Hey! Another column on cooking wine. Right?! Isn’t sherry that stuff in dust covered bottles on the bottom rack of the supermarket wine section that’s only used for cooking… or skid row? Seriously, no one actually drinks sherry, right?! Oh, maybe the small handful of spinsters that also spike their elderberry wine served to guests, right?! Well, if you feel that way you’re missing out (in my humble opinion) on a great aperitif that also pairs nicely with a wide range of foods. And perchance if you do have leftovers, it can be stored for deglazing any pan.
My first gustatory encounter with sherry was at some unnamed Bed & Breakfast in wine country – unnamed because it was many moons ago, too many moons and B & B’s have passed for me to remember every one. Though I still remember the encounter like some illicit tryst that you kept to yourself. After all, my original impression of sherry was like that of many readers, sherry just wasn’t something you drank. Cooking with it was fine but box wine had a better reputation than sherry as a beverage. Until I poured a glass left out by the proprietors on the buffet. Maybe it was the fancy crystal they left for guests to serve themselves. Maybe it was the etched crystal decanter that contained the sherry or stainless vessel with ice water keeping the sherry cool. Maybe it was just that any liquid beverage in Wine Country looks appealing and I’m simply a lush. Ok, guilty as charged but after a sip of Fino sherry with some salted California almonds and cheese left on said buffet immediately converted me to a sherry believer.
What is Sherry?
Sherry is a fortified wine produced in the Spanish region of Jerez; in fact the word “sherry” is an anglicanization of Jerez. With a temperate climate, rolling hills and the Atlantic Ocean in close proximity, the Palomino grape thrives in the area though grape cultivation is just one factor in the production of sherry. The chalky white soils that retain moisture during the hot summer months produce a neutral white wine that is perfect for the production of sherry. Oxidation, fortification and the “solera” technique are the other factors needed in producing the perfect sherry. And sherry is not just sherry; there are many different styles of sherry from the light and almost spritzy Fino sherries all the way up to the black-as-midnight Pedro Ximenez sherries. And everything in between. What all sherry does have in common is they are all fortified with distilled spirits to increase alcohol from 11 to 12% up to 15 to 22%, a certain degree of oxidation present in the finished product and mixing aged sherry with new sherry via the “solera” process to produce a unique though underappreciated beverage.
Fino
The lightest of all sherries in color and body, they are bone dry and fortified to just to the 15% range to allow a fine layer of yeast or “flor” to cover the exposed top layer of liquid while aging thus minimizing oxidation of the wine. If you’ve never tried sherry, this would be the place to start. At 15% alcohol, it’s only as “potent” as the ripest California chardonnays but it’s like a combination of Chablis (due to the minerality of the wine), Albarino (due to the balancing acidity) and Sauvignon Blanc (same type of mouth feel). It also pairs with most seafood like other white wines but due to the slight oxidative qualities, also is excellent with almonds, especially the Spanish Marcona almonds (available at Safeway and Costco) and saltier foods like olives, air cured hams (Serrano ham and Prosciutto) and crumbly cheeses.
Manzanilla
Like an amber colored Fino sherry, Manzanilla sherry also began life under
a cap of “flor” though as the flor subsides, the oxidation begins which produces the amber hue and also gives the sherry a nuttier nose and richer mouth feel. Primarily linked to the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda at the mouth of the Guadaiquivir River, Manzanilla sherry is like a Fino sherry in its own unique style. Also a dry sherry, Manzanilla pairs with the same type of foods as Fino sherry though pairs exceptionally well with the air cured hams of Spain.
My first gustatory encounter with sherry was at some unnamed Bed & Breakfast in wine country – unnamed because it was many moons ago, too many moons and B & B’s have passed for me to remember every one. Though I still remember the encounter like some illicit tryst that you kept to yourself. After all, my original impression of sherry was like that of many readers, sherry just wasn’t something you drank. Cooking with it was fine but box wine had a better reputation than sherry as a beverage. Until I poured a glass left out by the proprietors on the buffet. Maybe it was the fancy crystal they left for guests to serve themselves. Maybe it was the etched crystal decanter that contained the sherry or stainless vessel with ice water keeping the sherry cool. Maybe it was just that any liquid beverage in Wine Country looks appealing and I’m simply a lush. Ok, guilty as charged but after a sip of Fino sherry with some salted California almonds and cheese left on said buffet immediately converted me to a sherry believer.
What is Sherry?
Sherry is a fortified wine produced in the Spanish region of Jerez; in fact the word “sherry” is an anglicanization of Jerez. With a temperate climate, rolling hills and the Atlantic Ocean in close proximity, the Palomino grape thrives in the area though grape cultivation is just one factor in the production of sherry. The chalky white soils that retain moisture during the hot summer months produce a neutral white wine that is perfect for the production of sherry. Oxidation, fortification and the “solera” technique are the other factors needed in producing the perfect sherry. And sherry is not just sherry; there are many different styles of sherry from the light and almost spritzy Fino sherries all the way up to the black-as-midnight Pedro Ximenez sherries. And everything in between. What all sherry does have in common is they are all fortified with distilled spirits to increase alcohol from 11 to 12% up to 15 to 22%, a certain degree of oxidation present in the finished product and mixing aged sherry with new sherry via the “solera” process to produce a unique though underappreciated beverage.
Fino
The lightest of all sherries in color and body, they are bone dry and fortified to just to the 15% range to allow a fine layer of yeast or “flor” to cover the exposed top layer of liquid while aging thus minimizing oxidation of the wine. If you’ve never tried sherry, this would be the place to start. At 15% alcohol, it’s only as “potent” as the ripest California chardonnays but it’s like a combination of Chablis (due to the minerality of the wine), Albarino (due to the balancing acidity) and Sauvignon Blanc (same type of mouth feel). It also pairs with most seafood like other white wines but due to the slight oxidative qualities, also is excellent with almonds, especially the Spanish Marcona almonds (available at Safeway and Costco) and saltier foods like olives, air cured hams (Serrano ham and Prosciutto) and crumbly cheeses.
Manzanilla
Like an amber colored Fino sherry, Manzanilla sherry also began life under
a cap of “flor” though as the flor subsides, the oxidation begins which produces the amber hue and also gives the sherry a nuttier nose and richer mouth feel. Primarily linked to the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda at the mouth of the Guadaiquivir River, Manzanilla sherry is like a Fino sherry in its own unique style. Also a dry sherry, Manzanilla pairs with the same type of foods as Fino sherry though pairs exceptionally well with the air cured hams of Spain. Amontillado
Also starting life as a Fino sherry, Amontillado eventually loses its “flor” cap partly due to its
higher alcohol level (> 16%) and eventually takes on a fine amber or reddish brown hue and richness not found in Fino or Manzanilla sherry. The nutty and dried citrus peel qualities are up front so the wine understandably pairs with heartier faire like fattier seafood, mushrooms and soups and consommés.Oloroso
Since Oloroso sherry is fortified to at least 17%
alcohol, the cap of “flor” never really forms on the surface of the aging wine so that it takes on the darkest hue, almost mahogany and develops the richest and complex flavor characteristics. Toasted nuts, wood notes and earthy tones are all in there as well as a glycerin, palate coating richness to the wine not found in the previous sherries. As far as food, think hearty meats and slow braised, collagen rich cuts like oxtail. In fact my Kim Chi Braised Oxtail would do this wine proud. Along with aged cheese and mushroom risotto.
Since Oloroso sherry is fortified to at least 17%
alcohol, the cap of “flor” never really forms on the surface of the aging wine so that it takes on the darkest hue, almost mahogany and develops the richest and complex flavor characteristics. Toasted nuts, wood notes and earthy tones are all in there as well as a glycerin, palate coating richness to the wine not found in the previous sherries. As far as food, think hearty meats and slow braised, collagen rich cuts like oxtail. In fact my Kim Chi Braised Oxtail would do this wine proud. Along with aged cheese and mushroom risotto.Sweetened Sherry
There also are several sweetened sherries that start life as Fino or Manzanilla sherry but have added concentrated sweet grape must (sweet grape pulp) added to the blend to give a touch of sweetness to the sherry. I won’t elaborate on these wines as dessert wines are material for one or two more columns. I will put a brief plug in for Pedro Ximenez sherry which is produced from Pedro Ximenez grapes (as opposed to the Palomino grape used in most other sherries). Pedro Ximenez produces a black-as-midnight wine with more of a caramel sweetness than sugar sweetness (if that makes any sense). But it is THE wine for dark chocolate. No, make that the ONLY wine for dark chocolate. A small glass of Pedro Ximenez and bittersweet chocolate truffles… can you say “died and gone to heaven”? But to elaborate would be material for that other column.
Not Just for Spinsters
So the next time you bypass that supermarket aisle with those dusty bottles of sherry, that’s fine with me. But don’t bypass your local wine shop’s sherry selection. Because it unfortunately is associated with cooking, prices aren’t bad. In fact they’re very good. A good bottle of sherry will only set you back $12 to $20 dollars. And when you just can’t find that perfect wine to pair with salty dishes… or nuts… or roasted root vegetables… that one wine has been there all along. Sherry, that other white (or amber) wine. And as an added bonus, opened bottles of sherry keep nicely in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 weeks and older leftovers can still be used for cooking. Try saying the same about an open bottle of Dom Perignon.
There also are several sweetened sherries that start life as Fino or Manzanilla sherry but have added concentrated sweet grape must (sweet grape pulp) added to the blend to give a touch of sweetness to the sherry. I won’t elaborate on these wines as dessert wines are material for one or two more columns. I will put a brief plug in for Pedro Ximenez sherry which is produced from Pedro Ximenez grapes (as opposed to the Palomino grape used in most other sherries). Pedro Ximenez produces a black-as-midnight wine with more of a caramel sweetness than sugar sweetness (if that makes any sense). But it is THE wine for dark chocolate. No, make that the ONLY wine for dark chocolate. A small glass of Pedro Ximenez and bittersweet chocolate truffles… can you say “died and gone to heaven”? But to elaborate would be material for that other column.
Not Just for Spinsters
So the next time you bypass that supermarket aisle with those dusty bottles of sherry, that’s fine with me. But don’t bypass your local wine shop’s sherry selection. Because it unfortunately is associated with cooking, prices aren’t bad. In fact they’re very good. A good bottle of sherry will only set you back $12 to $20 dollars. And when you just can’t find that perfect wine to pair with salty dishes… or nuts… or roasted root vegetables… that one wine has been there all along. Sherry, that other white (or amber) wine. And as an added bonus, opened bottles of sherry keep nicely in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 weeks and older leftovers can still be used for cooking. Try saying the same about an open bottle of Dom Perignon.
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