This brand, whose name refers to the traditional wicker baskets used during the harvest, has become one of the flagships of Bodegas Williams & Humbert. The smoothness and warmth of this sweet Oloroso make it ideal for any occasion: as an aperitif, with main courses or as the perfect finishing touch with a good dessert. It is also an excellent choice for long drinks and cocktails. Awarded a Gold Medal at the 2015 San Francisco International Wine Competition and a Silver Bacchus in 2016, it received 91 points at the Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirit Competition 2020, a competition whose judges include the most prestigious sommeliers in the United States.
Wine type: Sweet Oloroso, or “cream”, from the D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry.
Winemaking: Canasta is made from free-run must. After a controlled fermentation, it is fortified to 19.5%. This blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximénez sobretablas enters the criaderas y soleras system for oxidative ageing in American oak casks. The result is this distinctive sweet Oloroso, or “cream”, as the British call it.
Age: Minimum 6 years.
Grape varieties: Palomino and Pedro Ximénez.
Vineyards: Pago Balbaína and Carrascal. Jerez Superior area.
Alcohol: 19.5%.
Sugar content: 132 g/l.
TASTING NOTE: Mahogany-coloured sweet Oloroso with aromas of dried fruit and walnut and a light hint of raisins and toasted sugar. Smooth and velvety on the palate, very warming from its alcohol content, with a persistent retronasal finish.
PAIR IT WITH: Nuts, blue cheese, cured cheese, foie gras, spiced dishes, ice cream, citrus fruits, red berries and pastries in general. It is also an excellent choice for long drinks, such as the Canasta Orange: Canasta, orange soda, mint and ice. Or with ginger ale, cinnamon, mint and ice.
Serve it: between 12 °C and 14 °C.