Sherry, the real stuff

Ahh, Sherry, one of the world’s great wines.

It may no longer be so fashionable in Oz, but it is making a comeback in many markets due to its versatility.

By agreement it is now acknowledged that sherry comes from one place only; the Jerez region, in Spain (Australia has adopted the term Apera in lieu).

The term sherry is an anglicisation of Jerez.

Sherry is arguably the oldest fortified wine style in the world, tracing its origins back to the colonising Phoenicians (around 1,100 BC wine making), and the Moors (700 AD, distillation).

The Jerez region enjoys some unique characteristics that strongly influence the wines; high humidity (close proximity to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean), cooling winds, long, hot summers and chalky soils (“Albariza”). The deeply moisture retentive nature of the soils is critical; whilst enjoying relatively high rainfall, this generally falls on a few days per year (it buckets down!). With the water retained in the soil, the vines can weather the hot, long summers.

By far the dominant grape in use is Palomino, a fairly neutral variety. Unlike Port, all sherries are fermented dry, with fortifying spirit (must be wine based) added later. The wines are then aged in oak barrels within a solera system before release. A solera is an arrangement whereby wines of different ages are blended from barrel to barrel in a rack-based system. The wines are aged by either of two methods, known as biological and oxidative. Biological is used for the lighter, drier wines. The wines are fortified to around 15 per cent ABV and the barrels are filled to 80 per cent. A layer of yeast-like flor (encouraged by heat and humidity) forms over the wine, excluding contact with the air, preventing oxidisation.

Oxidatively aged wines use the same Solera system, but are higher in alcohol, and flor is not encouraged. Contact with air oxidises the wine, and evaporation concentrates it. These wines can be dry, but always have deeper colour and flavours. For some wines the two methods are mixed, resulting in medium dry wines. There are a number of sweeter styles, vinified differently (particularly Pedro Ximinez), but we’ll save these for another day.

One of the producers we have favoured over the years has been Emilio Lustau. Whilst one of the newer houses (1896) we have always found their wines to be distinctive, high quality and reasonably priced. Most Lustau wines are remarkably food friendly. Here is a small selection from their large range.

Jarana Fino (15 per cent ABV, $30), Pale straw colour with green tints. This is a typical light Fino: fresh and pungent. Light, nutty flavour. Great aperitif. This and the wine below were aged using the biological method.

Paprirusa Manzanilla (15 per cent ABV, $35), from Sanlucar de Barrameda, on the coast. Dry, light, nutty, slightly salty. Try it with olives or shellfish.

Los Arcos Amontillado (18.5 per cent ABV, $30). This is a mix of the two ageing methods. The biological gives the lightness, the oxidative a greater depth of colour and flavour. Nutty, through years of ageing. Great food wine, and a very good introduction to sherry, try it with soups, risottos and, of course, seafood paella!