2022 Bodegas Forlong, Vino de la Terra de Cadize, Barbujo Blanco

Bodegas Forlong sits just outside El Puerto de Santa María, near the Atlantic coast in the historic Sherry zone. The vineyards are planted on albariza, the bright white chalk soil that also defines the great vineyards of Jerez. These soils hold winter rains like a sponge and slowly release moisture through the long Andalusian summer.

Barbujo is made primarily from Palomino, the same grape used for Sherry, but here it’s treated as a still wine. Fermentation and aging in old barrels give the wine more texture than most coastal whites from southern Spain.

The result is a savory, Atlantic-driven white—lemon peel, chamomile, almond skin, and a salty edge that reflects both the albariza soils and the nearby ocean. It’s one of the more compelling ways to taste Palomino outside the framework of Sherry.