Sherry comes from the Jerez region in Andalucia in Spain.

Styles of Sherry

Fino Sherry is the lightest and most delicate style of sherry. Hugh Johnson (Decanter, August 2017, p.14) gave a wonderful description of fino as a ‘pale, fresh, dustily aromatic and bone-dry white wine that lives under a duvet of yeast until the day it’s bottled. No wine anywhere is drier. The flor has been feeding on every molecule of sugar, converting it into savoury umami, the very essence of appetite.’

Amontillado is a sherry that begins life as either a Fino or or Manzanilla beneath a blanket of flor. For some reason the flor dies off after several years (no one knows why) and this exposes the wine to oxygen. Thus an oxidative note appears, adding a savoury tone. Over time, the wine becomes more concentrated deeper in colour.

Oloroso is a sherry that never develops a protective layer of flor– unlike Amontillado. Oloroso is a bone dry style. Over time Olorosos darken in colour to amber whilst developing nutty notes.

Palo Cortado is the most enigmatic and rarest style of sherry, being naturally halfway between an Amontillado and Oloroso. 

Sweet Sherry gets is sweetness from being blended with sweet grape must, typically from Moscatel or Pedro Ximénez.

Wineries

No Certification: Emilio Lustau. | Williams & Humbert.