Sherry, in Spanish jerez and in French xérès, is a fortified wine produced in southern Andalusia, in the province of Cádiz. The English name comes from the Arabic pronunciation of the city of Jerez de la Frontera, Sherish. It is one of Spain's oldest appellations, established in 1933.
The sherry triangle
The production area is the "sherry triangle" between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. The main grape is palomino, grown on white chalky soil called albariza, which holds the winter rains; for sweet wines Pedro Ximénez and moscatel are used. Trade with England, which began in the Middle Ages, made sherry famous worldwide: Shakespeare mentions it as sack, and many bodegas were founded by British families such as Osborne, Sandeman and Harvey's.
Flor and solera
Two things make sherry unique:
- flor, a layer of yeast that forms spontaneously on the surface of the wine in part-filled barrels, protecting it from oxygen and giving it almond and bread aromas;
- the soleras y criaderas system, in which barrels are stacked in tiers: wine is drawn from the bottom tier, the solera, and topped up from the younger tier above, and so on. The result is a wine without vintage, blending wines of many years.
Sherry styles
| Style | Character | Pairing |
|---|---|---|
| Fino | dry, pale, aged under flor | olives, almonds, ham, seafood |
| Manzanilla | a fino made in Sanlúcar, saline and light | fried fish, prawns |
| Amontillado | first under flor, then oxidative; amber | soups, aged cheeses |
| Oloroso | aged without flor, dark, dry and powerful | red meat, game |
| Palo cortado | rare, between amontillado and oloroso | cheeses, savoury dishes |
| Pedro Ximénez | very sweet, almost black, from raisined grapes | desserts, ice cream, blue cheese |
| Cream | sweetened oloroso | desserts, or on ice as an aperitif |
It is served in a small tulip glass, the catavino. Fino and manzanilla should be drunk chilled and soon after opening. At the April Fair manzanilla is also drunk as rebujito, with lemonade.
Visiting the bodegas
In Jerez many historic bodegas, such as González Byass (Tío Pepe), Lustau, Sandeman and Bodegas Tradición, offer tours and tastings; in Sanlúcar you can visit Barbadillo and Hidalgo La Gitana and eat prawns at Bajo de Guía. In May Jerez holds its Horse Fair and in September the harvest festival. See also Spanish wines.