Whither Sherry?

Americans don’t drink much Sherry these days (and by Sherry I mean the only real Sherry on earth: authentic Sherry from Spain). Even I don’t, and I love the stuff! Sherry was one of the first wines I discovered when I got into vino. The supermarket brands were very affordable, and although the famous wine writers said those brands were only approximations because the best Sherries don’t travel well, I didn’t mind. The sourness of Sherry appealed to me, and I instantly recognized it as a great class of wine.

Sherry is the anglicized term for a fortified wine named after the Spanish region where it is made, Jerez de la Frontera. Sherry starts out like other white wines and is stored in wooden barrels called butts. Then the magic begins. Sherry comes in two main types, fino, which is light and dry, and oloroso, which is darker and fuller bodied. The winemaker, however, has no idea which butts will turn into fino or olorosa — it all depends on which ones develop a microscopic airborne yeast, called flor (flower).

When flor grows, the surface of the wine becomes covered with a thick, pasty scum. Sherries that have a lot of flor turn into finos; those that don’t become olorosos. Finos are always dry. Some olorosos are sweetened. All Sherries also are fortified with grape brandy to bring them to an alcoholic strength of 15–25 percent. (There are other types of Sherry, such as Manzanilla and Amontillado, but space prohibits me from going into greater detail.)

It’s important to understand why most Sherry isn’t vintage-dated: The various Sherry houses (bodegas) blend their Sherry to taste the same year after year through the solera system. A solera consists of a pyramid-shaped stack of barrels, perhaps eight rows high, kept in the cool bodegas, and always facing southeast. The lowest level, called the solera, is the oldest; it may originally have been filled centuries ago. The next highest level is called the first criadera (cradle), then the second criadera, and so on. Each bottling of Sherry consists of some (but never all) of the wine drawn from the solera, which is then refreshed with wine from the first criadera, which is then refreshed with wine from the second criadera, and so on. By this system, the character of each bodega’s Sherry is preserved over the years. The solera system also means that within each bottle of Sherry are drops of wine that may be 500 years old. Ironically, though, once in the bottle, Sherry does not improve with further age.

The Sherry Council of America recently had a mixologist competition for the best Sherry-based cocktail, and San Francisco’s own Neyah White from Nopa took first place with his Sherry Shrub. It’s a little too technically complex for the average home chef, involving a china cap, cheesecloth and a weeklong maceration, so here’s another contest winner that’s perfect for a warm summer evening. And don't forget the tapas!


Fino Mandrino Martini
(Serves 1)

2 ounces orange-flavored vodka
½ ounce Grand Marnier
1 ounce fino Sherry

Pour over ice in mixing glass, shake, then strain. Serve chilled up, garnished with an orange twist.

E-mail: Steve@yummyletter.com

Yummy Wine Recommendations of the Week

Colomé 2008 Torrontés ($12.99) at hitimewine.net

This white wine from Argentina was strongly recommended by my colleague, Mike Schachner, in Wine Enthusiast. Schachner loved its flowery, lychee and tangerine aromas and flavors, which he called exotic. Napa vintner Donald Hess owns the winery. Read more about the wine at the Hess Collection or e-mail them at info@hesscollection.com.

Sip-Worthy Wine Events

Merryvale Vineyards Profile Barrel Tasting
Saturday, June 13, 1–4 p.m.
Merryvale Vineyards, 1000 Main St., St. Helena

One of the most interesting exercises a wine lover can engage in is barrel tasting. Merryvale is a top Napa Valley Cabernet producer, and live music and appetizers will accompany this event. Wine club members free, guests $25; reservations not required, for details call Elizabeth Mason, 707-968-3414.

 

Seghesio Winery Summer BBQ Festival
Saturday, Aug. 1, 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Seghesio Vineyards, 14730 Grove St., Healdsburg

Seghesio is one of Sonoma County’s top Zinfandel producers and there will be plenty of it flowing at this annual event, which stars Pit Master Chris Lilly grilling up the baby backs and tequila-grilled shrimp to the sounds of the rockin’ Hellhounds. Seghesio is conveniently located just minutes from central Healdsburg. Wine club members $50, guests $65; reservations required, contact Megan Clark, mclark@seghesio.com 707-433-3579 ext. 109.