All about sherry

We happen to live in the "sherry triangle" region of Spain, which is famous for the production of sherry wines. Sherry is unique in the way it is harvested, fermented, and aged. There are a variety of sherries, ranging from light to dark, bitter to sweet. Some pair well with cheese and nuts, others with seafood, and some can even be poured over ice cream! Sherry has a distinct flavor, which most agree is an acquired taste. I confess that I have not quite acquired it yet. I have had some sherries that are smooth and delicious, while others are just harsh and bitter to my palate. Nevertheless, here are some of the ways that sherry making is unique:

Sherry has been made in this region since the Phonecian times, before the Roman Empire! Of course the process was different then, but the region became known to the Romans because of the unique alcohol being produced here. Even during the Moorish period (600- 1492), the Muslim Moors did not drink sherry, but introduced distillation and used it for medicinal purposes. The nearby town of Jerez (pronounced Her-eth) means 'sherry' and the substance has been continually made here for several thousand years.

Dry sherries are made from Palomino grapes, which are usually harvested at the beginning of September. The grapes are pressed into 'must'. The 1st pressing, from minimal pressure, is used to make the lighter Manzanilla and Fino sherries, which will fermented to 15% alcohol content. The 2nd pressing makes the richer Oloroso sherry, which is fermented to 17%. Sweet sherries are made from Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez grapes, which are actually dried in the sun, which raises the sugar content and gives the sherry a strong raisin-y flavor. The sweet sherries are only partially fermented, so they can maintain their sweetness.

Sherry is aged differently from wine. It goes through biological aging, where the yeast forms a solid layer called 'flor' or a floral veil, that protects the sherry from oxidization and also interacts with the sherry. Lighter colored sherries have a slightly lower alcohol content that allows the flor to remain intact. darker color sherries have a higher alcohol content, which kills the flor and allows some oxidization, which gives them their darker color. The sherry is aged in huge oak barrels, called botas, which are not completely filled, and the valve on top is left open to let air in. To serve the sherry, a special instrument called a 'venencia' is used. It is so slender that it will not disrupt the flor, but requires a skilled practiced hand to pour it into tiny sherry glasses.




















Bodegas are the buildings where sherry is aged, stored, and sold. Some are large and well-known, like Tio Peppe or Osborne. Others are quite small. But all have rows of barrels stacked in 2 or 3 layers, called a solera. Usually not more than 3 layers, because the bottom barrels would not be able to bear more weight. During aging, the sherry is rotated from the top layer (the younger sherries) to the lower layers (older sherries), and mixed to achieve a balanced flavor. So sherry bottles do not generally have a particular age or year, since they contain products from a variety of years in one bottle. Sherry is usually served after several years, but some rare sherry is 20 years old, and there is a small controlled quantity that is at least 30 years old.

Disclaimer: the above photos and opinions are mine, but most of the facts are gleaned from articles written by Virginia Miller and published in the Coastline newspaper.