WineChap Recommends...

More sterling advice from our friends at WineChap...

At WineChap HQ this week we’ve got a decided spring in our step – daylight hours are increasing and temperatures are slowly but surely rising (so much so that WineChap himself - Tom Harrow, is daring to wear his signature burgundy-coloured linen suit out and about – still a little weather-optimistic perhaps, but you won't find a finer example of tailoring...).

Tipping our hats to brightening skies, and in dreams that find us wishing life was as simple as it always used to be, we’ve decided to go back to the old school and re-kindle our love for Sherry. Yes, you heard it here first: Sherry is once again sexy. Forget its reputation as an older persons tipple and instead think of sultry days spent in southern Spain. Whether as a warm up to some well prepared tapas or to induce some summery post-dinner dreaming, sherry truly is back with a vengeance.

Still not convinced? Let us de-mystify the world of sherry a little. ‘Jerez’ as it’s otherwise known, comes in various forms. There’s fino, remembered for its dry and pale qualities, Manzanilla and Manzanilla Pasada getting nuttier and richer in their flavours. Further down the line there is the Amontillado – more complex still, and the Oloroso – meaning ‘scented’ in Spanish - traditionally more popular and traditionally more alcoholic (...is there a link we wonder?!). The beautifully aged Palo Cortado is a WineChap favourite and you’ll often find one of the team sipping on a glass at Great Queen Street. Fans of the sweet and sticky may prefer a glass of Pedro Ximénez.

To find out more, read our blog all about it or drop us a line to sort yourself out with your very own personality-matched bottle. In the meantime, here's what's topping our hit-list right now:

Lustau Almacenista Palo Cortado (Vides) – an unusual and highly sought after style. Palo Cortado is produced when the Flor developing on a Fino style sherry fails to develop, less a deliberate choice by the wine maker and more an “Act of God”. It shows the aromatics of an amontillado while boasting the colour and body of an oloroso; rich, concentrated, dry and complex. Available from Lea and Sandeman; Berry Bros and Rudd; slurp.co.uk

Amontillado La Bota no.9 – The average age of the wine from this solera is about 30yrs old. Just 1,400 bottles of this wine have been released and it is a true choice for the connoisseur! Aged in the pretty coastal town of Sanlucar it has retained manzanilla-like characters in its steely elegant profile, as well as evident depth and complexity. Available from Philglas and Swigot.

Tio Pepe Palomino Fino – if one of the reasons you have been put off sherry in the past is the high alcohol content, it’s worth bearing in mind that a Fino is unlikely to be more than 15.5% abv (on a par with several whites now emerging from California and Australia!) This is a fabulous alternative to dry table wines to serve as an aperitif, or even to accompany a tapas style meal. Serve chilled. Available from most high street wine merchants and from supermarkets (Waitrose, Tescos…)

‘Noe’, González Byass, Pedro Ximenez – Pedro Ximenez is used to create the sweetest style of sherry and this is a fabulous example of the type; rich and concentrated, it’s densely packed with intense raisin and fig flavours. For such a sweet wine, it is still wonderfully elegant and well-balanced. Best served cool, but not chilled. Available from everywine.co.uk; The Whisky Exchange; thedrinkshop.com

comments

other sherries Great article. The big problem that we Brits have with sherry is that we drink it as a spirit, not a wine. As for your currrent favourites list, what about a manzanilla? Can't go wrong with La Guita!

Sam 10:34 04/04/2011