Sherry

[Jason Perlow x]

I have to admit I'm a sucker for all kinds of fortified wine like Port and Madiera, but I dont know a #### thing about Sherry. Sherry always seemed to be something you cooked with, not something to drink -- but after trying it a few times in various places I really have come to like it -- unfortunately most wine stores dont have as big a sherry selection as they do port.

I heard manzanilla sherry (white) mentioned as a good summer drink in another thread but I am totally clueless about what to get in terms of vintages, styles and producers.

I'm actually going to be in Marbella, Spain in October, which isnt a bad driving distance from Jerez/cadiz (approx 100 miles), so I might make a trip there. Anything I should try?

I found a cool site which seems to have some nice suggestions for the Costa Del Sol, andaluz and jerez region:

http://www.kilkelly.com/spain.html

[SpiritBob x]

We all remember our first, (and no doubt last), sip of Grandma’s cream sherry when we were visiting at the holidays.

Sherry’s reputation is still recovering from the damage done by the  Bristol Cream era.

Today’s consumer looks at Sherry as they would some odd archeological fossil at the Museum of Natural History.

It is truly a shame that Sherry is considered such a dinosaur.

Handcrafted Sherry can be one of the greatest taste explosions you can experience in wine.

I will grant you, it is an acquired taste for most people, but one well worth acquiring in my opinion.  

The added bonus, Sherry is one of the best deals on the market today.

It is a fortified wine. However, in contrast to other fortified wines, it is fermented out completely dry.

There are basically two styles: the bone-dry Fino and Manzanilla, and the darker, richer dry Amontillado and dry Oloroso.

These wines are highly esteemed by connoisseurs for their complex, intriguing layers of flavor. They are made for food! Once you understand more, you can easily select a different Sherry for every course, from your aperitif through cheese and dessert. The delicate flavors pair splendidly with fresh seafood, seviche and are a match made in heaven for tapas, the regional hors d’oeuvres from Spain. With tapas bars popping up all over New York, Fino and Manzanilla are the quintessential beverages of choice.

Fino:

Fino Sherry needs to be fresh, so it is a good idea to order it in a half bottle, as the Spaniards do. A fresh Fino will have an alcohol level of 15.5% or so, slightly higher than table wine, but not by today’s standards. The unique bouquet should be fresh and fragrant of flor, the local yeast used in Sherry production. Flor forms a bread-like film across the surface of the barrels, protecting the wine from oxidation.

Manzanilla:

This belongs in the Fino class. Manzanilla is produced in the town of Sanlucar de Barraneda, on the sea. The aroma of the salt air is so fragrant in the bouquet of Manzanilla. It has a beautiful, very distinct nose. As with all Fino, the color will be a very pale, straw color.

Dry Amontillado:

You will find this bouquet much more redolent of nuts; primarily almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts. The color will be a richer shade of amber, and will darken as they mature. These wines will be higher in alcohol, typically 17-18%, although with age they can reach 24%.

Dry Oloroso:

These wines have more mouth feel, and are richer, more full bodied, or in the Spanish lexicon “gordura” (fatness). The color will be a darker golden, and with age can become brown. The alcohol will be similar to an Amontillado. They will have a pungent bouquet and although dry, they may have just a touch of sweetness.

Palos Cortados:

These wines are somewhat rare and not produced in every vintage. Their taste is reminiscent of an Amontillado but they have the body of a rich Oloroso.

Pedro Ximenez: (PX)

The grape varietal in this case is also the name of the wine. The grapes are picked very ripe, allowed to shrivel in the sun for two or three weeks and then pressed. The result is often described as an unctuous, raisin colored wine. Delicious!

Old East India:

An older, sweet Oloroso. Full-bodied with a superb flavor profile for so many desserts.

Look for the word “Almacenista” on the label, which denotes a private stockholder. Well worth extra cost.

The lower the alcohol on a Fino and Manzanilla Sherry the better, usually around 15-16%.

When shopping for Amontillado and Oloroso, look for the word “dry” on the label.

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Robert Weaver

[Emily x]

Any specific brand recommendations?

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Emily Rose, rosemily@hotmail.com

[SpiritBob x]

The Sherries of Emilio Lustau are very available and very wonderful, but with Sherry as with Armagnac and German whites and other wines not so much in demand, you have the luxury of not having to worry too much about specific producers. There's so much good sherry available and US demand is so low while the US dollar is so sought that the importers will not and do not need to buy anything but the best for each price. So a retailer or restaurant of any repute will not have a bad Sherry most likely.

What is very important though is freshness especially in the area of Finos and Manzanillas. Try to learn the date of shipment or if it is a restaurant you must know when the bottle was first open.

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Robert Weaver

[Roger McShane]

I agree with Robert. There is nothing like a slightly chilled manzanilla as an aperitif or with some light tapas style dishes.

I also agree that Lustau produce a particularly good manzanilla (as are all their sherries).

Another one to look for is Hidalgo's La Gitana manzanilla. This excellent sherry is available in the US, Europe and Australia is half bottles. This makes it ideal, as you and a friend can drink the lot in one sitting thus making redundant the problem of rapid oxidisation!

(Edited by Roger McShane at 6:19 pm on Aug. 14, 2001)

[Sandra Levine]

I bought a 375 ml bottle of PX, Vintage 2000 by Bodegas Toro Albala to drink with an cooked-down milk Indian dessert that is very sweet with some almond flavors.  I'm assuming that this wine should be served cold.  Am I correct?

[La Niña]

Yes, cold.  And no ice is my strong recommendation, although it's (unfortunately) common.

I adore Oloroso.

[Sandra Levine]

Thanks, Nina.  I wouldn't have considered ice, anyway.  The wine was perfect with the creamy (in taste), almond flavor of the rabri, although, as I've said in the rabri thread, the texture left a lot to be desired.  It would be hard to find another wine sseet enough as well as complimentary in taste to drink with this dessert.

My husband found it too sweet in an unpleasant (for him) way.  First he said it was medicinal; then that it was as syrupy as pancake syrup.

It was the probably the sweetest wine I've ever drunk, but there was the complexity of the sherry nuttiness that prevented it from being utterly cloying (in a small serving), although I could use a strong espresso right about now.

[Adam_Balic]

I'm glad you enjoyed the PX. As a matter of personal preference I would drink it un-chilled, but this means that the wine has to be ultra-good, if the acid isn't there to back up the sweetness, then it is pretty horrid. Great vinegar is made from PX, it is an excellent way of dressing red pepper or tomato salads.

[jaybee]

Some years ago, I attended a vendemia festival in Jerez at a large bodega and grower.  My glass was constantly refilled with chilled fino, a new drinking experience for me at the time.  It seemed that I could drink endless amounts and not keel over, and every mouthful was refreshing.  On returning to the US, I was astonished at how hard it was to find good fino.  I was told that was because it had to be fresh and would not take shipping and stocking too well.  It now seems to be making an appearance.  If the fino shipped here is as good as the stuff I was served in Jerez, it will quickly become a favorite in our house.

[La Niña]

Apparently the restaurant Pipa is doing a special sherry/tapas tasting menu for $42...and next Sunday is the last night.  I dont' know anything else.

[Sweet Willie]

Pedro Ximenez: (PX)

The grape varietal in this case is also the name of the wine. The grapes are picked very ripe, allowed to shrivel in the sun for two or three weeks and then pressed. The result is often described as an unctuous, raisin colored wine. Delicious!

Had the Don PX the other night, delicious is an understatement, incredible IMO.