I tested leading sherries from M&S to Croft Original and the best was among the cheapest
ARE you feeling Fino? Spanish sipper sherry has a reputation for being Granny’s favourite sweet tipple, but this fabulous fortified wine is far from being old-fashioned.
National Sherry Week was launched on November 6 and runs until Sunday, with organisers stressing the booze can be drunk solo, as an aperitif or paired with big food flavours.
Drinks expert Helena Nicklin (helenanicklin.com) gives us her guide to super sherries that won’t break the bank and marks them out of five.
Salud!
Pedro Ximenez £6.65, 37.5cl, 17% abv, Co-op (in stores)
★★★☆☆
PX as it is known, is a completely unique style of sherry.
Naturally sweet, this is made with Pedro Ximenez grapes rather than Palomino Fino like all the others that I tasted for this test.
The grapes are picked very ripe, made into wine and aged in barrels, sometimes for decades.
It is thick like molasses and dark brown with notes of dried figs, raisins and caramel.
You could pour this over vanilla ice cream for a super- indulgent treat.
La Gitana Manzanilla £9.75, 50cl, 15% abv, Tesco
★★★★☆
SHERRY has had an image issue for a long time – even the word itself sounds sweet, like an 1980s trifle.
But the thing you need to know about the tipple is that the truly great bottles – the ones that aficionados rave about – are generally very dry.
The lightest style of sherry from the Andalucian coast, Manzanilla, is pale, saline with a slight floral flourish.
La Gitana is one of Spain’s oldest brands and sets the benchmark for Manzanilla.
This 50cl bottle from Tesco is good value and just the right size.
Sip it alone or enjoy Spanish style, with hard, salty cheese or almonds.
Caversham Premium Cream Sherry £6.29, 75cl, 18% abv, Aldi
★★☆☆☆
A BLEND of various dry sherries with a dollop of sweetness from concentrated grape juice.
This bottle is just decent enough to serve to your traditional sherry-drinking rellies straight up and very chilled.
It also makes a surprisingly good cooking ingredient, and is perfect for glugging into a boozy cake mix.
A bargain bottle to have on hand at home.
Plus, if you need a guilty pleasure food pairing at any point, it is rather good drunk with an indulgent chocolate orange.
Palo Cortado £7.25, 37.5cl, 19% abv, Morrisons
★★★★★
TANGY and nutty, with notes of dried orange peel, this will be a tipple that will become your new obsession.
This is what the cool kids drink as it is a rare style of dry sherry that has the dryness of Amontillado with the flavour profile of the richer Oloroso.
Morrisons’ offering is really excellent value for money, priced well under £10.
Drink it chilled alone or with pastry, your favourite hard cheeses, nuts and charcuterie – dry sherry really does love a savoury snack.
A great aperitif.
Croft Original £11.50 (down from £13) 1L, 17.5%, Asda
★★★☆☆
NOT everyone wants a dry sherry and for those who prefer something sweeter, Croft Original is the classic “cream” sherry, which has been beloved by grandparents worldwide for many years.
Cream sherry simply means sweetened Fino, and the balance of sweet and saline works well, making it a gorgeously guilty pleasure.
This a great glugger in a whopping one litre bottle that will last the festive season and beyond.
Lovely paired with puds, especially dark chocolate cake or Tiramisu.
M&S Fino £10.50, 75cl, 15% abv, M&S/Ocado
★★★☆☆
IF you are a sherry newbie this is a good dry style to commence your journey.
Sherry is made from white wine grapes then fortified with the addition of grape spirit, before being aged in barrels.
Dry Fino is similar in style to Manzanilla, as both are aged under yeast and fortified up to around 15 per cent ABV.
Fino is a more inland version, which makes it a tad heavier to sip with a moreish, marmite vibe.
This bottle from M&S is generously sized and makes a great pale aperitif treat.
Made with Palomino grapes and aged in oak barrels, it is ridiculously refreshing when mixed with straight tonic.
Oloroso £9, 50cl, 20% abv, Sainsbury’s
★★★★☆
THE darkest and richest of the dry sherries, Oloroso has a heavier texture and more complex flavours.
Expect hints of dried tobacco, truffle, leather and even balsamic.
This Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference bottle is made using a method of production called the Solera system, which involves ageing and blending in a series of barrels.
A stunning sipper with food, you can pair this with bold beef dishes, game and stinky cheese.
Do bear the 20 per cent ABV in mind though, and enjoy your bev steadily!
Barbadillo Amontillado £10.50, 75cl, 17.5% abv, Amazon
★★★☆☆
A GLASS of this is usually very dry with a saline element of Fino but with a nutty, dried fruit flavour.
Viscous and amber in colour, you will nowadays find it with a splash of sweetness, such as this classic from Barbadillo – a quality brand which has been making the tipple for generations.
Aged for three years, it has a quality sherry pedigree.
It is fab with fruit, salted caramel choccy and a bowl of salted nuts to make the flavours sing.