Oh, Sherry! – The Most Fascinating Wine from Spain

During the first two weeks of November, I visited one of my favorite countries for the third time: Spain. History and culture were tightly woven with wine…and what delicious, memorable examples of each I experienced. Between visits to cathedrals, castles, and plazas, I relaxed with a crisp Albarino, refreshing Fino sherry, food friendly Tempranillo, rich Monastrell and more. Spain is rife with wines that complement the variety of foods on any menu and the vistas of architectural gems.

 

One of the highlights of the trip was spending a day in Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain’s Andalucia region; the town is located an hour’s train ride from Seville. There, I discovered the intriguing world of sherry, a Spanish white wine produced only from the region known as the Sherry Triangle (a protected wine growing area encompassing Jerez, Sanlucar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa Maria). Thanks to in-depth visits to well-known sherry houses, Bodegas Tradicion and Lustau, in Jerez, a game-changing element occurred: the more I explored the process of sherry production, its diverse profiles and intriguing history, the more I craved additional knowledge.  And once I started my own research involving the mind and the palate, I now embrace sherry as a critical addition to my wine choices.

 

 

Are you ready to embark on a virtual journey to discover these beautiful wines from Spain? Let’s go…

Sherry Basics

• Most of the finest, high quality sherries are bone dry except for Pedro Ximenez, Moscatel, and Cream Sherries.
• Palomino is the most important grape variety in the sherry region. All dry sherries are made from palomino, while sweet sherries can be made from moscatel or Pedro Ximenez grapes.
• Sherry is made in a solera system, a complex process that blends wines from many different vintages together over a long period of time. Thus, the age of any given sherry is an estimated average rather than a precise figure.

• Many sherries contain anywhere from 15-22% alcohol by volume, so please drink responsibly.
• Sherry is an aged wine. Even the youngest finos and manzanillas average two or three years and most are aged longer. The average age of many of the finest amontillados, olorosos, and palo cortados can be measured in decades.

The Diverse Styles of Sherry

• Sherry is made in a wide variety of styles. It can be dry (fino, manzanilla, amontillado, palo cortado, oloroso) and sweet (cream, moscatel, Pedro Ximenez). Dry sherry can be further categorized into biologically aged wines (fino, manzanilla), oxidatively-aged wines (oloroso), and intermediate styles that combine both types of aging (amontillado, palo cortado).
• In cask, sherry is aged either biologically (with flor) or oxidatively (without flor). The flor is a layer of yeasts that forms on the surface of the wine in the barrel, protecting it from oxygen and contributing flavor and character.

 

• Fino – Sherry aged under flor, which lends salinity and complexity to the wine. You may find aromas of almonds, herbs, and dough derived from the action of the flor and tangy, salty flavors.
• Manzanilla – A flor-aged sherry, similar to fino, but matured in the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda.
• Amontillado – A sherry that undergoes two distinct phases of aging. It begins as a fino or manzanilla, is aged under flor, and continues aging oxidatively, without flor. The color is amber or brown.
• Palo Cortado – An intermediate style like amontillado, it combines characteristic of both biological and oxidative aging. Some say that it combines the finesse of an amontillado with the body of an oloroso.
• Oloroso – A sherry aged entirely oxidatively, without flor. These sherries are deep brown and show aromas such as toffee, leather, spice, and walnut. Very old olorosos may develop intense savory notes.
• Cream – A moderately sweet sherry, usually a blend of oloroso and Pedro Ximenez.
• Moscatel – A sweet sherry made from the moscatel grape with a signature floral aroma.
• Pedro Ximenez – The sweetest style of sherry, made from grapes that are partially dried in the sun before pressing.

How to Serve and Store Sherry

Fascinated? It’s time to open your chilled bottle of sherry from Bodegas Tradicion, Lustau, or other sherry bodegas (see below) in southern Spain.

• Serve sherry in a white wine glass so that its aromas and flavors are expressed more effectively. While sherry is traditionally associated with a small, narrow glass called the copita, you’ll want to pour it in your standard white wine glass.
• Once opened, refrigerate your sherry and mark it with the date you opened the bottle. Often left in decanters and open bottles for months, it soon loses its complexity. Although drinkable, why would you want to try??
• Unlike regular still wines, sherry must be stored vertically instead of horizontally. The less oxygen is in contact with the wine, the better.

Delectable Food Pairings for Sherry

Now we’re talking, I mean eating! Everyone I met at the bodegas insisted that sherry is meant to pair with food, especially the tapas found everywhere in Spain. I’m still recalling the flavors of grilled octopus with Fino, slices of manchego cheese with sips of Manzanilla, salty potato chips with a pour of Amontillado, and the warm crème brulee drizzled with Pedro Ximenez.

 

• Fino – Ahhhh! Refreshing fino pairs with fried food, sushi, sashimi, seafood, jamon, fresh cheeses and olives.
• Manzanilla – Because of its gentle aromas from the coastal town where it’s made, a good Manzanilla pairs beautifully with seafood. Pair with foods similar to Fino, but also try vegetarian dishes.
• Amontillado – More rich than Fino or Manzanilla, serve with soups, creamy dishes, pork, cheeses, and rich vegetables like the difficult to pair artichoke or green asparagus.
• Oloroso – Much like Amontillado pairings, complement rich beef, lamb, cured meats, game dishes, and cured seafood.
• Palo Cortado – This sherry has a profile between Amontillado and Oloroso. Old Palos have very rich but subtle flavors. Pair accordingly. Recently, I had a duck sausage flatbread with a glass of Palo Cortado – amazing!
• Moscatel – Sweet pairings include flan and crème brulee or marmalade. Each will soften the citrus notes of the Moscatel and reveal its floral and spice elements.
• Pedro Ximenez – This is my go-to choice for pouring over ice cream, but you may want to sip a glass with bites of blue cheese or squares of dark chocolate.

Cheers~ Cindy

NOTE: Please look for sherries from the following outstanding producers from Spain.

• Alexander Jules
• Barbadillo
• Delgado Zuleta
• Emilio Hidalgo
• Fernando de Castilla
• Gonzalez Byass
• Gutierrez Colosia
• Hidalgo-La Gitana
• La Cigarrera
• La Guita
• Lustau
• Bodegas Tradicion
• Valdespino
• Williams & Humbert