Sherry (Jerez)
Fortified wine from the Jerez triangle in Andalusia. Comes in many styles, from bone-dry fino and manzanilla to amber oloroso to syrupy-sweet Pedro Ximénez.
Sherry (Jerez in Spanish, Xérès in French) is the umbrella name for fortified wines made in the small Andalusian triangle bounded by Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. Almost all of the wine is made from Palomino grapes (a few sweet styles use Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel) and aged in a solera, a stacked system of barrels that mixes older and younger wine over many years. The styles split into two big families: the biological-aged wines (fino, manzanilla) that age under a layer of yeast called flor, and the oxidative-aged wines (oloroso, amontillado, palo cortado) that age in direct contact with oxygen. Sweet versions (PX, cream sherry) sit on top of those. The whole category is misunderstood internationally and treated with reverence in Spain.
How it's served
Style-dependent. Fino and manzanilla cold from the fridge (around 7°C) in small copita glasses; oloroso slightly cool (13-14°C) in a regular wine glass; Pedro Ximénez at room temperature in a small glass or poured over ice cream. The full sherry range covers aperitif, with-food and dessert positions.
Regional variation
Three towns make up the official Jerez triangle: Jerez de la Frontera (the largest, where most production happens), Sanlúcar de Barrameda (manzanilla's home) and El Puerto de Santa María (a smaller production zone). The neighbouring DO Montilla-Moriles, in Córdoba province, makes a closely related wine under different rules.
- Origin
- Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia
- Etymology
- English 'sherry' is a corruption of Xérès, the French version of the Arabic name for Jerez.
- Also called
- jerez, xérès
Frequently asked
What is sherry?
Fortified wine from the Jerez triangle in Andalusia, made mostly from Palomino grapes and aged in solera barrel stacks. The category covers dry styles (fino, manzanilla, oloroso, amontillado, palo cortado) and sweet ones (Pedro Ximénez, cream sherry). The word 'sherry' is the English corruption of Xérès.
Is sherry always sweet?
No, mostly the opposite. The everyday Spanish sherries (fino, manzanilla, oloroso, amontillado) are bone-dry. Sweet sherries (Pedro Ximénez, cream sherry, oloroso dulce) are made by adding sweet PX wine to the dry base. International perception leans on the sweet styles; Spanish drinkers mostly drink the dry ones.
How long does an opened bottle of sherry last?
Depends on style. Fino and manzanilla lose freshness within a few days of opening and should be drunk fast (treat them like white wine). Oloroso and amontillado keep for weeks. Pedro Ximénez and cream sherries are stable for months. The flor-aged styles are the fragile ones.
Related terms
- FinoDry, pale, bone-dry sherry aged under a protective layer of yeast called flor. The lightest end of the sherry family.
- OlorosoDry, amber-coloured sherry aged with full oxygen contact (no flor). Heavier, nuttier and more intense than fino.
- ManzanillaDry, pale sherry aged under flor in the seaside town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. A close cousin to fino, slightly saltier from the sea air.
- Pedro Ximénez (PX)Inky black, syrup-thick sweet sherry made from sun-dried Pedro Ximénez grapes. Tastes like raisin, fig, espresso and dark chocolate.
- Denominación de Origen (DO)Spain's protected geographical indication system for wine and food. Sets rules on what can be made where, how, and from what.
- AmontilladoSherry that started as fino, lost its flor partway through aging, and finished oxidatively. Amber-coloured, nutty, sits between fino's brightness and oloroso's weight.
- Palo CortadoThe rarest sherry style. Starts like a fino, loses its flor unexpectedly, and finishes oxidatively into a wine with the elegance of amontillado and the body of oloroso.