Understanding Sherry can feel like a bit of a minefield, leaving many completely bewildered by the different styles. In reality, the concept is straightforward: Sherry is simply a fortified wine from the sun-drenched region of Jerez in Andalucía. Unlike Port, it is fortified after fermentation finishes, meaning every single bottle starts its life completely dry.
Production begins with a clear divide: the wine is classified as either a Fino or an Oloroso. Finos are light, crisp, and delicate, famously aged in the bodegas of Jerez under a naturally occurring blanket of yeast called 'flor'. This film protects the wine from oxygen while imparting savoury, tangy aromas of almonds and wild mushrooms. When these barrels develop in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, the ocean air lends a distinctly salty twist, earning the unique name of Manzanilla.
When a Fino naturally loses its protective layer of yeast over time, it is topped up with spirit and allowed to oxidize into an Amontillado. This style retains the crisp echoes of its youth but takes on deep flavours of pecans, honey, and toffee.
True Oloroso represents the richer side of Jerez. The name translates to 'powerfully aromatic', a nod to the decades of barrel ageing that give the wine its intense notes of walnuts, dried prunes, orange rind, and dark chocolate. While many commercial styles are sweetened before bottling, the very best are often left strikingly dry.
What unifies all these styles is the famous solera system. This unique method uses rows of barrels to systematically blend younger wines into older ones year after year. It means your bottle contains a living chain of history from the Jerez region, delivering consistent character and depth in every glass.