The President of the Secret Sherry Society is pleased to present this week’s author on “Sherry Blogger of the Week,” Dr. Michael Lim of The Travelling Gourmet.
An internationally renowned Travel, Food & Wine Writer/Chef, Dr. Lim has traveled the world in a relentless search for good food and winsome wines. Trained by top 3 Michelin Star Chefs, LeNotre Culinary School in Paris & CIA (Culinary Institute of America), he is also a parachutist, fencer, SCUBA diver & big game hunter.
Each week we will feature a new wine blogger committed to sharing with readers their passion and knowledge of wine. If you are a wine blogger and are interested in being featured on our website please email us at secretsherrysociety@gmail.com.
Stupendous Sherry!
The intrepid Travelling Gourmet tells you about Spain’s gift to the world…
By Dr. Michael Lim, The Travelling Gourmet
My fondest memories of Sherry are from when I was an undergraduate student at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. Every time you visited your friends or Professors socially, they would offer you a nice glass of Sherry. Inevitably, it was Harvey’s Bristol Cream. Then you would sit by the blazing fire in the living room and chat. At Christmas time, Sherry was the tipple to go with beloved Christmas Plum Pudding Flambe served with lashing of Rum Butter or Brandy Butter. OMG! It was super yummy! And who can resist that classic English dessert…Sherry Trifle with jelly, strawberries and custard! Made with Lady Finger sponge biscuits soaked in…lots of (what else?) Sherry!
Sherry actually comes from the Moorish language – “Seris”. In Spanish, Sherry is Jerez which is also the name of the Spanish town which is the center for Sherry production.
A typical sherry has a nose of blue steel like that of my favourite H&K USP 9mm pistol, light amber in colour, bone dry in the mouth, it is so powerful your first taste may be a shock to your taste buds…
John Harvey & Sons was founded in 1796 in Bristol and Harvey’s Bristol Cream has become the world’s best selling Sherry. How “Cream” became a part of this famous label is the stuff of legend. In the 1860s Harvey’s already had a popular blend called Harvey’s Bristol Milk. When an aristrocratic lady visited the cellars and tasted a new blend, she promptly declared: ”If that be the milk, then this is cream!” Made exclusively from Palomino fruit from their own Spanish vineyards in Jerez Superior appellation, it is a blend of four wines. They are Amontillado, Fino, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez from more than 50 different Soleras with an average age of 8 years on bottling. Heady caramel and raisin aromas entice with a palate of dried fruit and nuts plus a lingering voluptuous finish…like the kiss of a ravishing woman. The cobalt blue bottle has been a distinctive feature since 1990.
Sherry’s Humble Beginning
Dry Sherry or Fino Sherry accounts for 95% of Sherry production. From a simple white wine crafted from the Palomino grape grown in this arid region of southern Spain, it is fermented till there is NO residual sugar. American oak casks are filled till five-sixths of the way and left partly covered.
Some, not all of the barrels develop a layer like cream cheese. Called Flor, it comprises Saccharomyces yeast and shields the wine from oxidation. The wine is lightly fortified and will be used to make Fino.
More alcohol is added to barrels without Flor. The wine oxidizes and they become Olorosos.
Solera aging
This is very complicated, which is why there are Almacenistas who are specialists in this art. In a nutshell, a part of the younger wine is added to an older barrel. From the older barrel, a part is added an even older one, and so on…A 100 barrels or more can make up a Solera! They are carefully arranged in a pyramid with the oldest at the bottom. Simply put, it is a precise form of fractional blending
Make mine a Fino…
Finos from Jerez, where the hot summer burns off the Flor, are heartier. while those made In Sanlucar, the milder weather is conducive to growing Flor all year-round and they are more delicate. The latter are known as manzanilla, perhaps because have nuances of chamomile tea which bears the same name. An example of ‘terroir’ or the taste of the place.
These wines are pale, light…to be enjoyed young. Chill before drinking for the best taste. On the contrary, having taken on unique flavors from the flor, Finos are very popular due to the collection of unique and complex flavours from the Flor. It is like caviar and foie gras an acquired taste, not for the hoi polloi.
Fino is generally young, about five years old. Age it to obtain Fino Amontillado. It begins to take on oxidative characteristics as the Flor disappears. Almonds and hazelnuts, toffee notes and a deeper colour. In the Soleras the younger more vibrant & expressive wines are foiled by the older, more complex wines.
OMG! Oloroso
Olorosos are older…richer and more costly but worth it if you are partial to such flavours and complexity. Oloroso means “fragrant” in Spanish. Sweet Amontillados and Olorosos are lovely with Crème Brulee, aged cheese and of course, a perfect match for Ye Olde English Sherry Trifle. Sweet Harveys Pedro Ximenez VORS Sherry explodes on your palate with voluptuous flavours of figs and Arabian dates. A dash of sherry also brings out the flavour of Lobster Bisque.
Say cheers to suprising Sherry…Salud!
The Travelling Gourmet’s SAS (smooth as silk) Sherry Trifle
A ravishing English lady taught me this recipe…
Ingredients
- Big clear glass bowl for the Trifle
- 1 packet of Lady Finger sponge biscuits
- Fresh Strawberries.
- Fresh Raspberries
- Chocolate curls
- ½ cup Orange Juice
- Strawberry Jelly
- Pedro Ximenez Sherry
- Sliced almonds
- Custard or Crème Anglais.
Method
Place the Lady Finger sponge biscuits to line the bottom of the bowl.Then pour on orange juice and sherry to taste ( 5 tablespoons). The sponge will soak up the juices and sherry.
Add in the fresh strawberries. Make some strawberry jelly and pour carefully in. You can add strawberry jam to the jelly for more texture. Let it set in the refrigerator.
Before serving, make the custard, let it cool and pour it on top of the set jelly. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh strawberries, raspberries, chocolate curls and serve immediately. Enjoy!
On Valentine’s Day, make a heart on top of the custard with strawberries, raspberries &cherries. Michelangelo always said: Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle!
The President of the Secret Sherry Society is pleased to present this week’s author on “Sherry Blogger of the Week,” Tom Firth from WineAccess . You can also follow Vicky on Twitter @cowtownwine.
Each week we will feature a new wine blogger committed to sharing with readers their passion and knowledge of wine. If you are a wine blogger and are interested in being featured on our website please email us at secretsherrysociety@gmail.com.
Sherry, The Forgotten Elixir
By Tom Firth
I love sherry and I don’t really care if you love it.
This might seem like an outrage to the average sherry enthusiast, but I am tired of trying and I don’t want to spend anymore of my time trying convert people to a wine that they are never going to drink.
Sherry (and the wines of Montilla-Moriles) has had a rough 50 years. Its last heyday was before the birth of most current sherry drinkers and it stands as a largely forgotten, yet mainstream, wine. Cheap and overly sweet imitations, along with the stigma of drinking what might have been your grandmother’s tipple, has all but removed the wine from the common man or woman’s drinking repertoire.
I have been a fan of sherry since my first year in the wine business, almost 16 years ago. After completing university, my first order of business was a wine trip to Spain and Portugal to taste their fortified wines. After 5 years of school, working in the wine business, I could think of no better way to give myself a reward for my hard work that that. From drinking vino tinto in white coffee mugs in Pinhão for a lone Euro (still one of my favourite wine experiences) served by a poor fellow working out of a converted aging cask, to touring bodegas in Cordoba in the scorching hot Andalucían summer.
From a delicate fino, to a sublime manzanilla, to the sweetest PX, I am always game to sit down, have a glass, and discuss the fortified wines of Spain until the wee hours. But despite my best efforts, I have yet to covert anyone who wasn’t already a fan of sherry or an open-minded wine nerd. I’ve led sherry classes and fortified wine seminars, but I’ve never seen that eureka moment in which the attendee says, ”This is the wine for me. We are going to drink fino all summer until we pass out, barf, or the snow flies — whichever comes first.”
And I don’t care anymore.
Sure, there is a market for sweet and dessert sherries, sherry-based cocktails and whisky finished in sherry cask.. Depending on who you ask, in some ways the market for sherry finished whiskies and its need for those barrels used in sherry production has helped keep the market for the wines of alive.
The dessert wine market is a big and lucrative, but fickle. Virtually every wine producing region has its own version of a sticky wine, but they move in and out of fashion almost too fast to be counted. Sherry is the best match for most dessert tarts, but desserts change and sherry cannot capture the imagination of enough diners to become a permanent or prominent addition to the average wine list.
Will it ever become the regular tipple of the thirsty masses in North America?
More countries should agree to protect the term “sherry” and stop producing their own misleading and often inferior versions of the wine. Sherry does not come from Canada, the United States, Australia, or anywhere outside of Spain. Although I do count the wines of Montilla-Moriles when I talk about the wines of Jerez.
Nothing is more refreshing on a hot summer day than a glass of fino. Sitting on a patio on a hot July afternoon in Andalusia and having a glass (or six) of sherry can’t be beat. A dry sherry is a wine that always tastes better outside.
A few years ago, Wine Access launched a competition for wines available in the Canadian market for less than $25 on a retail wine shelf. The wines are judges blind by independent and objective wine experts from across Canada.
Two years ago, sherries began to win Judge’s Choice awards and appear on our “Killer Values” list of the best wines under $15. The judges were thrilled; we (being the wine nerds we are) all love to see a great wine region receive recognition and the importers of those wines saw a modest rise in sales. We know that consumers are interested in trying new wines, but I just don’t know if sherry will keep their interest.
I love to “geek out” about sherry with like-minded individuals, but you will never see me emerge from my cellar with a bottle of sherry hidden behind my back, uttering the words, “I’ve got something you have to try.” I just don’t think that it’s worth the effort.
Unless you are a wine nerd, then we can talk…and I’ll bring the wine.
Originally posted on WineAccess
The President of the Secret Sherry Society is pleased to present this week’s author on “Sherry Blogger of the Week,” Melanie Ofenloch from Dallas Wine Chick . You can also follow Vicky on Twitter @melanie0 and check her out on Facebook.
Each week we will feature a new wine blogger committed to sharing with readers their passion and knowledge of wine. If you are a wine blogger and are interested in being featured on our website please email us at secretsherrysociety@gmail.com.
Dallas Wine Chick’s Jerez Adventure
By Melanie Ofenloch
I was pleasantly surprised when I was asked by The Secret Sherry Society (the source for sherry information for wine lovers, sommeliers and wine retailers) to be a guest blogger on their site. I happened to have a great bottle in mind and it gave me the opportunity to open something special from a wonderful trip to Spain eight years ago when my husband and I visited the Andalusian Coast. It was a fabulous trip and we ate and drank our way through Spain visiting Marbella, Granada, Seville, Malaga and Jerez de la Frontera. On a side note, near the end of that trip was the first time my husband gritted his teeth and answered me truthfully – no honey, you cannot wear those jeans. He lived to tell the tale and reinforced that honesty is the best policy in the age old female question – does this make me look fat?
While in Jerez, we picked up a 1971 Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserva, a leading producer of some of the world’s best sherry. It fit my criteria on old wines – interesting, hard to buy in Dallas and something that we could open with great memories.
Pouring the molasses-like liquid out of the bottle, we swirled the liquid in the glass and it was immediately coated. I expected sweetness, but tasted coffee, raisin, spice and almond flavors. The nose was full of hazelnut and dates. It’s delightful – and a wonderful memory of a trip that remains one of our most romantic and fun times in our 17 year marriage.
The next day we brought it to our Valentine’s Day celebration dinner where we knew cheese and chocolate would be part of the occasion. When we paired it with a piece of chocolate with a little dab of King’s Island Roaring 40’s blue cheese, the stars absolutely aligned. This sherry continued to improve with each sip and with the chocolate/cheese pairing was sublime.
Thank you to The Secret Sherry Society for reminding me that I had this sherry in my cellar and encouraging me to open it. It was an unexpected treat and reminder to go off the beaten path on your wine choices and you will be greatly rewarded.
The President of the Secret Sherry Society is pleased to present this week’s author on “Sherry Blogger of the Week,” Lance J. Mayhew of MyLifeOnTheRocks . Lance is also an instructor at Oregon Culinary Institute as well as the Contributing Writer for Whiskey at About.com.
Each week we will feature a new wine blogger committed to sharing with readers their passion and knowledge of wine. If you are a wine blogger and are interested in being featured on our website please email us at secretsherrysociety@gmail.com.
Jerez’s Famous Sherry Producing Towns
By Lance J. Mayhew, MyLifeOnTheRocks
When most wine educators and enthusiasts talk about the wine regions of Spain, there is a tendency to focus on political boundaries rather than the actual region itself. Luckily, when it comes to the political boundaries of Andalucia, its most famous wine regions all fall well within its borders. Jerez, the home of Sherry and its subregion of Manzanilla De Sanlucar de Barrameda, Montilla-Moriles, Malaga and Condado de Huelva are the recognized Denominacion de Origen (DO) categories of fortified wines. All have a long tradition of making fortified wines, but Jerez is clearly the most famous and the considered the highest quality.
While any short list of the great Sherries from Jerez is sure to do the region an injustice due to the overall quality of the Sherry industry, my two favorite styles of Sherry are Amontillado and Manzanilla, a style of fino Sherry that hails from the Sanlucar de Barrameda subregion. While all sherries from Jerez are generally well regarded as high quality and one of the greatest values in the world of wine, production centers around three main centers; Sanlucar de Barrameda, Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerte de Santa Maria. All produce excellent Sherries, each with their own unique characteristics. Here are three of my favorite Sherries that represent a classic flavor profile from each town;
Sanlucar de Barrameda is a bit cooler and features a higher humidity than the surrounding areas of Jerez as it is a seaside town. This marine influence allows a slightly briny note to carry into the Sherry. My current favorite is from Bodegas Argueso, a Sherry bodega dating from the early 19th century. Their San Leon Manzanilla is a pale gold Sherry made from Palomino Fino grapes grown in the famous albariza soil of the region which is a combination of chalk, clay and silica which helps reflect sunlight back up the grapevines. The vineyard is located in a former salt marsh, and the marine influence is evident from the moment one begins to enjoy the bouquet. Toasted almonds, chamomile and a whiff of salt air appear before rich toasted almond and yeast tones dance across the palate. This is a very food friendly wine and one I like to pair with olives, Serrano ham, Manchego cheese and good bread for a quick and easy snack.
Jerez de la Frontera is the city at the cultural heart of Spain’s Sherry production. A number of the best Sherry bodegas are located there and its location further inland than Sanlucar de Barrameda results in a climate that is warmer and drier. The oldest Sherry bodega in existence calls Jerez de la Frontera home, with records indicating the Valdespino family has been involved in Sherry production since at least 1430. With almost 600 years of experience and knowledge, the Valdespino Contrabandista amontillado is a relative newcomer to the Valdespino lineup with the Contrabandista solera being established in 1892. This amontillado spends 8 years aging under flor, a yeasty substance that appears on the top of some styles of Sherry, then spend at least another 8 years in the solera. The result is a dark, amber colored oxidized wine with notes of hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cocoa, caramel and orange peel. A small amount of Pedro Ximenez is added to the predominantly Palomino Fino Sherry, adding just a touch of sweetness that is balanced by a bright acidity. This creates a slightly raisin-like finish, with hints of cinnamon, butterscotch and fresh roasted coffee. I like to enjoy Valdespino Contrabandista with roasted rack of lamb and more recently, I’ve been pairing it with Chinese food with surprising success.
El Puerte de Santa Maria is a bit further south than Jerez de la Frontera and Sanlucar de Barrameda. A seaport, this town was most famous for being the site of Columbus’s second expedition to the New World before the Sherry bodegas became famous. The world famous Osborne Sherry bodega is located in El Puerte de Santa Maria, and they produce a full range of Sherry styles from fino and Manzanilla (sourced from vineyards in Sanlucar de Barrameda), to Pedro Ximenez and even cream Sherry. My favorite though is Osborne amontillado. The Osborn amontillado has a slightly marine air hint as its vineyards are located much closer to the sea than the vineyards in Jerez de la Frontera. Not quite as dark as Valdespino Contrabandista, this rich, amber colored amontillado features strong nut-like tones, along with caramel, butterscotch and cocoa. There is a nice, lively acidity to balance just a hint of sweetness, which makes this amontillado a great pairing with cheeses and smoked seafood.
If you are curious about exploring the world of Sherry, my best advice to you is to just jump right in. From exploring the different styles of Sherry to exploring how the variations in the climate of a particular area can affect the flavor profile of the Sherries from that town, the world of Sherry is both exciting and affordable. You don’t even need a great wine shop to properly guide you through the Sherries of Jerez, simply identify a style you enjoy and try several within that category from different producers. Whatever may end up being your favorite bodega only your palate will decide, but the journey through the Sherries of Jerez will be a memorable and delicious one. I’d argue that the journey through the world of Sherry will more rewarding than any end result.
