Jerez–Xérès–Sherry DO

1. Overview

Sherry comes from the very south of Spain, in a sunny coastal area called the Sherry Triangle:
Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María.
It is a special type of fortified wine, famous for its wide range of flavours — from light and dry to rich and sweet.

2. Climate & Soils

• Hot, sunny weather with strong winds from the Atlantic
• Poniente: cool, humid wind that helps the wines stay fresh
• Levante: hot, dry wind that makes wines more intense
• The region’s bright white albariza soil holds water like a sponge, helping vines survive hot summers

3. Grapes

Three main grapes are used:

4. The Solera System (Beginner Explanation)

Sherry is aged using a method called the solera system, where wines from different years are mixed slowly over time.

• Barrels are stacked in layers.
• The oldest wine is at the bottom, the youngest at the top.
• When wine is bottled, a little is taken from the bottom and replaced with wine from the layer above it.

This creates:

• Wines with lots of complexity
• A consistent taste every year
• A blend of both old and young wines in every bottle

5. How Sherry Gets Its Flavours

There are two main ways Sherry ages:

1. Biological Ageing — under a layer of yeast ("flor")

This happens with Fino and Manzanilla.
Flor protects the wine from oxygen and gives flavours like:

• Almond
• Bread dough
• Sea breeze
• Green apple skin

2. Oxidative Ageing — exposed to oxygen

This is how Oloroso and sweet styles age.
Flavours include:

• Walnut
• Caramel
• Toffee
• Spices

Mixed Ageing

• Amontillado: starts as Fino, then becomes richer
• Palo Cortado: rare, combining finesse and power

6. Official Sherry Styles

Dry:

• Fino
• Manzanilla
• Amontillado
• Palo Cortado
• Oloroso

Sweet:

• PX (very rich and thick)
• Moscatel (floral and fruity)

Blended:

• Pale Cream
• Medium
• Cream

En Rama: lightly filtered, more intense versions of dry Sherry.

7. Famous Producers

• Tío Pepe (González Byass)
• Valdespino
• La Gitana / Hidalgo
• Barbadillo
• Equipo Navazos
• El Maestro Sierra

8. Wines to Try

• Fino Inocente (Valdespino)
• Tío Pepe En Rama
• La Gitana Manzanilla
• Cream Sherry for something sweet
• PX for rich, dessert-like sweetness

9. Summary

Sherry is a unique wine made with special soils, special ageing, and special yeast.
Every bottle is a blend of many years, thanks to the solera system.
From light and salty to rich and sweet, Sherry offers a style for every palate.