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Posted on Feb 15th 2023
Expand your palate by (re)discovering Sherry. A super quick primer: Sherry is a category of fortified wine only made in the Andalucia region of southern Spain. There are seven different styles, ranging from bone dry all the way to intensely sweet. What style it becomes depends on exposure, or lack of, to oxygen as it ages in a solera system (a multi-barrel method of fractional blending and aging). Here are three to try:
Fino/Manzanilla
Naturally protected from oxygen by flor, a layer of living yeasts that floats on top of the wine as it ages for anywhere from 2-10 years. (Manzanilla is made exclusively in the village of Sanlucar de Barrameda.) Pale gold color, dry, refreshingly crisp, with noticeable salinity. Enjoy with salumi, nuts, cheese, olives, garlic shrimp, crackers.
Cream
A blend of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherries. Each wine is matured separately in its own solera. Once blended, it is returned to another solera for additional aging. Mahogany colored with notes of maple syrup, brown sugar, and orange peel. Sweet, yet balanced. Enjoy with spice cake, toffee, or alone as liquid dessert.
Oloroso
No flor ever develops, leaving the wine 100% exposed to oxygen, which imparts the color and incredible nutty complexity to the wine. You get a deep golden color, with layered notes of roasted nuts and a nose that is deceptively sweet but is actually dry with a lingering finish. Enjoy with heavier foods such as pork, stews, casseroles, and aged cheeses.