Sherries are without a doubt among the world’s greatest wines. They are arguably the best value in great wine today, yet they are relatively unknown to American wine lovers. Our aim is to help guide you into the world of Sherry and all it offers—from first steps to serious connoisseurship. We realize some of the drier Sherries can be an aquired taste, but we are confident a little patience will be well worth it. We suggest you try them with food to start.

Sherry comes exclusively from the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry D.O. in Andalusia in the south of Spain, although wines in most of the same styles are also made in Montilla-Moriles, also in Andalusia. There are two keys to Sherry’s greatness; first, the long wood aging Sherries undergo to develop flavor, character and smoothness; and second, the solera system of fractional blending, in which the gradual and masterful mixing of wines of differing ages maximizes complexity, smoothness and overall quality.

Chilled Fino and Manzanilla Sherries are the ultimate, versatile aperitif and the perfect antidote to summer heat. They have been in the blistering temperatures of southern Spain for centuries. The fuller and more complex, but still dry styles of Amontillado, Palo Cortado and Oloroso are also very versatile and excel year round as aperitifs, accompaniments or finishers to meals. The sweeter styles of Amoroso/Oloroso Dulce, Cream, Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel work on their own as desserts, but are also magical compliments to a wide range of dessert courses.

Be sure to check our Highly Rated section for a selection of especially high scoring Sherries and the links at the bottom of this page for Sherry feature articles:
· Rare Sherries and How to Appreciate Them
· Profiles On Top Sherry Producers.

Sherry Styles

Fino
Finos are bone dry and pale straw in color. They are aged under a blanket of special yeast called flor which gives them a light crisp acidity and snap with a leesy note reminiscent of aged champagne. They are lightly fortified to about 15.5% alcohol. Surprising to many, they are quintessentially fresh and fragile wines that must be drunk promptly to be at their best. Once open, a bottle is best consumed in within 3 or 4 days. They should always be served chilled and are the ultimate thirst quenching aperitif with almonds, olives, seafood and fried hors d’oeuvres as well as with just about any salty or boldly flavored appetizer you care to throw at them. They are also excellent with sushi and shellfish. Swirl your glass before every sip to release the delicate aromas.
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Manzanilla
Manzanillas are a sub-category of Finos and also bone dry and pale straw in color. They are made in the same way as other Finos, except they are exclusively from the town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. They share the same character as Finos too, except they tend to be somewhat lighter in weight and more delicate with a distinctive hint of saltiness. As with other Finos, they should always be served chilled and are the ultimate thirst quenching aperitif with almonds, olives, seafood and fried hors d’oeuvres as well as with just about any salty or boldly flavored appetizer you care to throw at them. They are particularly excellent with sushi and shellfish. Swirl your glass before every sip to release the delicate aromas.
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Amontillado
Amontillados are dry and clear amber colored, although some producers ship them off-dry for the American market. They start their lives as Finos but are given additional cask aging without flor, which adds wood, nut and caramel notes. They are dry, but intense and powerful. They feature a lively snap on the palate which makes them pair well with rich consommés, roasted chicken, pork or duck dishes, plus they are exceptional with foie gras. They also work well before meals with toasted nuts, cured meats, cheese and other rich appetizers.
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Palo Cortado
Also dry and clear amber colored, this is the rarest style of sherry, an Amontillado which through very long aging acquires the rich toffee, butterscotch, smoke, milk chocolate, burnt orange and spice notes of an Oloroso. Almost always blended dry or just off-dry, these are among the most subtle and complex meditation wines made anywhere in the world. They make for outstanding sipping after dinner for the true connoisseur. In a pinch they can work with richer consommés, roasted chicken, pork or duck dishes plus they are exceptional with foie gras. Additionally, they pair beautifully with aged cheeses, toasted nuts as well as rich, nut, caramel and brown sugar oriented pastries along with flan and crème brulée type desserts.
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Oloroso
Olorosos are dry and range in color from amber to a deep nut brown. They are fortified to about 17.5% and then wood aged without time under flor. They are darker and fuller-bodied and range from bone dry to off-dry, depending on the producer’s house style. These rich, nutty, toasty, smokey, caramel, butterscotch, toffee and milk chocolate character wines also show hints of dried fruit such as burnt orange, lemon peel and even caramelized banana. They are excellent after dinner wines and the best examples display extraordinary smoothness. They marry well with toasted nuts, dried fruit, intense cheeses, truffles or even the after dinner cigar. Additionally they pair beautifully with nut, caramel, brown sugar or molasses oriented pastries as well as with flan and crème brulée type desserts.
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Amoroso / Oloroso Dulce
These are Olorosos in the off-dry to sweet range and are blended with small amounts of Pedro Ximenez to add sweetness. They are also from amber to a deep nut brown in color. The added sweetness rounds out the edges of the dryer styles and makes for a wonderful, mildly sweet dessert wine. These wines work in the same settings as Olorosos but with a sweeter character. Again, the level of sweetness depends on the producer’s house style.
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Cream
Cream Sherries are Olorosos which have substantial amounts of sweet Pedro Ximenez wine added before aging. This adds raisin and fig notes to the nuttiness of Olorosos making for rich dessert wines to sip alone or match with creamy cheeses, ice cream and sweeter cakes and chocolate desserts. Traditionally Creams are amber to nut brown in color, but are also available in a "Pale Cream" style, similar to Finos in color. Creams are the best known style in the US.
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Pedro Ximenez
Pedro Ximenez Sherries are opaque, brown/black in color. They are made exclusively from Pedro Ximenez grapes which have been allowed to dry on straw mats in the blazing Andalusian sun before being pressed to yield an intensely sweet essence. They show a panoply of dried fruit character evoking, figs, raisins and prunes. They pair wonderfully with chocolate desserts or blue cheeses and dried fruit at the end of a meal, or for an ambrosial treat pour over vanilla ice cream.
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Moscatel
Moscatel Sherries are amber to deep brown in color and made primarily from the Moscatel grape. They too are intensely sweet. They show remarkable flowery aromatics of dried fruit such as, apricot, fig, lemon, peach, pear and raisin. They pair wonderfully with blue cheeses and dried fruit or toasted nuts at the end of a meal, but are often served on their own. The higher-end versions are a marked step up from some of the syrupy, inexpensive Moscatels you might encounter.
Click Here for our Moscatel selections.

Sherry Features
Click the links below to access additional Sherry articles:

Rare Sherries And How to Appreciate Them

Profiles On Top Sherry Producers:

Antonio Barbadillo

Pedro Domecq

Gonzalez Byass

Vinícola Hidalgo

Emilo Lustau

Sanchez Romate