Palo Cortao, Seville
Address: C/ Mercedes de Velilla 4, 41004, Sevilla
Website: www.palo-cortao.com
Telephone: +34 613014610, Email: hola@palo-cortao.com
Open 13.30 - 16.00 / 20.30 - 23.00, Tuesday to Saturday
Wines tasted:
UBE Miraflores, Bodegas Cota 45 (18,35€ at Decántalo)
UBE El Reventón, Bodegas Cota 45 (18,95€ at Decántalo)
For a city full of so many wonderful traditional bars, Seville isn’t really a top wine-drinking destination. Too many restaurants have unimaginative wine lists, with predictable Rioja or Ribera Del Duero tintos, and the ubiquitous Castillo de San Diego blanco from Bodegas Barbadillo.
Don’t get me wrong, you can drink well in Seville if you do a bit of research. My tip would be to seek out places offering a decent range of sherry wines from the Marco de Jerez. You can’t go wrong with a chilled manzanilla and traditional tapas!
It’s the relatively newer restaurants and bars that are starting to transform the local wine scene with creative and inventive food, and carefully curated wine offerings.
Palo Cortao (the name is a play on the Andalusian pronunciation of palo cortado, a type of sherry) began life in 2016 as a small space in the El Arenal barrio run by chef Ángel Rodríguez, and winemaker Ana Hergueta. When this became too small, they opened the current restaurant, a short walk from the Setas de Sevilla monument.
The menu is constantly changing, with seasonal dishes, modern interpretations of Andalusian cuisine and daily specials.
The wine list is nicely put together, with a choice of wines from several Andalusian regions, such as Sierras de Málaga, Montilla-Moriles and Cádiz. However, it’s the selection of sherries that stands out, with more than 80 different wines available by the glass.
On my most recent visit I started with boniato asado con tartar de remolacha, a roast sweet potato with beetroot tartar and peaks of whipped blue cheese.
This was followed by a perfectly fried sargo, or white seabream, served in the a la gaditana style.
To drink I had two different wines by the glass (4,20€) from the Sanlúcar de Barrameda-based bodega Cota 45 led by Ramiro Ibáñez.
UBE Miraflores 2021 (13,0%): made from Palomino Fino vines of different ages from different plots in Miraflores Alta and Miraflores Baja. With a more Atlantic influence than the El Reventón, it also has some flor ageing. With a quite complex yeasty nose with notes of herbs, hay and lemon, it was fresh, agile and mineral.
UBE El Reventón 2021 (12,5%): the first vintage of a Palomino Fino from a single vineyard close to the Guadalquivir river. Fermented and then aged under flor in used manzanilla casks, the nose showed sweet citrus, herbs, almonds and honey. On the palate it was broad, weighty and textured, with tension and a subtle, saline edge to the finish.
These are both unique and expressive wines, that really showcase their local character. Give them a try in Palo Cortao.