A bottle labelled simply ‘Sherry’ can conceal a remarkable range of flavours: salty and bone-dry, nutty and savoury, or dark enough to pour over ice cream. Knowing how to choose sherry starts with leaving behind the idea that it is one drink for one generation. It is a whole family of wines from southern Spain, and there is a style for the aperitif tray, the cheese board, the pudding course and plenty in between.
The most useful question is not ‘Which sherry is best?’ but ‘What am I eating, and what sort of glass do I want?’ Once you have the answer, the labels become far less mysterious.
How to choose sherry by style
Sherry is made principally around Jerez in Andalucía, from white grapes and aged through a distinctive solera system. In simple terms, younger wine is blended gradually with older wine over time, creating a consistent house style and considerable complexity. What separates one sherry from another is largely how it is aged: under a protective layer of yeast called flor, exposed to oxygen, or sweetened with rich, sun-dried grape wine.
Fino and Manzanilla for a fresh, dry start
Choose Fino when you want a very dry, bright and saline sherry. It is delicate, often pale in colour, with flavours that can suggest almonds, bread dough, chamomile and sea air. It is one of the best bottles to have on hand for pre-dinner nibbles, particularly salted almonds, olives, jamón, anchovies and simply cooked seafood.
Manzanilla is closely related to Fino but comes from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, nearer the Atlantic. It commonly has an even more pronounced salty, breezy character. If oysters, prawns or tapas are on the menu, Manzanilla is a particularly happy choice. Both should be served properly chilled, much as you would a crisp white wine.
These are not styles to tuck away for years after opening. Their freshness is part of the appeal. Keep an opened bottle in the fridge and aim to enjoy it within a few days, or up to a week if it is holding well.
Amontillado for nutty depth without sweetness
Amontillado begins its life like a Fino, ageing under flor, then develops further with oxygen after the flor fades. That double life gives it a wonderful combination of dry freshness and toasted, hazelnut-like complexity. The colour is deeper, the aroma more expansive, and the palate often feels more rounded.
This is an excellent first choice for someone who says they want to explore sherry but is unsure where to begin. It has plenty of character without the intensity of the darkest styles. Pour it with roast chicken, mushroom dishes, aged Manchego, smoked fish or a bowl of salty crisps by the fire.
Oloroso for rich, savoury warmth
Oloroso is aged oxidatively from the outset, without a layer of flor. It is dry unless the label says otherwise, despite its fuller body and aromas of walnut, dried orange peel, leather, spice and polished wood. It has a generosity that makes it especially good with autumn and winter food.
Choose a dry Oloroso for roast meats, game, slow-cooked stews and mature cheeses. It can also be a fine alternative to red wine with deeply savoury dishes. If you enjoy whisky or aged rum, Oloroso’s warmth and concentration may be an easy route into fortified wine.
Palo Cortado for the curious drinker
Palo Cortado is the rare, intriguing middle ground. It often carries the aromatic finesse of Amontillado with the broader palate of Oloroso. Expect dry, layered flavours - citrus peel, nuts, spice and savoury notes - rather than obvious sweetness.
It is not necessarily the bottle to choose for a large party where glasses will be filled without much thought. It is, however, a lovely gift for a wine enthusiast or a bottle to open slowly with good cheese, charcuterie or a thoughtful supper. The price is usually higher, reflecting its scarcity and the care involved, but it can offer a memorable drinking experience.
Decide how sweet you want your sherry
A common source of confusion is that darker sherry does not automatically mean sweet sherry. Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado can all be dry. Look for the word ‘dry’ on the back label if you are uncertain, and ask for advice if a bottle is being chosen as a gift.
For a gently sweet style, Cream Sherry is the classic option. This is usually based on Oloroso and sweetened with sweeter wine, making it rounded, raisiny and easy to enjoy with blue cheese, fruitcake or after dinner. The best examples retain enough freshness to avoid becoming cloying.
Pedro Ximénez, often shortened to PX, sits at the luscious end of the scale. Grapes are dried in the sun before pressing, concentrating their sugars and flavours. The result can be almost syrupy, with notes of dates, figs, treacle, coffee and chocolate. A small chilled glass with vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate pudding or strong blue cheese is usually all that is needed.
Moscatel is another sweet style, generally more floral and grapey than PX. It can be a lovely choice with fruit-based desserts, almonds or fragrant cheeses. If a guest says they do not usually like fortified wine, a small, chilled serving of a good sweet sherry alongside pudding can change their mind rather quickly.
Match the bottle to the occasion
For an aperitif, favour Fino or Manzanilla. Their dryness wakes up the palate rather than weighing it down, and a standard white-wine-sized pour is usually more useful than a tiny thimbleful. Serve them at around 7-9°C in a small wine glass, not a miniature souvenir copita.
For dinner, think of sherry as a food wine rather than an afterthought. Amontillado handles umami-rich dishes beautifully, while dry Oloroso loves roasted flavours and long-cooked meat. A glass of either beside a cheese board can be more satisfying than another bottle of red.
For dessert or a nightcap, Cream Sherry, Moscatel and PX have their place. Here, smaller measures make sense. Their richness is the point, but it also means a little goes a long way. If you are buying for someone else, consider their usual preferences: a lover of crisp white wine may be delighted by Manzanilla, while a fan of sticky pudding wines may prefer PX.
Read the label with confidence
Age statements and terms such as VOS or VORS can indicate a particularly long average age, but they are not the only measure of quality. A well-made, youthful Fino can be thrilling precisely because it is lively and fresh. Instead of treating older as automatically better, choose according to style and purpose.
Also check the alcohol level. Most dry sherries sit around 15-20% ABV, while sweet styles vary. That extra strength makes sherry feel generous in a smaller serve, but it is still wine, not a spirit. It rewards a considered pour and the right temperature.
If you are building a small home selection, a chilled Fino or Manzanilla plus an Amontillado or Oloroso will cover a surprising number of meals. Add a half bottle of PX when dessert calls. Half bottles are especially sensible for sweet sherry, unless you know a very keen pudding-wine drinker is coming round.
Don’t overlook freshness after opening
Sherry is fortified, but it is not indestructible. Fino and Manzanilla are at their most expressive soon after opening. Amontillado and Oloroso are more forgiving and can remain enjoyable for several weeks if recorked and kept cool. Sweet styles generally last longer still, though they will always show best when handled with care.
A useful rule is to trust your nose. If a formerly bright Fino has lost its lifted, almondy aroma and tastes flat, it is past its best for drinking. It may still have a place in cooking, but that is a good excuse to open a fresh bottle.
The pleasure of sherry is that it asks you to be a little more specific. Choose the chilled, salty bottle for the first plate on the table; the nutty, dry one for supper; and the dark, sweet one when only a spoonful of something extravagant will do. If you are unsure where to begin, an independent merchant such as Givino can help you find the bottle that suits your menu rather than asking you to fit your menu around the bottle.
