The best chamomile wine
Our selections of the best manzanilla wines
Manzanilla is one of the most special wines in the world, these dry and aromatic white wines are highly appreciated by lovers of Sherry. They are ideal broths to accompany appetizers before eating, since due to their mild acidity they leave a refreshing and persistent taste, which you will love.
1. Bodegas Hidalgo Manzanilla La Gitana
If you like the classic Andalusian flavor, La Gitana could be the best manzanilla wine brand for you. This tasty white wine is made with Palomino Fino grapes grown on white land from Albanisa, with a high content of calcium carbonate. The Finca “El Cuadrado”, where the grapes come from, is one of the most traditional estates in the Jerez Superior area.
The white wine spends three years in the estate’s cellar, where it rests and refines, thanks to a system of Soleras and Criaderas. Finally, he spends eight years in an American oak barrel, where he obtains his nuances of aromas and flavors. In this sense, it is one of the finest chamomiles on the market, thanks to all this long and patient process.
It is a wine that should be served very cold. It pairs very well with tapas of all kinds, as well as fish and shellfish, smoked meats, white meats or salads.
2. Barbadillo Very Fine Manzanilla Liqueur Wine
Muy Fina is a young manzanilla, from the Barbadillo winery, located in San Lúcar de Barrameda, in Cádiz. It is made with Palomino Fino grapes in the vineyards of the winery and, for its production, the traditional method of aging on “flower veil” is used. This means that, during its ageing, a layer of compact white yeast forms on top of the broth.
This could be the best price-quality manzanilla wine, thanks to its very fine flavor. In addition, in the glass it is a very clear straw yellow color, with silver reflections and a white gold rim. Among its aromas, almonds stand out, with fresh notes of salt, iodine and smoked wood, which gives it a very fresh touch. Finally, in the mouth it is fresh and light, very mineral with notes of salt and algae.
It is a very pleasant and easy to drink manzanilla wine for those who are not used to it. It is ideal for pairing with appetizers and fish dishes.
3. Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla Pastrana Pastrana
Pasada Pastrana could be the best manzanilla wine of the moment for all those users who are looking for the classic flavor of the April Fair. It has been made with a selection of “fine” musts, from Palomino Fino grapes produced in vineyards over 50 years old. In addition, it obtains its quality and its flavors thanks to the Crianzas y Soleras system.
It is a very fine chamomile, full of nuances and personality, which does not go through filtering or artificial stabilization. The result is a brilliant yellow, golden broth with amber reflections. In the glass, it has a set of sharp and complex aromas, where marine and dried fruit smells predominate. In the mouth it is dry and powerful, with a persistent and balanced flavor.
It is a manzanilla wine to drink cold, as an accompaniment to salads, cold appetizers such as sausage or olives, as well as to accompany all kinds of fish.
4. Bodegas La Gitana Manzanilla Heredad de Hidalgo
Founded in 1792, the Hidalgo La Gitana wineries have a long tradition and extensive experience in the production of the best Andalusian wines. This could be one of the best manzanilla wines of 2022, since it is the brand’s flagship product, made with Palomino Fino grapes and DO Manzanilla de Sanlúcar.
Heredad de Hidalgo wines are dry, cheap and of great quality. In this sense, you will find a pale gold colored broth, with greenish reflections and a white crown. On the nose, it is tremendously complex and has the characteristic aromas of chamomile, with hints of salt and dried fruit. In the mouth, it is delicate, fine, fresh and light.
It should be served very cold and pairs very well with all kinds of tapas, as well as shellfish, fish, smoked meats and white meats, as long as they are not cooked with strong-flavored sauces.
5. Barbadillo Manzanilla Solear DO Sanlucar de Barrameda
If you are wondering what manzanilla wine to buy as a gift for a lover of this type of wine, Solear could be the most suitable option. It is considered by many experts and tasters as one of the best manzanilla in the world and is the only one that appears among the hundred best wines in the world according to Wine Spectator magazine.
It should be noted that it is one of the longest-aged chamomiles and every year that it passes under its “flower veil” offers it unique nuances. In this sense, you will find a pale yellow wine, with bright and intense reflections, which open up to a range of powerful aromas, among which saline and iodized nuances stand out. Finally, in the mouth it is very dry, but soft, with saline and persistent touches.
It is a wine to drink very cold, suitable to accompany tapas and starters such as king prawns or cured Iberian ham. At the same time, it is ideal to accompany innovative dishes with acid and strong flavors.
6. Hidalgo La Gitana Wine Manzanilla La Guita DO Sanlúcar de Barrameda
If you are wondering which is the best manzanilla wine, La Guita could be the answer. It is a broth that has obtained 93 points in the Peñín Guide and 94 in the Suckling Guide. It is suitable for vegans and has all the personality of Andalusian manzanilla wines. In addition, thanks to its DO Sanlúcar de Barrameda and the Palomino Fino grapes with which it is made, it is one of the cheapest and highest quality options.
It is a light broth, easy to drink and very kind to those users who are not used to these dry wines. In the glass it is light yellow, with golden notes and greenish reflections. On the nose it is very fresh, with the typical aromas of the aging reminiscent of candied fruit, mixed with floral and dried fruit notes. On the other hand, in the mouth it is light, very aromatic and tasty. Fresh and persistent finish.
This is a wine to drink very cold, perfect to pair with appetizers such as ham, sausage, as well as cooked shellfish such as shrimp or fresh shellfish such as oysters.
7. Romate Sherry Viva la Pepa Manzanilla
The manzanilla wine Viva La Pepa is a “fortified wine” type broth, with DO Sanlúcar de Barrameda, made with Palomino Fino type grapes. With 250 years old, the Sánchez Romate wineries are characterized by the quality of their products, made following the traditions of Crianzas and Soleras. Its name recalls the popular cry of the people of Cadiz in 1812, when the Spanish people were given their first constitution.
It is a straw-colored manzanilla wine, with greenish reflections and a white crown. On the nose it is very lively, with pungent and saline aromas reminiscent of olives, dried fruit and salted fish. In the mouth it is somewhat aggressive, with a lot of body, light acidity and a fresh finish, with salty nuances, bitter touches and a long finish.
It is a broth to serve fresh, perfect to accompany all kinds of appetizers such as cockles or steamed mussels, as well as fresh seafood, sausages, ham and even fish dishes.
8. Saint Leo Chamomile
San León is the classic manzanilla, made following the recipe and traditional method of the founding soleras of Herederos de Argüeso in 1822. In addition, it is important to mention that this is the flagship product of the winery, with all the personality and flavor of the Andalusian dry wines, thanks to its 6 years of aging under “velo de flor”. On the other hand, it is a winning wine of the 2017 International Wine Challenge and obtained the consideration of Best Wine of Spain Iberwine 2009.
Made only with Palomino Fino grapes, it has a very clear, clean, bright straw-gold color with crystalline reflections. On the nose it is very intense, with aromas in the middle zone reminiscent of yeasts and a high zone of chalk, with mineral and saline touches. In the mouth it is dry, with flavors reminiscent of iodine, persistent and delicate.
It is a dry wine that should be served cold, ideal to enjoy with cured Iberian ham, as well as cheeses and fish. However, the best pairing is seafood, especially the prawns from the Cadiz coast.
9. Delgado Zuleta Wine Manzanilla DO Manzanilla Sanlucar
Made with Palomino Fino grapes, this could be the best manzanilla wine for those looking for an intense drink, with all the traditional flavor. It is an organically aged wine, suitable for vegans, with a “flower veil” of two or three years. From there, it goes through a Crianzas y Soleras system in century-old American oak barrels.
The result is a bright and clean straw-yellow wine with greenish reflections. On the nose it has some exit aromas reminiscent of must, fruity and intense. Below, we find the typical aromas of this type of wine, with yeast as the predominant note, reminiscent of bread, almonds and citrus. Finally, in the mouth it is light, dry and soft on the palate, with a refreshing and lively finish.
It is perfect to accompany all kinds of tapas and appetizers, especially to drink with fresh or cooked seafood.
10. Lustau Fino Jarana Fino Sherry and Manzanilla Wine
Jarana is a synonym of party and verbena. The Lustau winery appeals to the festive character of this wine, made in Jerez using the traditional Criaderas y Soleras method. Fermented from a selection of musts of the Palomino Fino variety, aged for four years under veil of flower in American oak boots.
In this sense, we find a manzanilla wine with a pale straw color, with green reflections and a white rim. On the nose, it has sharp aromas that are reminiscent of dried fruit, especially almonds. On the palate it is delicate, light and dry, with low acidity, which translates into saline flavors typical of this type of wine.
Lustau Fino should be served very cold and is perfect to accompany all kinds of appetizers, tapas and fish. It is also a good accompaniment to seafood such as oysters, Iberian ham, and sushi.
Origin and Use
As you have already seen in our manzanilla wine comparison, there are many different products, each with its own organoleptic characteristics. To help you choose the most suitable chamomile for your tastes, we are going to explain some details about its history and its way of consuming, which will help you make the decision.
History
Although you may think that the origin of this name may come from the infusion, it actually comes from the town of Manzanilla in Huelva. However, the Manzanillas have the Sanlúcar de Barrameda Denomination of Origin, which is due to the fact that, once the must is made, it is sent to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, in the province of Cádiz, where they go through the Crianza and Solera process, to the chance of the Atlantic winds, which give them a unique personality.
These are “generous” type wines, which have been made since ancient times with Palomino Fino grapes, typical of the area known as “Marco de Jerez”. They are white wines, dry and with a slight acidity, whose main characteristic is their aging process, called “velo de flor”. In this method, the yeasts create a thick white layer on top of the wine.
In this sense, after harvesting the grape, it proceeds to be trodden, pressed and fermented. These musts are tasted by experts, who select the finest, which are left to rest until they reach 15 or 17 degrees. These wines go into 600-litre American oak barrels, which are filled only up to 500 liters, so that the “veil of flower” grows.
One of the main characteristics of the wine is its pale color, as well as its sharp aromas. They are usually dry wines, with little acidity, very light on the palate. As for graduation, they have an alcohol volume between 15 and 17%. In this sense, it is the lightest wine of all those that are part of the so-called “Marco del Jerez”, so they are the most suitable to accompany aperitifs and tapas.
On the other hand, it is possible to find a variety, called past manzanilla, which is subjected to prolonged aging, in which the “flower veil” is slightly weakened, causing a slight oxidation of the wine, creating a darker and more golden color. These old chamomiles stand out for their more vivid and strong aromas.
blends
We continue with this guide to buy the best manzanilla wine, explaining how this drink should be drunk, as well as some of the best blends with which to enjoy these very different wines.
First of all, the best way to drink chamomile is neat or with a little ice. In this sense, to combine with shellfish such as prawns or mussels, it is best to serve the wine very cold, between 5 and 7 degrees, in a thin and tall glass, similar to cava. The cup must always be supported from the foot, so as not to heat the content.
On the other hand, chamomile is the main ingredient of “Rebujito”, Andalusia’s best-known drink, typical of celebrations such as the April Fair. In this sense, it is a very simple drink to prepare, since it is nothing more than a mixture of manzanilla wine, lime or lemon soda and a little mint. Experts say that it is actually an adaptation of the “Sherry Cobbler”, one of the most traditional English cocktails.
Conservation
Manzanilla wines, even the cheapest ones, are sold at the optimum moment of consumption. In other words, to enjoy their flavour, they must be consumed at the time of purchase or during the months following it. Regardless of how much the manzanilla of your choice costs, the content does not improve over time, since once the wine is bottled it does not acquire more nuances.
However, if you plan to store it, you can do so for two or three years without losing its flavor. In this sense, you should keep the bottle in a horizontal position, in a cool, dry and stable place, away from sunlight, which could be detrimental to its flavor.
Once opened, the bottle should always be kept in the refrigerator, as this is how its flavor is properly preserved. When open, it should be in a vertical position, but if possible it should not be left in the door, since when opening and closing, the bottle moves and can damage the flavor.
Nutritional value
In every 100 ml of manzanilla wine you will find 124 calories, as well as 0 grams of fat and 124 grams of carbohydrates.
drink responsibly
This is a drink with an alcohol content of between 15 and 17 degrees. In this sense, it is not suitable for those under 18 years of age. Neither should pregnant women consume chamomile wine nor should they drive after drinking.
