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Home , Amontillado, FINO, Flor, Manzanilla (wine), Oloroso, Palo Cortado

S H E R RY The Before, During, and After-dinner

By Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW n wine, as in literature, the classics endure. If you need proof, just consider Sh e r r y. The of the Jerez-Xérès- district, in the Andalucía region of southwestern have been part of the world wine scene for more than 500 years, sometimes hugely popular and sometimes less so. Tod a y , Sh e r r y is on the rise again, appealing to a new generation of wine lovers.

Sh e r r y is a fortified , made by adding alcohol to dry wine. The complex mat- Iuration process for Sherry, and the practice of blending and sweetening some , creates many different styles of Sherry wine, ranging from pale, dry, crisp and relatively del- icate to rich, sweet, dark and very flavorful. Over the years, certain styles have been more popular than others; the lightest Sherry is currently gaining in sales at the expense of the sweeter and richer versions. Amazingly, all these styles of Sherry come mainly from one variety – the (another grape, Pedro Ximenez, or “PX,” is part of the blend for the sweeter wines). Palomino thrives in the very dry, sunny, warm climate and the white, chalky soil (known locally as al b a r i z a ) of the Sherry region. Palomino produces neu- tral, low-acid wines—the perfect type of base wine for the almost mystical transformation that the Sherry region, and the Sherry process, wields. The region itself plays a role because the place where the The lightest Sherry wine ages partly determines the wine style. Three main towns house practically all the bodegas (buildings where Sherry is produced and stored): (“Sherry” is an is currently gaining anglicization of Jerez), Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Puerto de Santa Maria. When wines age in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, they in sales at the expense develop a certain delicacy that has entitled them to their own name, . Manzanilla is the lightest, driest of all Sherries, and a particular favorite of ours. of the sweeter and The Sherry process works the rest of the magic. And it’s actually two processes, because the two major families of Sh e r r y—Fino and —each are made somewhat different- richer versions. ly . After fermentation, the winemaker decides which vats of unfor- tified, dry base wine will become Finos and which will become , based on their aroma, appearance, and flavor. (Actually, the winemaker knows which usually produce the best base wine for either.) He then fortifies (to about 15.5 percent alcohol) the wines fated to be in the Fino family, and strengthens future Olorosos to 18 percent alcohol. A called fl o r forms on the surface of the Fino wines. The feeds on oxygen from the air and alcohol and glycerin in the wine, and in the process not only prevents the wine from oxidizing—even though the vats are not full—but also adds a distinctive aroma and fla- vo r , making the wine delicate, and thin in texture. The Olorosos’ higher alcohol content pre- vents flor from forming, and makes Oloroso wines vulnerable to oxygen as they age; this oxi- dation protects them from further oxidation later on. Both Fino and Oloroso Sherries age in a process called the system. Simply put, the solera system involves mixing the young fortified wines into of older wines to age, and then—over the course of several years—into older wines. The wines that emerge from this aging process are complex blends of dozens of , and do not ca r r y any date. In the course of aging, Fino Sherries branch into different styles. Also, some Sherries are sweetened, creating other styles. Here are twelve different styles—six dry, and six sweet: Fi n o —The basic dry Sherry—pale straw color, relatively light-bodied and delicate, but pun- gent. Matured under flor, in Jerez or Puerto de Santa Maria; oxidizes easily after bottling, and be stored cool, and consumed soon after buying; serve chilled. Ma n z a n i l l a —A Fino-style Sherry made only in Sanlúcar de Barrameda; the thicker flor of Sanlúcar makes Manzanilla even lighter, more delicate, and dryer than Fino; also tang- ier and more pungent. Beverage Network Sherry Selections Manzanilla Pasada —An aged Manzanilla that’s cask Fi n o (all in the $13 to $15 price ran g e ) aged for about seven years and has lost its flor. More • González Byas s ’ s Tío Pepe amber in color and fuller-bodied than Manzanilla, but still • Emilio Lust a u ’ s Jarana lively and pungent. Serve cool. • Ped r o Domecq’s La Ina Am o n t i l l a d o —An aged Fino that has lost its flor during • Val d e sp i n o ’ s Inocente cask aging; deep amber in color, nutty in flavor, dry, and still showing some of its pungent tanginess from the flor. Tru e Ma n z a n i l l a Amontillados are never inexpensive ($18 to $40); be wary • Vinícola Hidalgo’s La Gitana (a great buy at $11, $6 for the of any Sherry labeled “Am o n t i l l a d o ” that retails for less than half-bottle); also, Hidalgo’s Manzanilla Pasa d a $1 2. Serve slightly cool, and finish the bottle within a few days. Am o n t i l l a d o Ol o r o s o —Depending on age, Olorosos range from A great number of cheap imitations in this category. For a dark gold to deep brown in color; full-bodied, with rich, raisiny, true Amontillado, stick to one of the following bran d s : oxidative aromas and flavors, but with a dry finish. Olorosos can • González Byas s ’ s Del Duque (the real thing, at $38; half- remain drinkable for a few weeks after being opened; serve at bottle, $20) room temperature. • Emilio Lustau (any of his Amontillados labeled Almacenist a ; Cortado —The rarest and most mysterious of all Sherries; $3 3 ) starts out as a Fino with a flor, loses its flor to become • Vinícola Hidalgo’s Napoleón (about $18) Amontillado, and then, for some unknown reason, • Val d e sp i n o ’ s Solera 1892 (about $13) begins to take on the qualities of a rich, fragrant • Osb o r n e ’ s La Honda or Solera Primera ($32-$33); or Solera Oloroso, while retaining the elegance of an A. O .S. ($40) Amontillado. has the aroma of a nutty Amontillado, but the color and alcohol content of Ol o ro s o an Oloroso. True Palo Cortados are priced simi- • González Byas s ’ s Matusalem ($38; half-bottle, $20) larly to Amontillados; avoid cheap imitations. Serve • Emilio Lustau (any of his Olorosos labeled Almacenist a ; at room temperature. $3 3 ) Medium Sherry —Amontillados or lighter Olorosos that have been lightl y • Osb o r n e ’ s “Very Old”; $38 sweetened; light brown in color. • Sa n d e m a n ’ s Royal Corregidor (rich, a bit sweet; about $23) Pale Cream —a blend of Fino and light Amontillado Sherries, lightly sweetened; pale gold color. Palo Cortado Cream Sherry —Sweetened Olorosos (also referred to as amorosos); Many imitations in this category, too. True Palo Cortados are when lighter, are known as “Milk” Sherries; popular as after-dinner fairly rare : dr i n k s . • González Byas s ’ s Apostoles ($38; half-bottle, $20) Brown Sherry —Ve ry dark, rich, sweet, dessert Sherry, sweetened • Emilio Lustau (any of his Palo Cortados labeled Ol o r o s o s . Al m a c e n i sta; $33) East India Sherry —A type of Brown Sherry; deeply colored and very sweet. • Vinícola Hidalgo’s Jerez Cortado (about $33) Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel —Extremely sweet, almost syrupy, dark Medium Sherry brown dessert Sherries made from raisined of the same name; • Wi l l i a m s & Humbert’s Dry Sack (about $13-$14) low in alcohol, and quite delicious over vanilla ice cream.

Cre a m SERVING SHERR Y • Sa n d e m a n ’ s Armada Cream (about $12) Fino and Manzanilla Sherries are excellent apéritifs, but they must be • Emilio Lust a u ’ s Rare Cream Solera Reserva ($22) fresh. If they’ve been languishing on the shelf for months, they’ll taste East India, Ped r o Ximénez, Moscatel tired, or even worse, oxidized. In bars, Fino and Manzanilla Sherries • Emilio Lustau (a quality brand for all three Sherries; all must be refrigerated, and the bottle used up quickly after opening. about $22) Sherries can be stored upright because of their high alcohol • González Byas s ’ s Ped r o Ximénez “Noe” ($38; half- content. Finos and Manzanillas should be sold, and consumed, bottle, $20) within a few months of purchase; other types keep for several years. Fino and Manzanilla Sherries are great with almonds, , : A Sherry twin shrimp, all kinds of seafood and the great in Spanish bars and Northeast of the Sherry region is the Montilla- reg i o n restaurants. Amontillado is good with tapas, with light soups, (u sually known as Montilla), where wines very similar to cheeses, ham, and chorizo sausages. Dry Olorosos and Pal o Sherry are made in Fino, Amontillado, and Oloroso styles. The Cortados go well with nuts, olives, and hard cheeses, such as two big differences between Montilla and Sherry are Spanish Manchego. Serve sweet Sherries with desserts, or after din- • Ped r o Ximénez is the predominant grape variety in Montilla. ner on their own. • Montillas usually reach their high alcohol level s natural l y

(without fortification). Ma r y Ewing-Mulligan and Ed McCarth y are the authors of the best-selling Wine For Dummies, Fren c h • Al v ear is the leading brand of Montilla available in the U.S. Wine For Dummies and For Dummies. Ma r y is the president of the International Wi n e Center in New York City. She writes a column for the NY Daily News and is America's first fem a l e Reasonably priced ($11), these wines are widely avai l a b l e . Master of Wine (MW).Ed is the sole author of for Dummies.He writes for Wine Enthusiast Al ve a r ’ s premium Montillas, labeled Abuelo Diego, are in th e Mag a z i n e ,and Underground Wine Jou r n a l . Toget h e r , th e y share a column in Nation's Restaurant News . $18 to $19 price ran g e .