La Riva Manzanilla Fina Miraflores Baja

La Riva Manzanilla Fina Miraflores Baja is a single-solera manzanilla from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, the coastal Andalusian town where Atlantic winds and chalky albariza soils give sherry its saline edge. Winemakers Ramiro Ibánez and Willy Pérez rescued this almacenista-style solera from the old Luis del Río winery, bottling after three to three-and-a-half years under flor in the traditional criaderas and soleras system. The fruit comes almost entirely from the Casilla Verde estate in the Miraflores Baja plot, seven kilometers from the ocean, where Palomino Fino vines root into the region's signature white chalk soils. Ibánez and Pérez are two of the Marco de Jerez's most technically rigorous producers, known for reviving old vineyards and forgotten soleras under the Bodega M. Ant. De la Riva label. Their work spans Jerez's storied parcels—Macharnudo, Bilbaína—but this manzanilla range focuses on Sanlúcar's unique microclimate, where onshore breezes keep cellars cool and flor yeast thrives year-round. The almacenista tradition refers to small-scale aging warehouses that once supplied larger sherry houses; these wines were never meant for mass release, which explains the intensity and singularity here. Ibánez and Pérez bottle in limited quantities, prioritizing quality and site expression over volume. On the nose, the wine shows citrus peel, roasted almond, and a mineral chalk note that gives way to faint hydrocarbon—a hallmark of extended flor aging. The palate is saline and brisk, with hints of anise and fresh basil threading through a subtle, elegant mid-palate before finishing dry and clean. The characteristic salinity makes this a natural partner for raw oysters, Marcona almonds, jamón ibérico, or fried anchovies. Serve it cold, straight from the refrigerator, and drink it within a day or two of opening to preserve the flor's delicate imprint. La Riva Manzanilla Fina Miraflores Baja is available at Off Premise in Lincoln Park for pickup at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.