La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry by Bodegas Hidalgo

Rating: 90

La Gitana is the classic example of manzanilla, a unique wine which is the flagship of the Hidalgo Bodega in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Today, 'La Gitana' is the best selling wine in Seville and the most popular Manzanilla in Spain.

In tapas bars throughout the sherry region of Andalusia, the aperitif of choice is a chilled glass of manzanilla. Its tangy saline flavor makes it the ideal accompaniment for a variety of tapas including almonds, olives, manchego cheese, boquerones sardines, and shrimp.

Eric Asimov of the New York Times remarked in a recent review, “To me, there is no better aperitif in the world than a glass of manzanilla, though with a seafood or sushi dinner I’ve been known to drink it throughout the entire meal.”

It is the lightest and most delicate member of the sherry family and can only be made in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda set at the mouth of the River Guadalquivir.

The position of the town, set between the sea and the river and the marshlands to the north, combines with the particular topography of the town itself to create an especially humid and constant microclimate.