When is sherry served

It has a bone dry and distinctly savoury character which means it will happily co-exist with a meal rich in umami, salt, vinegar and fat. Not only that, but it will also serve to cleanse your palate with each glug, stimulating your taste buds and bringing out more flavour in the accompanying food at the same time — magic! Back on the home front the good news is that the sherry gospel is spreading furiously, fuelled by the rising popularity of great Spanish restaurants up and down the country.

The sherry-curious can now sample a drop of Shakespeare's favourite tipple as far north as Edinburgh's Oloroso , at Paul Heathcote's Grado in Manchester, or in a plethora of London establishments Moro, Iberica and Pinchito to name but a few.

In fact, London is soon to be home to a dedicated sherry bar called Bar Pepito in Kings Cross, an indication of the capital's foodie community's warm acceptance of sherry as part of their drinking repertoire. A beginner's guide to sherry. Britain is embracing the best of Spanish food, and sherries are the perfect flavour match. In the second part of our Spanish season, expert Andrew Sinclair explains why sherry has never deserved its fusty reputation. Bodegas de Antonio Barbadillo, Andalucia.

Storing: Sherry has had all the aging it needs before it is released. The richer styles will last quite some time in an unopened bottle, but will not perceptibly improve from the experience. Finos and Manzanillas are much more delicate and should be drunk as soon as possible after purchase as they tend to lose their freshness just as many crisp, light, unfortified white wines do.

Some experts even suggest confirming that your local supplier moves enough sherry to ensure that the bottles haven't been sitting around the store too long.

There is a common misperception that sherry, once opened, remains fresh for quite some time, like some other fortified wines madeira, for example and liquors.

This is unfortunately not the case, and another reason that sherry is not as popular as it deserves to be with Americans is that they try it at a restaurant that has kept a bottle of Fino sitting on the bar for several months developing dust on the bottle like a reminder of the flor that once helped make the wine great.

In restaurants it is definitely important to order sherry at a place that takes wine seriously and sells a fair amount of sherry. Generally speaking, you can serve sherry directly from the bottle without feeling embarrassed. As with most wine, sherry is best stored somewhere dark, cool, and quiet. Wine is sensitive to light and vibrations while cool and consistent temperatures prevent the contents of a bottle from spoiling. Indeed, if you have access to a wine cellar, you can always serve sherry straight from there.

Otherwise, a basement is ideal whereas a refrigerator is fine in most cases. Unlike most wine, however, sherry is best stored upright. Modern sherry bottles are injected with an inert gas when bottled to prevent oxidation. If you place the bottle on its side, it comes into contact with the cork.

As a result, it will come into more contact with oxygen. Osborne Sherries. Despite being fortified, sherry is ultimately a white wine. Therefore, Fino sherry is quite fragile and therefore best consumed soon after bottling when still young. Furthermore, the flor is primarily used to create a natural barrier that protects the sherry from oxygen. Similarly, this process renders it particularly sensitive to air, which means that it soon spoils once opened.

Osborne Sherry. Meanwhile, an Oloroso will have undertaken intense oxidative ageing, which means that its prolonged exposure has made it particularly resistant to air contact. Similarly, the higher alcohol content helps preserve their flavours. Likewise, the sugar content of sweet types of sherry will also double as a natural preservative. That being said, all sherry has a relatively limited lifespan once bottled and after it has been opened.

Therefore, we suggest that you refer to the section below to check who long it can be kept. The sweetness of a good Cream or PX Sherry is guaranteed to add an extra dimension to your festive fruit cake this year - give it a whirl. And if this hasn't got you excited about enjoying Sherry with family and friends, then check out: how to convert your friends to Sherry ; or find out how to Go Nuts for Sherry.

Sherry is making a real comeback in all the trendiest bars round the world - especially as a component of a great cocktail. You too can mix up a sherry storm at home with a bottle of Oloroso or Cream Sherry to hand.

Grab any well-known dark Cream Sherry from your nearest retailer and some fresh oranges. Muddle the orange with Sherry and enjoy.

Sherry twist on a Rob Roy — as whisky is aged in old Sherry casks you can imagine that the two blend well together in a cocktail. For this simple, yet warming mix, replace the traditional sweet vermouth used with a sweetened Oloroso. Stir and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist or orange or lemon.

If you have a bottle of dry Sherry ready-to-go in the fridge, add a splash to a spicy Bloody Mary for an extra layer of flavour, or to a gin and tonic for another flavour boost. There are lots more Sherry cocktail recipes on our website using all types of Sherries from Manzanilla to PX, simply explore to find the right one for you.

Whether under the Christmas tree, or for birthdays throughout the year, surprise the ones you love with a bottle of Sherry - especially for those who love whisky but perhaps want a bottle of something a bit different to unwrap. These wines are aged for a mimum of 20 and 30 years respectively, but most for much longer. They are also very rewarding to enjoy because a little goes a long way on the flavour front. If you're not sure which to choose, then always ask your local wine merchant - these merry men and women of the wine industry love Sherry and always have a fantastic selection available.

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