When I ask friends if they’ve ever tasted Fino sherry, a blank look spreads across their faces. Most have heard of sherry, of course, but images of English ladies of a certain age sipping the sweetish libation before dinner is what usually comes to mind. The blank look soon turns into a curled lip.
Even more disconcerting, most restaurants in the U.S. (even Spanish ones) don’t bother to include sherries on their wine list. I hope this will change in the near future – because in my book, sherry is one of the most downright delicious and intriguing wines there is.
Sherry is produced only in Jerez, in southwestern Spain, around the towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Jerez de la Frontera and Puerto de Santa Maria. Founded by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC, Jerez is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in Spain. It’s endured a tumultuous history of wars and invasions, punctuated by countless economic cycles of boom and collapse. Considering all this, it’s remarkable that the elaborate process of making sherry has survived so many centuries.
There are many styles of sherries – from thick and sweet to bone-dry – but today it’s dry sherries that I want you to experience. These wines, called Finos (or Manzanillas, if they’re produced near the town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda), are as dry as a wine can get. But they’re also exquisitely complex and offer nothing short of a revelatory tasting experience.
The resilient and versatile Palomino is the grape of choice for making sherry. Once the grapes are pressed, the free-run juice is fermented just like any other white wine. But after fermentation has taken place, the wine selected for Fino is fortified to an alcoholic strength of about 15%, just enough to encourage the growth of a native yeast called flor (at higher levels of alcohol, the precious flor would simply perish).
To promote flor growth, barrels are filled only partially with the fortified wine. The head-space left in the barrels provides the oxygen that the flor needs to grow. The yeast will also feed on the alcohol and glycerine in the wine, and eventually form a foamlike film on the surface of the wine. This “blanket of flor” protects the wine from oxidation and helps it develop the distinct yeasty, nutty flavor of Fino sherry.
But that’s not all! Sherry is unusual in that it is blended from many different barrels: the young wines are combined with older ones in a complex system called solera, or fractional blending. Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that solera is what allows Bodegas (wineries) to produce sherries that are consistent in style, year after year.
Which brings me to Bodega Valdespino. This medium-sized Bodega has been making sherries since 1264 – imagine that! By 1883, Valdespino was supplying the Royal Houses of Spain and Sweden with their exquisite sherries. In 1999 the Bodega changed hands. It is now run by Grupo Estévez. Fortunately, the new owners haven’t cut any corners; they have preserved both the house style and the high standards that Valdespino has always been celebrated for.
Let’s taste two of Valdespino’s best dry sherries.
Valdespino Inocente Fino
Producer: Bodega Valdespino
Region: Jerez D.O.
Grapes: 100% Palomino
Alc: 15%
Price: $25 (375ml)
Serve chilled
This unique Fino sherry is made with grapes grown from a single vineyard, Macharnudo, one of the highest-altitude and best sites in the region. There, the grapes spread their roots in the distinct, highly prized albariza soil (a white, chalky-looking soil with high limestone content) that produces the most delicate wines in Jerez. The sherry is then fermented in American oak casks and aged for over 8 years (most Fino sherries are aged for only 3 to 5 years), giving it tremendous depth and complexity.
The result is a unique sherry that saturates your nostrils with aromas of almonds and citrus peel, along with whiffs of herbal, floral and mineral notes. The wine is alive, fresh and perky.
In the mouth, everything you inhaled expands with gusto! Lemon peel, almonds and green olives jump out while delicate green-herbal notes follow. The wine is minerally, salty, briny, sharp. The yeasty notes from the flor imbue every molecule of the wine without overpowering it. The mouth salivates and begs for one more sip, yet the finish is so long you want to hold back and savor.
Valdespino Deliciosa Manzanilla
Producer: Bodega Valdespino
Region: Sanlúcar de Barrameda D.O.
Grapes: 100% Palomino
Alc: 15%
Price: $18 (375ml)
Serve chilled
The town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is famous for its gentle sea breezes, mild temperatures and humid air. These conditions enable the flor to grow all year long and form a thicker layer on the wines. The result is a sherry that matures more slowly, with slightly lower levels of alcohol and a bit more acidity.
From the very first sniff, Valdespino’s Manzanilla lives up to its name – the aromas are indeed “deliciosas.” It’s more delicate on the nose than the Inocente; but still, intense notes of unripe peach, citrus, almond, yeast, saltiness and fresh herbs emanate from the glass.
On the palate, the citrus notes are mellow while the nutty notes become more pronounced, evoking toasted hazelnuts. The yeasty flavors are delicate, with a bready character. The Deliciosa Manzanilla feels fuller, rounder, more viscous in the mouth than the Inocente Fino; yet it’s crisp, delightfully refreshing, and brimming with a minerality that makes you dream of the salty air coming off the Sanlúcar coast.
Both of these dry sherries are ideal aperitif wines. Their refreshing character makes them perfect companions to salty nibbles, like Marcona almonds and meaty green olives, delicate seafood dishes and even sushi. But if you really want to show off these exquisite wines, serve them with finger foods or tapas. I recommend opening several different Finos and Manzanillas and making at least 4 to 5 different dishes to complement the wines. Your taste buds will be in for quite a treat.
Other Finos and Manzanillas to try
Where to buy
- You’ll be able to find sherries from large Bodegas such as Lustau in almost every boutique wine store in the U.S. But if you want to sample hand-crafted Finos from smaller Bodegas, and you live in New York, try 67 Wine & Spirits in Manhattan. Their selection is superb and their staff are very knowledgeable. (In the process of researching sherries for this article, I bought several Fino sherries with the expert guidance of the lovely Melissa Sutherland.) If going to their store is not an option, then peruse their website. I can only urge you to explore and call the store if you need some guidance.
- 67wine.com
(212) 724-6767 or (888) 671-6767
179 Columbus Ave. New York, NY 10023
List of current sherries at 67 Wine & Spirits
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Thanks for the tips on wine — we definitely want to branch out of the regular 🙂
Have bought your suggested wines, and have not been disappointed.
I dislike sweet sherry, and asked Pete to buy some dry sherry. Now I have quite a selection to choose from. *****
1998 The French Culinary Institute’s salute to Healthy Cooking is a gem; the menus are not all vegetarian, but those that are delight.( not on topic , but wanted to share since your sharing has been a treasure.)
Loretta! I am delighted to know that you’re pleased with the list of wines I sent to you… Have fun tasting and sipping. I hope Peter will managed to find some good finos! A big thank you for the info too.
Thank you Viviane for the education. They look delicious!
This is great! It is such an experience sharing Sherry with someone who is unfamiliar as there is so much story behind it and good taste! You have found some great price points for good quality Sherry – thanks for sharing!
Here is another story of my adventures of Oloroso Sherry in NYC! Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed your blog post! http://winepugnyc.com/2011/05/16/the-tangled-vine-the-wine-rundown/
Heather, Thank you so much for stopping by and for your wonderful comment. I very much enjoyed reading your article. Oloroso with Pan con Chocolate sounds heavenly! Cincin!
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Brilliantlly written!
Before I could write my comment I had to get up and pour me a little fino sherry. I do love a good sherry and prefer the fino. Until now I knew nothing about how sherry was made so your post is very interesting! I will definitely be looking for the Valdespino sherries next time I go to my liquor store which is actually a wine shop that sell a little hard liquor and beer on the side. Thanks for this wonderful information!
You’re most welcome MJ! Enjoy… and Cincin!
Fabulous tapas, darling! I’ve never tasted Sherry. Scandalous I’m sure 🙂
Extremely scandalous 🙂
This is a very informative post. Before reading this I knew little about sherries but now this has me wanting to try some more varieties. Thanks for posting this Viviane!
Tina! Oh… that makes me so happy! Do report back once you’ve tasted a few sherries… Cheers!
Love the way you deeply research articles and post such informative posts. I love sherry. Serving with Tapas is a GREAT idea!
Thank you so much Ansh! Writing about wine is most definitely a labor of love… I just hope to pass on a little bit of that love to the people who stumble upon this blog. So glad to know you love sherries! Cheers my dear…
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