Moor sherry please!
by Scarlet Carrasco
What is Sherry ?
The simplest answer is that Sherry is fortified wine made in the Jerez de la Frontera in the region of southern Spain known as Andalucia. It happens to be one of the oldest wine making areas in all of Spain. The name Sherry itself comes from an English corruption of the word Jerez, pronounced: he-reth. The Phonecians founded Jerez, then known as Xera, in 1000 BC and was later settled by the Romans (bunch of drunks), Goths (sounds spooky), and Moors (they were like, Moor sherry please!). Sherry began to rise in popularity all around Europe in the 15th century after the marriage of Catherine of Aragon and Henry lllV of England.
Looking closer, the Jerez area is made of three sub-regions: Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barrameda, and Puerto de Santa Maria, each of which produces their own unique style and make up the three points of the “Sherry Triangle”. There are 7 distinct styles of sherry, 98% of them being made from the same grape, Palomino. Below they are listed driest to sweetest.
Manzanilla: from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, typically displays coastal aromas like seaspray, with a fresh, zesty liveliness.
Fino: A bit richer than Manzanilla, with notes of Mediterranean herbs, fresh dough and almonds.
Amontillado: It is characterized by nutty aromas, tobacco, aromatic herbs and often ethereal, polished notes of oak.
Oloroso: Oloroso is weight and smells of toasted walnuts, combined with balsamic notes, dried fruits, truffle, leather, tobacco and autumn aromas.
Palo Cortado: Palo Cortado is a wine that smells of Amontillado on the nose, with the structure and body of an Oloroso in the mouth. This wine is particularly confusing because it’s definition lies more in the way we perceive it (aroma and taste) as opposed to how it is produced.
Moscatel: Moscatels are sweet dessert wines, characterized by floral aromas (orange blossom, jasmine) and a honeyed, golden raisiny palate.
Pedro Ximénez: (Commonly referred to as P.X) Rich and ultra sweet, with notes of candied figs and dates but also balancing flavors of chocolate, coffee, licorice and spices.