Valdespino 'Vina Macharnudo Alto' Barrel-Fermented Palomino 2024: A Fortified Masterclass

Olivia Park — Not quite my thing but I can see the appeal

6/10

My partner got this for a dinner party and everyone else loved it. It's very intense for 12.5% — loads of coffee and dried fruit flavours. Personally I found it a bit heavy for casual drinking, I kept wanting something lighter. Well made though, just not what I reach for.

Carlos Mendez — Way more interesting than I expected

8/10

Picked this up because the guy at the wine shop said it was unlike anything else on the shelf and he wasn't wrong. The Christmas cake and dark chocolate thing is real — it's like dessert in a glass but somehow completely dry? Really good with a cheese board after dinner. At £23 I'd happily buy it again.

Ravi Krishnan — Great winter wine

7/10

Saw this on a restaurant menu and the waiter talked me into it. Glad he did. It's got this rich Christmas pudding vibe that's perfect for cold evenings. The finish goes on forever which is mad considering the ABV. Would buy a bottle for home but probably only in the colder months.