Tio Pepe Fino Tio Pepe (aka Uncle Joe) is the world’s best-selling fino for good reason. Find more of Pierpaolo’s recommendations at wine.telegraph.co.uk/pierpaolos-top-picks. Some examples can be a bit much on their own but this one has a freshness that makes it extremely drinkable. The Gonzalez Byass brand is most famous for their Tio Pepe fino, one of the most popular fino Sherries around the world. Made with a potent mix of rum, gin and brandy at the base, with fresh citrus, orgeat (an almond milk syrup) and a hefty float of nutty, briny sherry on top, this tropical cocktail has … What a treat to find a supermarket own label of such quality. Finally, there are sweetened wines which are blends of dry sherry with PX known variously as cream, amorosos or sweet olorosos. A young amontillado, only aged for about eight years in total so it preserves plenty of its youthful fruit. This wine is a tapas maestro. Paradoxically, the easiest style for the uninitiated to enjoy are the incredibly unfashionable sweeter wines, whereas the trendy finos and manzanillas can be a harder sell because of that lack of overt fruitiness. Some of the most renowned Finos include Tio Pepe (Gonzalez Byass), La Ina (Lustau) and Inocente (Valdespino) It is made from the Palomino grape and biologically aged, entirely under a layer of flor. Brilliant with barbecued sardines. Read our full review of Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana manzanilla sherry. Here’s a fun one for sherry lovers: a fino, the lightest style, aged for a bit longer so that it takes on some of the characteristics of an amontillado. It is spirit forward yet light and approachable for all tastes. Good for sipping with cake, it’s also very handy in kitchen for perking up sauces and gravies. Fino is a dry, pale white sherry wine produced within the D.O. Creamy and clean with a hint of orange, spice, and herbal notes is the answer. This amontillado has been aged for over 30 years and has a rich golden hue, with nutty notes of almond and hazelnut, a savoury minerality and a long, dry finish. This cap of yeast prevents contact with the air, resulting in a yeasty, saline profile with notes of Mediterranean herbs, fresh dough … The spirits comparison is useful for thinking about the time to drink sherry too. Once opened it will immediately begin to deteriorate and should be drunk in one sitting for the best results. The top selling brands are Tio Pepe (Gonzalez Byass) and La Ina (Domecq). [Search code: 064012], Order your bottle of Solera Jerezana Dry Amontillado Lustau Sherry », A traditional dry oloroso that has been aged until it achieves a rich, full, tangy flavour. Read our full review of Bodegas Tradición fino sherry. Whatever the style, sherry is worth getting a taste for as it offers some of the best quality to price ratio in the wine world. One sip and you’ll see why, it’s loaded up with fresh Cox’s apples and salted almonds. AMONTILLADO: When a Fino’s layer of flor fades or the wine is intentionally fortified to a high strength, it begins to oxidize and change character. A palo cortado is a rare type of sherry that has the elegance of an amontillado with the body of an oloroso. The best portThe best champagneThe best proseccoThe best cavaThe best rosé wineThe best gin to buy as giftsThe best bourbonThe best craft whiskies. Dry and crisp, it goes down easy on its own or mixed into a cocktail. The spirits comparison is useful for thinking about the time to drink sherry too. The crispest, freshest styles are fino and manzanilla sherries. Try it with mature hard cheeses. Here, I have chosen an off-dry fino from the Gonzalez family of Jerez, our own award-winning amontillado, and another award-winner from the house of Hidalgo. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry (£10 per 75cl from all major retailers) 2.Manzanilla A Fino-style sherry from the coastal town where the humid coastal environment keeps the layer of … Fino sherry is one of the first things I turn to. This is a blend of oloroso and PX sherry with sweet flavours of figs, oranges and dried fruits. This smells a little like a malt whisky or old cognac with a touch of smokiness; in the mouth it’s bone dry with salted almonds but with a refreshing lift to it. Serve well chilled with a range of tapas. These two brothers think so, Gem lettuce salad with pistachios and feta dressing recipe, Spiced poussins with barberry, orange and sumac butter recipe, Chard yogurt dip with golden raisins and walnuts recipe, Potato kuku (Persian frittata) with wild garlic, peas and spinach recipe, Roasted cod loins with saffron and lemon recipe, Three delicious dishes to make for Mother's Day or a picnic with a friend, Serve up these beautiful Persian recipes to celebrate spring, The best gluten-free and dairy-free hot cross buns for Easter 2021, Gins that are made for spring drinking? A bottle of the world's best selling Fino, Tio Pepe will set you back about 10 euros while the world's best selling Champagne – NV Moet & Chandon Brut – goes for around €35. Though popularly known for that 70s classic, Bristol Cream, Harveys also do a well-regarded range of fine sherries. [Search code: 068507], Order your bottle of Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry », Another award-winner in the 2014 Wines from Spain Awards, for Best Dried Fortified, this is a crisp, bone-dry sherry with a hint of saltiness and nuttiness. drinkers tend to be more open to sherry, partly because whisky is often aged in old sherry casks, so learning about whisky involves learning about sherry, but also because the two drinks share certain similarities. Beer 52 exclusive offer: Get a free case of craft beer worth £24. BY THE WORLD'S BEST MIXOLOGISTS ... What would a mix of a Sherry Flip and Bamboo cocktail be? These are all made from the Palomino grape and are normally totally dry. Tseng explains that all sherry is made using only white grapes, with the dry styles coming from palomino fino grapes and the sweet styles using moscatel and Pedro Ximénez grapes. Fino . The best pairings for fino and manzanilla sherry. Made by the outstanding Barbadillo, this is the ideal introduction to the zesty, saline charms of un-oxidised sherry. It’s massively rich with a texture of an old white burgundy or vintage champagne. Yes, these are all great food wines, but many are also excellent aperitifs, after dinner sippers and indeed cocktail ingredients; I’d highly recommend a bamboo – fino mixed half and half with vermouth and served straight up like a martini. Emilio Lustau 'Solera Reserva' Puerto Fino Sherry, Andalucia, Spain: Palomino: 57,361 st: 90 $ 18: Bodegas El Maestro Sierra Fino Sherry, Andalucia, Spain: Palomino: 46,531 st: 90 $ 29: Emilio Lustau 'La Ina' Fino Muy Seco Sherry, Andalucia, Spain: Palomino: 70,803 rd: 89 $ 10: Bodegas Faustino Gonzales 'Cruz Vieja' Fino en Rama Sherry, Andalucia, Spain: Palomino: 232,208 th: 89 $ 32 Here you’ll find hazelnuts, butterscotch and citrus peel but with a woodiness and slightly earthy note on the finish. It is even drier and paler than other finos, and within Spain it outsells other dry sherries. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. Darker sherries like amontillados and olorosos often have flavours of nuts, dried fruit, orange peel, brown sugar and toffee, just like a good whisky. From bone-dry, well-chilled fino sherry from the famous “sherry triangle” centred around Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, to the richer, darker Amontillado or Oloroso styles, these are delicious, complex and multilayered wines which can be matched with a wide variety of foods. But Sherry also offers unique flavors, says Greenbaum, “the nuttiness that comes from oxidization, the brininess in fino and manzanilla,” as well as the sweet, rich notes of Pedro Ximénez. This is an Amontillado Sherry or, simply put, an aged Fino. Fino sherry is best drunk shortly after bottling, so buy from a reliable source. Sherry is fortified and the strength varies between 15% for fino up to about 20% for oloroso. Here’s a fun one for sherry lovers: a fino, the lightest style, aged for a bit longer so that it takes on some of the characteristics of an amontillado. For information on alcohol guidelines, read our guide to drinking responsibly. Tío Pepe is best known for its classic fino-style sherry, which is the driest and palest form of sherry on the market. Gonzalez Byass Elegante Fino Sherry Was £9.29 Now £7.79 ... Another award-winner in the 2014 Wines from Spain Awards, for Best Dried Fortified, this is a crisp, bone-dry sherry … The palate is tangy and well-balanced with a soft citrus and baking bread flavour. The Fino Sherry really shines here. Fino sherry is derived from the total fermentation of palomino grape must. Fino Perdido Sanchez Romate sherry. A single vineyard amontillado from one of the most traditional producers in the region. It’s superb with blue cheeses like Stilton. Paradoxically, the easiest style for the uninitiated to enjoy are the incredibly unfashionable sweeter wines, whereas the trendy finos and manzanillas can be a harder sell because of that lack of overt fruitiness. Aged under flor – a veil of yeast (‘biological ageing’) – in a solera for a minimum of two years. Spirit (particular whisky) drinkers tend to be more open to sherry, partly because whisky is often aged in old sherry casks, so learning about whisky involves learning about sherry, but also because the two drinks share certain similarities. The Tio Pepe Palomino Fino is the gold standard for fino sherries. But throw in some olives and a bit of cheese, and they start to make sense very quickly. Tradición is a relatively new name in sherry but the firm has illustrious antecedents. It’s a very dry Sherry with crystal clear coloring, great for sipping alone or drinking with a … Richer, darker sherries are amontillados, olorosos and palo cortados. Whatever the style, sherry is worth getting a taste for as it offers. It's aged under a naturally occurring layer of yeast called flor. Manzanilla: Similar to Fino, Manzanilla is also dry and the lightest style of sherry.It has a fresh flavor with a touch of salinity and is not made for aging. Topping this list as the very best Dry Sherry is Lustau Dry Amontillado Los Arcos. It is meant to be consumed right away and is about 15-16 percent alcohol. Sherry can be a difficult wine for the uninitiated. Both Manzanilla and Fino are white wines made predominantly from the typical grape of the Sherry region in Adalucia, Spain, the Palomino Fino grape variety.Once fermented to dryness, these light and acidic white wines (between 11 and 12.5% alcohol at this stage) are fortified by adding alcohol to reach a 15% abv mark. If fino is the driest sherry in the world, then this is the sweetest, with up to 50% sugar content! Not made from palomino, but actually from the pedro ximenez grape, sun dried in the Andalucian sun to concentrate its sugars before being pressed. Jerez / Xéres / Sherry. [Search code: 064030], To order any of these wines visit wine.telegraph.co.uk or call 0333 234 0379 and quote the search code. Order your bottle of Gonzalez Byass Elegante Fino Sherry », A versatile off-dry fino with a touch of sweetness, this is an exceptionally accessible and versatile apéritif, with a fine balance of flavours. It is clear, straw yellow, bone dry, light and fragrant. Fino is the most delicate form of sherry and should be drunk within a year of bottling, although some argue that fino should not be older than six months. Read our full review of Tio Diego amontillado (Valdespino) sherry. La Gitana Manzanilla La Gitana Manzanilla is the lightest and driest sherry in this selection. This guide will showcase the top 10 best sherry that you can buy online in the USA: Gonzalez Byass Apóstoles Sherry 30 Years; Sandeman Don Fino Superior Sherry; Gutierrez Colosía Oloroso Sherry; Hartley & Gibson Sherry Fino; Savory & James Amontillado Sherry; Osborne Sibarita Oloroso Sherry; Williams & Humbert Dry Sack Fino Sherry Manzanilla is a distinctive type of sherry made in the same way as Fino but with one major difference. Made by Lustau, one of the great names of sherry, this award-winning sherry is fresh, tangy and outrageously nutty. Manzanilla: this is the fino Sherry made in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Discover the best sherries to buy. Solera-aged under a protective layer of flor for a minimum of two years, Fino represents the fresh-faced, aromatic side of the Sherry family... Made from the white Palomino grape variety and fortified soon after fermentation to 15%. Try poured on ice cream, as a sweetener in cocktails or on its own as a pudding in a glass. Fino is one of the driest sherries. You have to alter you perceptions and accept that sherry does not taste like any other wine, and then you can start to enjoy it. This review was last updated in November 2020. Elegante Fino Sherry Gonzalez Byass This light, elegant sherry has soft lemon and fresh yeast aromas. Manzanilla, as you probably know, is a fino sherry made in the port of Sanlucar de Barrameda rather than in the cities of Jerez or Puerto de Santa Maria which gives it its characteristic salty tang. Read our full review of Gonzalez Byass Matusalem oloroso sherry. Stick your nose in and it smells like an old navy rum; take a sip and it explodes with raisins, molasses, salted caramel and a finish of walnuts that goes on for a good half an hour. Yes, these are all great food wines, but many are also excellent aperitifs, after dinner sippers and indeed cocktail ingredients; I’d highly recommend a bamboo – fino mixed half and half with vermouth and served straight up like a martini. Manzanilla is fino produced and aged in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, near the coast, as opposed to the two inland points of the Sherry Triangle. Rey Fernando de Castilla, Antique Fino – beautifully packaged 50cl bottles from an irreproachable source. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. There’s a fresh apple note here but joined by orange peel and hazelnut. Sherry is made from white wine grapes only (and only three grape varieties at that), and the most popular of those is palamino fino, which can be used in all styles of sherry. Almost all are blends of vintages, aged in a solera. Darker sherries like amontillados and olorosos often have flavours of nuts, dried fruit, orange peel, brown sugar and toffee, just like a good whisky. Pedro Ximinez (PX) contains around 400g per litre of sugar and is usually used for blending. Aged for around 12 years, this is about as old as a fino can get. Read our full review of Morrisons The Best Oloroso. Read our full review of B Rodríguez Goyesco amontillado sherry. some of the best quality to price ratio in the wine world. Read our full review of Waitrose No.1 rich cream sherry. Dive right in, The best new and alternative hot cross bun flavours in 2021, The best vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free chocolate Easter eggs for 2021, The best kids' Easter eggs for 2021: delicious chocolate creations for children, The special recipes from Mum that inspired top chefs to follow their dreams, The best Mother's Day food gifts, hampers and restaurant meal kits to order now, How to order an exclusive mixed case of wine available only to Telegraph subscribers, Chicken and leek pie with cheddar hazelnut crumble recipe, The best UK rooftop bars and outdoor terraces to book this spring. This 30 year old blend of 75% oloroso with 25% PX is a symphony in sherry. We’re used to fruity wines like sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio, and sherry is not primarily about fruit. Sherry wineries, called bodegas , age wine in one of two ways, depending on the characteristics of the grape and the intended result. But throw in some olives and a bit of cheese, and they start to make sense very quickly. Magazine subscription – 3 issues for just £5. Read our full review of El Maestro Sierra PX sherry. It should never feel heavy, and the best finos are complex and refreshing. Read our full review of Fino Perdido Sanchez Romate sherry. In the 2014 Wines from Spain Awards, this complex and deep-flavoured gem was voted winner, Best Dry Fortified Champion. The (Wine) Society’s Fino – Great value at £4.95 for 75cl, but the sort of deal that has been ruining Jerez alas. Subscription offer: Get 3 issues for just £5. The latest offers and discount codes from popular brands on Telegraph Voucher Codes, Feel fortified: Pierpaolo Petrassi's dry sherry recommendations, wine.telegraph.co.uk/pierpaolos-top-picks, A special Mother's Day menu by Melissa Hemsley, When it comes to dream vineyards, has California overtaken France? It’s an extremely versatile food wine, taking in most cheeses and cold meats, but it’s also a great digestif. It’s best served chilled and pairs well with Gazpacho soup. This layer protects it from oxygen, meaning that even though your average fino might be an average of seven years old, it is still very fresh tasting. As an apéritif or accompaniment to tapas, the pleasures of a glass of dry sherry has few equals. This booze-tastic, layered libation is one of the only classic tiki cocktails that uses sherry. Made by the sea in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, manzanilla is the freshest, driest and most irresistible style of sherry, and this is the world’s bestselling example of the style. From oloroso to manzanilla and PX, there's a sherry to suit your taste and budget. There’s Brazil nuts, walnuts and almonds all wrapped in muscovado sugar, with a bone dry finish. Read our full review of Barbadillo palo cortado Obispo Gascon sherry. Expect cooked brown apples, marmite-like yeasty notes and salted almonds. The base wine thus obtained is fortified to 15% of alcohol by volume with the aim of favouring the development of the film of Flor, the natural protection made up of yeasts which will prevent the wine oxidizing during the ageing process whilst at the same time providing certain very special organoleptic characteristics. This wine is a tapas maestro. Fresh, full-flavoured, dry and quaffable (15% alcohol) £9.99 (75cl), widely available. Then you have super-sweet sherry made from the Pedro Ximinez. This … The perfect vodka and sherry … This shows why cream sherry (aka granny sherry) has proved so popular down the years in Britain. Expect cooked brown apples, marmite-like yeasty notes and salted almonds. Fino: Very dry, light-bodied sherry with a straw-like in color, the characteristic aroma associated with Fino is almond, and the wine has a crisp, saline quality. UK importer is Boutinot. If you have any questions or suggestions for future reviews, or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk. Read our full review of Fino Perdido Sanchez Romate sherry. Serve Fino and Manzanilla cold for the best results. It really is your sweet, sticky sherry.