Sherry wine doesn’t need to be sweet. Most are dry. Sherry wine in Spain is enjoyed like a fine whiskey. Learn about the various styles of Sherry wine and which wines you should try. Jackson Rohrbaugh is a Canlis Sommelier and shares his knowledge of enjoying Sherry.
Sherry is often shown in tiny crystal glasses, but you can drink it in
Sherry is a great choice for those who love brown spirits.
What is Sherry wine?
Let’s start with some facts: Sherry, a fortified white wine made from Andalucia Southern Spain, has been around for centuries.
It is usually dry and should be paired with food. I am here to help you dispel some myths and explain why Sherry is one of the world’s most beloved beverages. Let’s start with some myths about Sherry.
Isn’t Sherry just a sweet wine?
While some sweet styles are great for dessert wines and fireside sippers (such as PX), they don’t represent the entire range.
Americans were thirsty for sweet soda-like drinks and gave sweet Sherry a market in the mid-20th century. Brits and Spaniards kept the most complex, dry and expensive stuff to themselves.
These dry wines will be explored and compared to the best.
Where does true Sherry come from?
Sherry’s beauty comes from the fact that it can only be made in a small corner of the globe like Champagne.
Many attempts have been duplicating Sherry’s salty, nutty and aromatic taste throughout history. However, the unique winds, soil, seasonal changes, and humidity in Andalucia lend a distinct character to the wines.
Contrary to litigation-happy Champagnes, the Sherry Consejo Regulador of Spain and the Spanish government have not done much in the past years to protect Sherry’s name all over the globe. Many cheap imitations still sell with Sherry’s name on the bottles.
Many are sweetened bulk wines with chemicals added to enhance flavour and colour.
Is Fortified wine too strong?
You’re supposed not to consume as much of it. Sherry has a powerful taste and slightly higher alcohol level so a single glass can cost about half the price of a six-ounce bottle of wine. Sherry can be found in a range of 15% ABV up to more than 20%.
It would help if you didn’t worry about full-bodied red wines such as Napa Valley Cabernet and Argentinean Malbec clocking in at 15-16% alcohol. Sherry pairs well with many different foods because of its extra strength.
Different types of Sherry Wine
After we have explored the rich history of Sherry, here are some tips on how to buy it and some suggestions for pairing it with foods.
Styles of dry sherry wine
- FINO & MANZANILLA These are the lighter styles of Sherry. These Sherries can age for up to ten years under a layer of flor. They are best consumed immediately after being bottled. These wines are great with olives, Marcona almonds, and cured pork. Fino and Manzanilla Sherry are the best pairings for oysters. Try Gonzalez–Byass’ classic Tio Pepe Fino for a classic, light and crisp wine. You can also try Hidalgo’s La Gitana Manzanilla En Rama or Valdespino single-vineyard Fino Inocente, which are bottled directly from the cask and do not need filtration. For best results, serve Fino and Manzanilla chilled.
- AMONTILLADO If a Fino’s layer is eroded or the wine has been intentionally fortified to high strength, it starts to oxidize and alter its character. This is Amontillado Sherry, or simply, an aged Fino. These wines retain the saltiness of a Fino, but they have a darker colour and a nuttier, richer finish. Amontillado Sherry can also be enjoyed with seafood soup, prawns and cheese.
- For a classic and elegant experience, try Lustau’s Los Arcos or Williams & Humbert’s Jalifa 30-year-old VORS. It’s intense and memorable.
- PALO CORTADA: This unusual, beautiful and rare style of Sherry occurs when the flor yeast dies unexpectedly. The wine then begins to absorb oxygen. Palo Cortado is salty but has a richer and deeper body. Palo Cortado may look like Amontillado, but it can also be very rich and delicate on the palate.
- For something more complex and delicious, try Valdespino’s Palo Cortado Viejo or Hidalgo’s Wellington 20-year.
- OLOROSO: Oloroso never develops flor. These wines have a unique flavour resulting from the interaction between wine and air. Although oxidized wine is usually considered faulty, if left for five to twenty-five years, the wine in Sherry soleras will become a full-bodied, richly coloured substance. This wine can be enjoyed with braised beef or bitter chocolate and blue cheese. Oloroso Sherry has a spicy and aromatic taste and can be enjoyed as a finely aged Bourbon.
- Try GonzalezByass’ Alfonso or Fernando de Castilla’s Antique for an archetypal Oloroso. It is rare and unforgettable.
Sherry is the only wine that can offer the same age and complexity for the same price.
Now that you have a good impression of the styles of Sherry wine, Here are some additional things that, when combined, make Sherry unique among all the wines in the world.