Embark on a voyage through time and taste with Traynor Family Vineyard's Sherry — a wine crafted not just by hands, but by history. Every bottle tells a story: a symphony of vintages that dance together in a cascade of flavours, thanks to the ancient art of solera.
The Wine That Used to Be Called 5th Element
If you've been with us for a while, you might remember this wine under a different name. We used to sell it as 5th Element. The wine itself hasn't changed — same solera, same seven vintages, same fortified Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc DNA. What changed is that we gave it a name that tells you what's in the bottle before you take the first sip. This is our Sherry.
(The 5th Element label now wears our skin-contact orange wine, which uses the same Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc field blend but is a completely different idea. Here's the full story on that swap if you're curious.)
Blending the Past into the Present
In the world of Traynor Vineyard, wine is more than a beverage; it's a legacy poured into a glass. The solera system we embrace is a time-honoured technique that delicately marries new vintages with those that have gracefully aged. Seven vintages, each whispering its own tale of seasons past, converge to create the Sherry, our liquid anthology.
Each year, we draw a portion off the oldest barrel for bottling, then refill from the next-oldest, and so on down the line. The youngest barrel gets fresh wine from that year's harvest. The result is a wine that always contains a piece of every vintage we've ever made for this program — the youngest sliver brings energy, the oldest brings depth, and the middle vintages do the connective work.
A Palette of Palates
Peek inside this liquid tapestry, and you'll find a captivating amber hue that echoes the depth and maturity of the blend. The aroma? A delightful medley of hazelnut, almond, and dried fruits that would make any nose swoon with anticipation. Then comes the first sip — a dry entrance that blooms into a complex balance of sweet and sour, with whispers of vanilla, spice, and a saline wink to finish.
It doesn't drink like a young wine. It drinks like something that's been thinking about itself for a while.
The Winemaker's Odyssey
We at Traynor have always been artisans at heart, but even artisans face their dragons. With this wine, our beast was Volatile Acidity — an unwelcome guest that threatened the harmony of our blend. But instead of turning to the brute force of sulphur, we looked to the wisdom of Amontillado Sherry and found our Excalibur: fortification through distillation. A still became our ally, and our challenge became our triumph.
That's how this wine ended up at 18.5% ABV — not because we wanted a high-octane bottle, but because the technique that saved it from the VA problem also gave it the structure to age the way a solera demands.
An Epicurean's Delight
Versatility is this wine's virtue. It is the perfect partner to cheeses and nuts, the ideal complement to a rustic charcuterie board, and the ultimate accompaniment to rich mushroom dishes and spicy chorizo. Its boundless palate pleases the epicurean in all of us.
Practical pairings:
- Aged hard cheeses — Manchego, aged Gouda, a serious Parmigiano
- Nuts and dried fruit — the classic Amontillado pairing, and the easy one
- Mushroom-heavy dishes — the wine's savoury depth meets earthy umami
- Spicy chorizo or 'nduja — the fortification handles the heat the way a table wine can't
- After dinner with dark chocolate — better than port for this, in our opinion
In the Details
This non-VQA Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc blend boasts an 18.5% alcohol content and has been carefully produced in a limited run of 300 bottles per release. With an average age of 4 years within a non-vintage solera blend, it's a testament to patience and growth, to the terroir that nurtures us, and to the adventures in winemaking that await.
- Variety: Chardonnay + Sauvignon Blanc, field blend
- Style: Solera, fortified through distillation
- Inspiration: Amontillado Sherry
- Alcohol: 18.5%
- Production: ~300 bottles per release
- Average age: ~4 years (non-vintage solera)
A Back Label Promise
Seven vintages, intertwined like the roots of our vines. Rich, bold, and enduring — the Sherry is crafted with resolve and stands as a tribute to our terroir's past, present, and future.
★ Seven vintages in one bottle ★
300 bottles per release. Once it's gone, the recipe restarts.
Shop Sherry →Or read the 5th Element story → — the wine that shares the same vineyard DNA but went a different direction.
