Sherry was “invented” by enterprising English merchants in the 16th century. To stop the Spanish white wine deteriorating during its long sea voyage from Cádiz to London they mixed in a little brandy. Well into the 19th century this drink was very popular in Great Britain. Queen Victoria was accustomed to drinking daily a glass of golden Domecq sherry with her lunch.

Sherry comes from the Andalusian province of Cádiz in south-west Spain. The countryside in the triangle between the towns of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda bears a resemblance to the Champagne region east of Rheims. The vines stretch out in endless rows across gently undulating hills like sand dunes of white, chalky soil rich in clay.

Fino, the pale
The basis for Fino sherry is a rather non-descript white wine made largely from Palomino grapes blended with a little Moscatel. After fermentation in the barrel a small amount of alcohol is added – which is the start of something exciting: gradually a creamy, greyish yellow skin of yeast forms on the surface called flor (“flower” in Spanish). This membrane seals the wine from the air, keeping it from oxidizing, and imbues the Fino with its characteristic lightly salty taste of bitter almonds.

The solera system
The barrels in the cellars of the sherry bodegas are stacked in layers of three or four. The topmost barrels, called criadero (nursery), hold the youngest wine. Maturing in the barrels at the bottom, called solera, is the oldest. Once or twice a year 20 to 30 per cent of the wine in the solera barrels is removed for bottling. The barrels are then replenished with wine from the next row of barrels above these, which in turn are topped up with wine from the barrels above them, and so on, until new wine is added to the top row of barrels.

Oloroso, the dark
Oloroso sherry is made without flor yeast. Immediately after fermentation it is fortified with brandy to attain 18% alcohol and then matured in contact with air. It is this oxidation process that gives it its deep caramel hue and spicy taste of dried fruits. Since evaporation annually removes two to three per cent of its volume Oloroso can contain over 23% alcohol. Old, well-matured Olorosos count as the most exquisite and expensive of all sherry types.