TERROIR

Jerez’s southern climate is shaped by the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. The westerly wind brings ocean humidity, watering the vineyard during the early morning. Average annual rainfall is 24 inches andconcentratedbetweenOctoberandMay.

Macharnudo is arguably Jerez’s greatest vineyard. Its privileged position on a line of hills has a southwest orientation on a 10% slope to take advantage of the cooler western winds and protectingitfromthewarmeasterlywinds.

The soil of the vineyard is the archetype of the typical Albariza, rich in calcium carbonate (containing up to 40%), clay and silica. Thanks to its high levels of calcium carbonate, its clay texture does not crack. It absorbs rain like a sponge. Then because of the high heat, the soil forms a crust as it driesthatpowerfullylimitsevaporation.

VITICULTURE&WINEMAKING

MACHARNUDO Valdespino is one of the only Sherry Houses in Spain to make wines from a single vineyard. Vines have been grown in Macharnudo Alto since the 13th century, and was well-known for its exceptional qualities by the 19th century. Today, this vineyard is the exclusive source for Marcharnudo Barrel Fermented, Fino Inocente, Amontillado Tio Diego,PaloCortadoCPandPaloCortadoCardenal.

EXCEPTIONAL WINEMAKING AND AGING Torespecttraditionandtheuniquecharacteroftheirgrapes,Valdespinogoes above and beyond in all phases of production. For example, in contrast to most houses in Jerez who do the fermentations in stainless steel and inoculate the flor (yeast veil) to influence final style, Valdespino wines are barrel-fermented in reused oakbarrelsandallowedtodecidetheirdestinynaturally.

While DO regulations require for a fino sherry to have a minimum of 2 years, Valdespino’s Fino Inocente, which has 10 criaderas, has an average of 10 years under the flor. The additional aging gives the wines a complexity and texture that standsapartfromanyotherfinointhefield.AmontilladoTioDiegoalsohasanexceptionalaverageageof17years.

In 2015 Valdespino first produced a still white wine from the Palomino in Macharnudo as an experiment. Today, Marcharnudo Barrel Fermented is a part of their single-vineyard bottlings, and carries the minerality and salinity that this pago is noted for.