Here at the Solent Cellar we are gearing up for Sherry Fortnight, with additional Sherries coming in to store and an exciting Sherry and Tapas night on Friday 17th of June. At this event we will have a range of Sherries to try by the glass and delicious Tapas to accompany them.
The perception of sherry in the UK is still of the traditional blended “Cream” style, which is relatively sweet and ideal for winter time drinking. The wines we will be showing during the fortnight will be relatively dry, but full with flavour and great wines to go with food. Here is a quick introduction to the wide and exciting different styles of sherry.
Fino Sherry – A very dry and light wine, with delicious almond s and fresh herbs on the palate. This wine makes an ideal partner with both cured meats and fish.
Manzanilla Sherry – Similar style to Fino, but the wine is aged in coastal Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where the different climatic conditions lead to the wines uniquely distinctive characteristics. The wine combines distinctive floral notes with almond and baked bread, with delicate saline nuances. Manzanilla is the ideal partner with shellfish dishes.
To try: Manzanilla Pasada
Amontillado Sherry – This wine spends some time protected from oxygen by a veil of flor (yeast), like a Fino. However in the later stages of its maturation this disappears exposing the wine to oxidation. This creates a complex and interesting wine, with flavours of hazelnut, dried fruit and aromatic herbs. In turn the wine matches with more complex dishes. Famously it is thought of as the only wine to match well with artichokes!
Palo Cortado Sherry – This is the rarest sherry, with only the finest young wine developing into a true Palo Cortado. It combines the delicacy of an Amontillado with the body and palate of an Oloroso. It is ideal with flavoursome meats and rich mushroom dishes.
Oloroso Sherry – This wine is selected and fortified early in its maturation, this inhibits the development of the protective veil of flor, thereby exposing the wine to oxygen. The result is a highly structured and complex wine, making it suitable for the most intricate of dishes
Pedro Ximénez Sherry – This sherry is obtained from the overly ripe grapes of the same name which are dried in the sun to concentrate the sugar. The wine has a rich sweet flavour with notes of raisins, figs and dates. This the sweet Sherry par excellence, Pedro Ximénez is itself a dessert and makes a perfect finish to a meal.