Sherry is a fortified wine made from green grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez de la Frontera in the Andalusian region of Spain. The word sherry is an Anglicized version of the name Jerez, which is the location where the primary grapes [used for making sherry] are grown.
Sherry is produced in a variety of dry styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versions (similar to a white table wine, such as Sherry Manzanilla and Sherry Fino), to much darker and heavier versions that have been allowed to oxidise as they age in barrels (such as Sherry Amontillado and Sherry Oloroso).
Sweet dessert wines are also made, from Pedro Ximinez or Moscatel grapes, but the are sometimes blended with Palomino-based sherries.
Sherry has protected designation of origin status, which means under Spanish law, all wine labeled as “sherry” must legally come from the Sherry Triangle, which is an area in the province of Cadiz, located between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barrameda, and El Pureto de Santa Maria.
~ After the initial fermentation process, the base wines are then fortified with a grape spirit in order to increase their final alcohol content, which will determine their classification. Because the fortification occurs after fermentation, most Sherries are initially dry, with any sweetness being added later. (In contrast, Port wines are fortified halfway through the fermentation process, which stops the process and not all of the sugar is turned into alcohol.)
Sherry wines classified as Fino and Manzanilla are fortified until they reach a total alcohol content of 15.5% by volume. As they age in the barrels, they develop a layer of flor (a yeast-like growth that helps proect the wine from excessive oxidation).
Sherry wines classified as Oloroso are fortified until they reach a total alcohol content of at least 17% by volume. Unlike the finer version, Oloroso versions do not develop flor, and therefore they oxidise slightly as they age, giving them a darker color.
Grape Varieties
Sherries produced in other countries often use different varieties of grapes. But in Spain, there are primarily three white grape varieties grown for Sherry-making. They are:
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Palamino is the dominant grape used for dry Sherries. Approximately 90% of the all grapes grown for Sherry are of the Palomino variety. It produces a bland wine with neutral characteristics. In fact, the neutrality is what makes the Palomino variety an ideal grape because it is easily enhanced by the Sherry-making style.
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Pedro Ximenez is used primarily to produce a sweeter Sherry. When harvested, these grapes are typically sun-dried for two days to concentrate their sugars.
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Moscatel is used similarly to Pedro Ximenez grapes, but they are much less common.
Sherry Types
Fino ('fine' in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of Sherry. The wine is aged in barrels under a cap of flor yeast to prevent contact with the air.
Manzanilla is an especially light variety of Fino Sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Manzanilla Pasada is a Manzanilla that has undergone extended aging or has been partially oxidised, giving a richer, nuttier flavour.
Amontillado is a variety of Sherry that is first aged under flor but which is then exposed to oxygen, producing a sherry that is darker than a Fino but lighter than an Oloroso. Naturally dry, they are sometimes sold lightly to medium sweetened but these can no longer be labelled as Amontillado.
Oloroso ('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of Sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a Fino or Amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine. With alcohol levels between 18 and 20%, Olorosos are the most alcoholic sherries. Like Amontillado, naturally dry, they are often also sold in sweetened versions called Cream Sherry. As with Amontillado "Sweet Oloroso", "Rich Oloroso" and "Oloroso Dulce" are prohibited terms.
Palo Cortado is a variety of Sherry that is initially aged like an Amontillado, typically for three or four years, but which subsequently develops a character closer to an Oloroso. This either happens by accident when the flor dies, or commonly the flor is killed by fortification or filtration.
Jerez Dulce (Sweet Sherries) are made either by fermenting dried Pedro Ximénez (PX) or Moscatel grapes, which produces an intensely sweet dark brown or black wine, or by blending sweeter wines or grape must with a drier variety.
Cream Sherry is the term for a common type of sweetened sherry made by blending different wines, such as Olorososweetened with PX. It has a rich deep amber to golden brown color, and it’s very sweet.
Sherry Trivia
Several literary figures often wrote about Sherry, including William Shakespeare, Benito Perez Galdos, Alexander Fleming, and Edgar Allan Poe.
In the classic Walt Disney movie,
Mary Poppins, every evening Mr. Banks enjoys a Sherry and his pipe at precisely 6:02 p.m.
~ The American sitcom,
Frasier featured the title character and his brother having a passion for drinking sherry. Their Sherry passion became so iconic to the series that it was a metaphor to mark the end of the series. In the last episode sherry ran out in their home bar, and it became clear that the popular long-run series was about to come to an end as well.
………………………………Tag Game
We have selected an array of
Spanish (and other) recipes from the site’s database that include
sherry as an ingredient. You are free to tag one of the recipes we found, or you are free to pick any other
sherry recipe. And there is no limit; you can tag as many recipes as you can make before the end of the month.
Featured Recipes
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Spanish Garlic Shrimp by
Irmgard
This delectable dish, flavored by a medium dry Spanish
sherry, can be served as a tapas or main dish. Sprinkle in a few extra red pepper flakes for an extra spicy kick.
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Pisto by
breezermom
This traditional Spanish dish features a potpourri of fresh vegetables that get a flavor boost from fresh herbs and a fine dry
sherry.
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Spanish Oven Baked Roast Chicken by
Bob78278
You’ll find that a medium Spanish
sherry goes a long way in flavoring this delicious oven roasted chicken.
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NorthwestGal
mama smurf
Kerfuffle-Upon-Wincle
I don't drink it, but I love the flavor of Sherry in cooked dishes ~ Did you see 
Susie D
Sharon123
