The perception of sherry as a sweet, high-alcohol drink is a widespread misconception. In reality, most sherry production is dry and not as high in alcohol as one might expect.
- Sherry is a fortified wine, which means it is higher in alcohol than a normal wine.
- However, much of the sherry production is dry and not that high in alcohol.
- And even though some of the high-quality sweet sherries are magnificent wines, we are particularly fond of the dry ones.
”Sherry is coming back, and dry sherries are growing. These are gastronomic wines, and there is a lot of interest from young consumers, for instance, to combine the dry style with salty food,”
says Carlos Gonzalez-Gordon from Gonzalez-Byass.
One of the most famous sherry houses is Gonzalez-Byass, which was founded by Manuel María González Ángel in 1835. Their delicious Tio Pepe, a fino, is found in most markets around the globe.
| Style | Fino | Manzanilla | Oloroso |
| Fortification | Up to 15% | Up to 15% | Up to 17% |
| Flor Ageing | Biological | Biological | Oxidative |
| Age | 3-5 years | 5-7 years | 7-10 years |
The Albariza soil in the sherry region is a key factor in the production of sherry. This calcareous soil soaks up water during the dry summer months, providing the vines with moisture during the rainless summers.
A white grape variety, Palomino, is the most important grape used in sherry production. It thrives in the Albariza soil and provides a wine with a relatively neutral taste. However, the winemaking and ageing process in the cellar play a crucial role in creating a complex and intense wine style.
The Sherry solera system is another distinctive feature of sherry production. The casks are stacked in a so-called solera, where wine from different ages is placed on top of each other. The oldest wine is at the bottom, and the wine is bottled and topped up with the same amount from the cask above, repeating the process.
- Biological Ageing
- Oxidative Ageing
”The flor gives taste and elegance,”
says Mercedes Cantos Ruiz, owner of Bodega Juan Piñero. “Here in the area, we have always made wines with flor. The yeast comes naturally thanks to the climate.”
Mercedes and her team make some lovely salty, fresh, and very dry manzanillas. A favourite is Maruja Manzanilla Pasada En Rama with 12 years of ageing. It is intensely delicious and complex, with a great length.
The Oloroso group, fortified with spirits to raise the alcohol content to around 17%, undergoes oxidative ageing instead of biological ageing. This process causes the colour to darken and the aromas to concentrate.
Sherry is adapting to new consumer trends, including a lower minimum alcohol level of 14%. Some innovative producers are now making non-fortified wines with flor in the same style as fino.
A fino or manzanilla will taste very different from anything else the first time you taste it.