Sherry Finob, El Aljibe- Podega Poniente

Bodegas Poniente is a relatively new project started by businessman Patrick Mata and enologist Alberto Orte. . Alberto Orte was born in Madrid but is now living in El Puerto de Santa María. He had been actively producing (unfortified) wine in the sherry region, Vara y Pulgar (Tintilla) and Atlántida (Vijariego blanco) among others.

 Vineyard El Aljibe

Bodegas Poniente, obviously named after the humid Atlantic western winds, also owns 16 hectares of grapes distributed over three vineyards: San Cristóbal, San Jose and El Aljibe. Since 2016 they are producing their own mosto, from a rigid selection of over 200 old clones of Palomino Fino, farmed organically. This mosto is fed once a year to the last criadera of the Fino, which in turn feeds the Amontillado and other soleras. San Cristóbal is an interesting plot as it includes more than 20 grape varieties, some of which largely forgotten, trained in the traditional pruning method vara y pulgar.

The winery is an old casa de viña, located amidst the vines of El Aljibe, that dates back to the early 19th century. It takes its name from the well (aljibe) which used to provide water to the surrounding area. Located halfway between Jerez and Sanlúcar, it combines environmental elements of both cities.

• El Aljibe Fino (15%): with an average age of over 8 years, matured in a solera system of 4 criaderas and an 18-butt solera row, bottled en rama