More Sherry: Let’s Get Geeky

Sherry, as I mentioned in my last post can be light and dry, heavy and sweet, or anything in between—giving it the ability to pair with many different foods. This diversity is created in the fractional blending of the solera and by the two types of aging—biological and oxidative. Allow me a moment of geekiness to explain.

All sherry is made from white grapes. Most begins its life as a dry white wine made from Palomino grapes that have been fermented to about 11 to 12.5 percent alcohol. Depending on the quality of the grapes and the pressed grape juice, these wines are fortified to either 15 or 17 percent alcohol, and are destined to fit into one of two broad categories: Fino or Oloroso. This is where aging comes into play.

Biological aging occurs in wines fortified to the lower alcohol content when a protective layer of yeast (called flor) spontaneously grows on the surface of the wine, protecting it from oxygen as it adds its own interesting flavors and aromas. The resulting sherry is a paler, lighter style categorized as Fino. If the Fino happens to be made in the seaside town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, it will be called a Manzanilla. In some cases, the protective yeast dies off naturally. These Finos are called Amontillados.

Oxidative aging occurs in wines fortified to the higher alcohol content, which does not permit the growth of flor. The resulting style of sherry is more full-bodied and falls into the Oloroso category. Olorosos begin their lives dry but can be made sweeter by blending in a percentage of sweeter sherry.

There is also the renegade Palo Cortado. This is a sherry that was chosen to become a Fino but whose yeast inexplicably never develops. Therefore it has the smell of a delicate Amontillado but a rounder, fuller palate like an Oloroso.

Sweet sherry is made from either Moscatel or Pedro Ximénez grapes that have been dried in the sun after harvest to increase the sugar content. These are also aged in soleras and become dessert wines that are sometimes used for blending into Olorosos and Finos to become cream or pale cream sherries.

Without further ado or geekiness, here is the lineup of sherry we tasted at the recent Summit Wine and Food Festival:

Gonzales Bypass Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Muy Seco: The nose is a cross between an ocean breeze and a jar of olives—in other words a combination of sea salt and brine. The pale color tells you it will be very light and citrusy with the slightest hint of nuts on the palate.

Solear Manzanilla Extra Dry: A slightly darker shade of yellow, this sherry was even crisper and lighter than the Tio Pepe with lots of citrus fruit, tart apples, and that same hint of nuts on the nose and the palate. I’d love to try this with a plate of oysters, garlic shrimp, ceviche, or even sushi.

Sandeman Medium Dry Amontillado: This sherry gets its hint of sweetness by blending in a bit of Pedro Ximénez. It is very aromatic with a more pronounced nutty complexity.

Lustau Almacenista Fine Palo Cortado Vides: The nutty nose has a hint of caramel 
mixed with leather. The palate is intense with caramel, nuts, spices, and bitter chocolate.

Williams & Humbert Solera Especial 15 Year Dry Sack Oloroso: This sherry was suggested as a perfect partner for oily, rich foods. It gets its sweetness from Pedro Ximénez. The flavors and aromas of raisins and nuts are fuller and richer on this amber- colored wine but there is still a good dose of acidity to balance the sweetness.

Lustau East India Solera: Cooked sweet fruits, cocoa, toffee, nuts, and a hint of tangerine on the nose and palate. Suggested pairings include figs, crème brulee, or flan, but I want to try this one with my husband’s plum pie.

Romate Cardenal Cisneros Pedro Ximénez: I normally find PX sherry too sweet for my taste but this one was so complex with a nose and palate full of prune, nuts, and caramel and a silky sweet texture. It would be perfect with chocolate cake or drizzled over a bowl of rum-raisin ice cream.

Tags: Wine | Sherry wine