Sherry is a fortified wine, however the first phase in making Sherry is practically identical to most other types of wine. The real differences come after fermentation. After fermentaion, Sherry is fortified with Brandy and, in some styles of Sherry, a yeast called flor starts to grow on the surface of the wine while it is maturing in barrels. Flor feeds off of the young wine, and is thickest in the cases of fino and manzanilla.

Barrels of Sherry are arranged in a pyramid-like configuration called a solera system, one on top of another, so that young wines can obtain the characteristics of older wines. The wine on the bottom row of the solera is the oldest Sherry, and the youngest is on top. As the young wine trickles down to the row below, the wine is blended to ensure the consistency and quality of the Sherry. This method of blending means that it can take between 5 and 100 years for a Sherry to be produced.

Every Year is a Good Year
Because of all this young and old blending, Sherry is a non-vintage wine.