La Gitana Manzanilla / Hidalgo: Deep and Contemplative
Fortified 15% ABV ABV Hidalgo
25 March 2026
Decent with tapas
Had this at a Spanish restaurant and ordered a bottle to have at home. It's nice — very saline and dry, works brilliantly with olives and cured meats. On its own it's a bit much though. Good value for a fortified wine at this price.
20 March 2026
Surprisingly good sherry
Picked this up because the guy at the wine shop said it was a proper manzanilla, not the sweet stuff my nan drinks. He was right — really salty and dry with this amazing walnut thing going on. The finish goes on forever too. At fifteen quid it's a solid buy.
15 January 2026
Bit overrated
Everyone bangs on about manzanilla but this was just okay for me. Very dry, very salty. I can taste the walnut and apricot stuff but it doesn't blow me away. Might work better with food — I was just drinking it on the sofa watching telly.
8 January 2026
Interesting but niche
Got this for a dinner party as something different and it was a talking point for sure. Half the table loved the saline freshness, the other half pulled faces. The candied citrus peel on the nose is lovely though. Fun to try even if it's not for everyone.
19 December 2025
Great intro to proper sherry
I always thought sherry was just cream sherry at Christmas but this is completely different. Bone dry, salty, with layers of walnut and caramel that keep unfolding. 15% ABV sneaks up on you though! Really glad the wine shop steered me toward this.
28 November 2025
The sea air thing is real
I'm not usually a sherry person but someone on a wine forum recommended La Gitana and honestly I get the hype. There's this salty sea breeze quality that sounds weird but totally works. The cinnamon and dried fruit on the nose pulled me in straight away. Would buy again.
28 October 2025
Perfect winter sipper
Bought this on a whim and it's become my go-to evening drink. That warming spice at the end is gorgeous, and the dark chocolate flavour is so rich without being heavy. Genuinely impressed for £15. Already on my second bottle.
22 October 2025
Not really my thing
My partner loves sherry so I got this for her birthday. I tried some and it's just a bit too dry and salty for me? She liked it though. Said the chocolate and caramel notes were lovely. Might be one of those acquired taste things.