Open Mike: What's Up for This Weekend? (9/23)

I call an open mic on sherry! Woop-Woop!

The sherry guys get my vote here! This is just what I have been attempting to learn more about recently and discussing with Otto, who has been graciously encouraging me (not overly gracious, Otto, just gracious ) My very first bottle of Apostoles Palo Cortado by Gonzales-Byass is being opened and tasted in the next two days as a celebratory adventure and I am excited!

This week I've either bought or traded for:

Alvear Oloroso Montilla- Moriles "Asuncion"
Domecq, Pedro Amontillado, "51-1a" VORS
Gonzalez Byass "Tio Pepe Fino"
Hidalgo, Vinicola Palo Cortado "Jerez Cortado"
Pedro Romero Amontillado, V.O.R.S.
A. Soler & Cia Extra Fino
1964 Gonzalez Byass Oloroso

So, yeah, you could say I've got the Sherry bug too...

This week I've either bought or traded for:

Alvear Oloroso Montilla- Moriles "Asuncion"
Domecq, Pedro Amontillado, "51-1a" VORS
Gonzalez Byass "Tio Pepe Fino"
Hidalgo, Vinicola Palo Cortado "Jerez Cortado"
Pedro Romero Amontillado, V.O.R.S.
A. Soler & Cia Extra Fino
1964 Gonzalez Byass Oloroso

So, yeah, you could say I've got the Sherry bug too...

My goodness, I guess! Joe, I am curious about deciphering the Lot Code on the bottles I've purchased, would you share your expertise with me? I looked up a decoding guide on the internet, but am still a little confused on what sequence of numbers to relate to. I would appreciate any help here. Thank you. :cool:

You mean like the 1/20, 1/50, 1/31, etc. numbers?


Those refer to how many butts the solera was made from.


I'd assume it would be better to have the solera drawn from fewer butts (maybe more of the best?). Of course, I love big butts and I cannot lie.

It might not even matter, just extra info telling you the size of the stocks. I donno...

Otto must know, all those Northern European countries get the best sherry.

Joe

You mean like the 1/20, 1/50, 1/31, etc. numbers?
Those refer to how many butts the solera was made from.

No, not those numbers, Joe, I'm sorry I wasn't more specific in my question. Thank you for explaining those % numbers though. I am referring to the numbers beginning with an 'L' on the back of the bottle. It is my understanding that the Lot codes will tell you when the sherry was bottled. Apparently, some Bodegas have their own system of lot codes, but the majority will use the following standard system. It will appear something like this: L9112. The 'L' stands for lot code. The '9' signifies the year, ie 1999, the '112' the day. So a sherry with a lot code of L9112 would have been bottled on the 112th day of 1999. So the earliest bottlings are purported to be the best. Having said all that, my problem is that my bottles don't appear to have a clear cut 'L' number to decipher so easily. I will follow-up with Otto, but do appreciate your help very much. Thanks for taking the time to respond. I will be anxious to read your TN on the wonderful sherries you have! This bottle of GB Apostoles Palo Cortado is going to be my very first and I'm really looking forward to the experience!