Sherry and Montilla: from saline fino to Pedro Ximénez
15 bottles, from fino to Pedro XiménezA dry, saline glass to open the meal, an amber wine for the cheese, a dark nectar to pour over vanilla ice cream: sherry covers the whole table. It all starts with Palomino, planted on albariza, a white chalk that holds the winter rain, then a solera ageing that blends the years.
Here you will find the great styles, from fino aged under a veil of flor to oxidative oloroso, the VOS and VORS of Bodegas Tradición and the Pedro Ximénez wines of Montilla-Moriles. Every price is per bottle, with the format stated.
Bodegas Tradición - Pedro Ximénez VOS + 20 ans NV
A Pedro Ximénez VOS of great concentration, combining luscious richness and rare aromatic complexity.
Bodegas Tradición - Palo Cortado VORS + 30 ans NV
A Palo Cortado VORS of great finesse, combining aromatic depth, tension, and a salty length.
Bodegas Tradición - Oloroso VORS + 30 ans NV
A VORS Oloroso of great depth, dry and complex, that intensely expresses the character of the Jerez terroir.
Bodegas Tradición - Fino Viejo NV
A fine, old, dry and saline fino that precisely expresses the purity of the Jerez terroir.
Bodegas Tradición - Cream VOS + 20 ans NV
A Cream V.O.S. of great complexity, where sweetness is combined with an aromatic depth inherited from long aging in solera.
Bodegas Tradición - Amontillado VORS + 30 ans NV
A VORS Amontillado of great finesse, combining saline depth, oxidative complexity, and an interminable finish.
Barbadillo En Singular - Patinegro 2022
A saline and precise Andalusian white, where the Atlantic freshness meets the elegance of albariza.
Barbadillo En Singular - Tamarix 2024
An Andalusian white with saline freshness, between Atlantic breeze and limestone brilliance.
Barbadillo En Singular - Salicornia NV
An Andalusian white with marine inspiration, taut and saline, capturing the Atlantic spirit of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Fernando de Castilla - Palo Cortado Antique
A great Andalusian Palo Cortado, dry and complex, where finesse meets aromatic depth.
Fernando de Castilla - Amontillado Antique
A great Amontillado from Jerez, dry and deep, where oxidative finesse meets a vibrant salinity.
Fernando de Castilla - Oloroso Antique
A dry and intense Oloroso, emblematic of the traditional style of Jerez, combining aromatic depth and great persistence.
Fernando de Castilla - Fino Classic
A classic Fino from Jerez, dry, saline and precise, which expresses with purity the character of the albariza and the aging under veil.
Pérez Barquero - La Cañada Solera 25 ans
A highly concentrated Andalusian Pedro Ximénez, from a 25-year-old solera, combining luscious richness and remarkable length.
Pérez Barquero - Gran Barquero Solera 6 ans
A rich and concentrated Andalusian Pedro Ximénez, carried by a controlled sweetness and a long saline finish.
From fino to Pedro Ximénez, reading the range
Two kinds of ageing make sherry. Under a veil of yeasts, the flor, the wine is protected from the air: this is the biological ageing of fino and manzanilla. In open contact with air, it oxidises and takes on an amber colour: this is oloroso.
| Stil | Ageing | In the glass | At our place |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Palomino still wine, 11.5 to 12.5% | Vinified as a dry white, unfortified | Apple, citrus, chalky salinity | Tamarix 2024, Barbadillo En Singular€22.20 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda | Under a veil of flor, in criaderas and solera | Chamomile, iodine, salty finish | Salicornia, Barbadillo En Singular€27.80 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Fino Jerez, El Puerto de Santa María | Under a veil of flor, fortified to around 15% | Fresh almond, bread dough, dry and taut | Fino Classic, Fernando de Castilla€26.50 a bottle, by the case of 6 |
| Amontillado | Veil of flor, then ageing in contact with air | Hazelnut, blond tobacco, salt | Amontillado Antique, Fernando de Castilla€62 per 50 cl bottle, by the lot of 2 |
| Palo cortado | Veil dies out early, oxidative ageing | Amontillado nose, oloroso palate | Palo Cortado Antique, Fernando de Castilla€72 per 50 cl bottle, by the lot of 2 |
| Oloroso | Fortified to around 17%, ageing in contact with air | Walnut, leather, orange peel, dry | Oloroso Antique, Fernando de Castilla€59.40 per 50 cl bottle, by the lot of 2 |
| Cream | Blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximénez | Fig, caramel, round sweetness | Cream VOS, Bodegas Tradición€116 a bottle, sold individually |
| Pedro Ximénez Jerez, Montilla-Moriles | Sun-dried grapes, long solera | Raisin, date, coffee, very sweet | Gran Barquero Solera 6 ans, Pérez Barquero€42 a bottle, by the lot of 3 |
VOS (average age over 20 years) and VORS (over 30 years) crown the old soleras of Bodegas Tradición, from €116 to €210 a bottle, sold individually.
Which sherry with which dish
Sherry is first and foremost a wine for the table. Its salinity stands up to what red wine handles poorly: vinegar, egg, asparagus, soy, spices.
| Dish | Recommended style | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Jamón ibérico, chorizo | Fino, manzanilla | Salt and fat call for a dry wine, served well chilled. |
| Crustaceans, shellfish | Manzanilla, white Palomino | The iodine of the wine meets that of the sea. |
| Sushi, Japanese cuisine | Fino, manzanilla | Vinegared rice, soy, umami: fino holds its line. |
| Curry, spicy dishes | Amontillado, palo cortado | Their dry power stands up to spices. |
| Manchego, Comté, aged cheeses | Oloroso, palo cortado | Walnut and leather against the aged cheese. |
| Blue cheeses, Roquefort | Pedro Ximénez, cream | The sugar answers the salt of the blue veining. |
| Game, meat in sauce | Oloroso | A dry oloroso lifts a jus-based sauce. |
| Vanilla ice cream, chocolate | Pedro Ximénez | Poured over ice cream, the Andalusian way. |
For a sweet wine from another horizon, see our Madeiras and the sweet wines range.
A bottle for every mood
From table white to meditation wine, one way in for each moment.
For the aperitif, dry and saline
A fino aged under a veil of flor, fresh almond and a salty finish, to serve well chilled with ham.
Fino Classic, €26.50 a bottle, by the case of 6The taste of Sanlúcar
A Palomino aged under flor in Sanlúcar, in the spirit of manzanilla: briny, taut, for shellfish.
Salicornia, €27.80 a bottle, by the case of 6An unfortified table white
Palomino vinified as a dry white, at 11.5%, on albariza. Citrus and salinity, for grilled fish.
Tamarix 2024, €22.20 a bottle, by the case of 6Discover oxidative ageing
A dry oloroso, walnut, leather and orange peel, for an aged cheese or game.
Oloroso Antique, €59.40 per 50 cl bottle, by the lot of 2The rare style of the range
The finesse of an amontillado, the breadth of an oloroso. Superb with a mild curry or roast poultry.
Palo Cortado Antique, €72 per 50 cl bottle, by the lot of 2A Pedro Ximénez for dessert
Raisin, date and coffee: a PX from Montilla to pour over vanilla ice cream.
Gran Barquero Solera 6 ans, €42 a bottle, by the lot of 3Give a very old solera
An amontillado with an average age of over 30 years, certified VORS, saline and endless, to open among enthusiasts.
Amontillado VORS, €174 a bottle, sold individuallyMoving on to Madeira
Another great fortified, oxidative wine, from the Portuguese Atlantic, from dry to the sweetest.
Four houses, from table white to thirty-year-old solera
We chose four houses that cover the whole spectrum. Barbadillo En Singular shows Palomino as a single-site wine, in Sanlúcar: Tamarix and Patinegro are still whites, Salicornia a flor wine. Fernando de Castilla presents its Antique range in 50 cl bottles.
Bodegas Tradición, in Jerez de la Frontera, works with very old soleras: its Fino Viejo (€66 a bottle, by the lot of 2) and its VOS and VORS are meditation wines. Finally, Pérez Barquero brings Pedro Ximénez from Montilla-Moriles, including La Cañada Solera 25 ans, at €108 a bottle.
The solera, in a nutshell
The barrels are arranged in tiers. Wine is drawn from the bottom row, the solera, for bottling, then topped up from the row above, the first criadera, and so on. The young wines blend into the old: a sherry rarely carries a vintage, and its age is given as an average.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What people ask us about sherry
Xérès, sherry, jerez: what's the difference?
It is the same wine, under three names: jerez in Spanish, xérès in French, sherry in English, a legacy of the trade with London. The appellation covers the triangle of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, in the province of Cádiz. The whole country is on the wines of Spain page.
What's the difference between fino and manzanilla?
Both are made from Palomino and age under a veil of flor. Manzanilla comes only from Sanlúcar de Barrameda: the humidity of the estuary feeds a thick veil there, hence a light, briny wine with chamomile notes. Fino from Jerez is a little broader, with almond notes, like Fernando de Castilla's Fino Classic.
What is an amontillado?
A sherry that begins life as a fino, under a veil of flor, then continues it in contact with air when the veil dies out. It keeps the saline finesse of fino and gains notes of hazelnut and blond tobacco. A dry wine, superb with a consommé, mushrooms or spicy dishes.
What is palo cortado?
A rare style, between amontillado and oloroso. The wine starts under a veil of flor, then the cellar master judges it full enough for oxidative ageing: the delicate nose of an amontillado, the full palate of an oloroso. Palo Cortado Antique sells for €72 per 50 cl bottle, by the lot of 2.
What do VOS and VORS mean on a sherry?
VOS, Very Old Sherry, guarantees an average age of over 20 years; VORS, Very Old Rare Sherry, of over 30 years. The Consejo Regulador certifies each lot by tasting and analysis. Bodegas Tradición's Oloroso VORS sells for €128 a bottle, sold individually.
At what temperature should sherry be served?
Fino and manzanilla are served well chilled, between 6 and 8 °C. Amontillado and palo cortado are best at 12 or 13 °C, oloroso at around 14 °C, Pedro Ximénez at around 12 °C to temper its sweetness. Use a tulip-shaped white wine glass: the aromas open up better than in the small copita.
How long does an open bottle of sherry keep?
It all depends on the ageing. A fino or a manzanilla should be drunk within the week, re-corked and kept in the fridge. Amontillado, palo cortado and oloroso, already used to air, last several weeks. A Pedro Ximénez or a cream keeps for several months. For other fortified wines, see the sweet wines range.
What's the difference between Montilla-Moriles and Jerez?
Montilla-Moriles, near Córdoba, is hotter and more continental. Pedro Ximénez replaces Palomino there and naturally reaches 15%: Montilla finos often do without fortification. Pérez Barquero makes solera PX wines from it, from Gran Barquero 6 ans (€42 a bottle, by the lot of 3) to La Cañada 25 ans (€108).