Croft Twist was launched by González Byass in 2017. They call it a Fino Spritz, a ready-made combination that is rooted in the Sherry Cobbler. This British tradition originated in the Victorian era as a mix of sherry, sparkling water, sugar, lemon juice and peeled ice. In the mid 1980s a modern version was born: the Rebujito. The entire category of Pale Cream sherry is still almost exclusive to the UK. Research showed that 30-45 year old female drinkers are the primary market for Croft Twist, so now I’m hesitating to admit I like it too… González Byass was created in 1835 by Manuel Maria González and remains in family hands today, now in the fifth and sixth generation. Founded in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, in the heart of Sherry country, it is dedicated to the production of high-quality sherries. Tasting notes: a very bright, refreshing drink. The finesse of the elderflower and mint are great, and I love the fact that the acidity is bigger than the sweetness (often an issue with these kind of ready made drinks). The Fino character does show, but even if you don’t like Fino, it may still go by unnoticed. The Sherry triangle, made up of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda, has a unique microclimate influenced by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean and Guadalquivir and Guadalete rivers. Production is dominated by the Palomino variety, and vines are planted in the white Albariza soil, with high chalk content which is excellent for retaining moisture. These soil conditions, combined with over 3,000 hours of annual sunshine, fresh, humid breezes from the west (poniente) and warm, dry breezes from the east (levante) have formed the perfect marriage with the Palomino variety to produce an array of sherry styles.