jerez.

Vinos de Pasto are white table wines, sharing some winemaking traditions with classic sherry wines but the crucial difference is they are not fortified. They are close to the base wines for sherry production, the sobretablas that go into the top of a Fino solera. While very common until the late 19th century, they fell into oblivion after the phylloxera plague and the foundation of the Jerez D.O. in 1935.

Paranormal Vinos de Pasto is produced from Palomino Fino grapes grown in Bodegas Baron’s El Poedo 47ha vineyard on the border of Sanlucar and Rota – a Jerez Superior area on hills of albariza soils in front of the Guadelquiver river.

Noted for its double fermentation, winemaking begins with a first, vigorous, fermentation in new American oak barrels at high temperature taking advantage of the natural richness of the first press free run juice; followed by a second, slower, fermentation enhancing the wines distinctive characteristics and converting sugar to alcohol – resulting in a bone-dry wine of <0.01gr/l. residual sugar. It then ages for 8 months on selected fine lees.

Whilst it literally means ‘pasture wines’ (or colloquially, a wine to drink with food) there is now a tendency to use the name as a badge of honour: an intentional understatement for wines of high quality and high complexity.

Origin: Jerez, Spain

Grapes: Palomino Fino

Tasting Notes: Dark straw colour; very lifted and aromatic bouquet with typical Manzanilla/Fino sherry character. Hints of stewed apple on the nose, pear on the palate which is bone dry but with a lovely balance of citrus fruit. The mouth-watering finish has both savoury and saline notes.

ABV: 12.0%

Vintage: 2023

Ageing potential:

Attributes: Vegan

Closure: cork

Farming: Organic practices

Sustainability info:

Winery / Winemaker: Bodegas Baron

Winery link Bodegas Baron

Food pairing suggestions: ideal for Mediterranean cuisine, seafood, liver pate, Iberian and semi-cured cheeses.