Tasting In person

Sherry and Fortified Wine Masterclass

From the salt-air delicacy of Manzanilla to the syrupy intensity of Pedro Ximénez, with a comparison Tawny Port to close. A Sherry specialist at Barrafina walks through one of wine's most technically fascinating — and most underrated — categories.

The six wines

01
Manzanilla (Sanlúcar de Barrameda)

The lightest, most delicate fortified wine. Flor-aged under the influence of Atlantic sea air; extraordinary saline, chamomile and almond character. Served chilled.

02
Fino (Jerez)

Same biological ageing under flor as Manzanilla but inland — slightly fuller, more almond and dough. The essential aperitif wine of southern Spain. Serve cold.

03
Amontillado (aged Fino)

Begins as Fino but the flor dies, exposing the wine to oxygen. The oxidative ageing develops hazelnut, tobacco, dried fruit complexity. Amber colour, higher ABV.

04
Oloroso (oxidative ageing)

Fortified to 17–18% ABV — too high for flor. Ages entirely oxidatively in barrel. Rich, dark, walnut, dried fruit, leather. Naturally dry; complete without sweetness.

05
Pedro Ximénez (PX)

Made from sun-dried Pedro Ximénez grapes — concentrated to extraordinary sugar levels. Near-black, intensely sweet, raisin, fig, chocolate. The world's sweetest fortified wine.

06
Tawny Port (20-year)

For contrast with Sherry: oxidative barrel ageing over 20 years from the Douro. Walnut, dried apricot, toffee. Different grape varieties and geography — same oxidative principle.

What the evening covers

The session opens with the geography of the Sherry triangle — Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, El Puerto de Santa María — and the two production principles that define the category: biological ageing under flor (the yeast film that protects Fino and Manzanilla from oxygen) and oxidative ageing (the route to Amontillado, Oloroso and the sweet styles). The six wines trace the full spectrum from one principle to the other, ending with a Tawny Port to illustrate how the same oxidative ageing technique produces a different result in a different country with different grapes.

Matched tapas — jamón ibérico with the Manzanilla and Fino, anchovy toast with the Amontillado, Manchego with the Oloroso, dark chocolate with the PX — are served alongside the tasting. Venue: Barrafina Adelaide Street, one of London's leading tapas restaurants. For the winemaking background, see the fortified wine methods guide.

Booking: Barrafina. Specific wines subject to availability. Matched tapas included. Limited to 18 participants. Corrections via the contact form.

Related

03 · Making — Guide Fortified wine methods Glossary Oxidation 07 · Taste — Guide Food pairing principles Events All wine events

Questions

About Sherry and fortified wine.

What is the difference between Fino and Manzanilla Sherry?
Both are dry, biologically aged (under flor) Sherrys, but Manzanilla is made specifically in Sanlúcar de Barrameda on the Atlantic coast, while Fino is made in Jerez or El Puerto de Santa María inland. The Atlantic influence in Sanlúcar creates cooler, more humid conditions that encourage a thicker, more active flor layer, producing a lighter, more delicate wine with a distinct saline, almost iodine character. Fino from Jerez has slightly more body, more pronounced almond and yeast notes. Both must be served cold (7–10 °C) and drunk fresh — they are perishable, like white wine. See the fortified wine methods guide for how the solera and flor system works.
Is all Sherry sweet?
No — this is the most persistent misconception about Sherry. All Sherry in its natural state (Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso) is dry or very dry. Sweet Sherries (Cream Sherry, Medium Sherry) are made by blending dry Oloroso with Pedro Ximénez or concentrated rectified must. The cream Sherry tradition was developed specifically for the export market, particularly the UK, in the 19th century. In Spain, dry Sherry — Fino with tapas, Oloroso with cured meat — is the norm. The sweetened styles have little presence in their home country.
How should Sherry be stored and served?
Fino and Manzanilla are the most fragile fortified wines: they should be refrigerated after purchase and consumed within 2–3 weeks of opening (or within a few days of a fresh bottle being opened in a bar). Unlike aged Sherries, their charm is their delicacy and freshness — both deteriorate quickly with oxidation and temperature. Amontillado and Oloroso are more robust and will last several weeks after opening. Pedro Ximénez, with its extraordinary sugar content, keeps almost indefinitely. All Sherries should be served in a wine glass (not a small copita for tastings) to allow the aromas to develop. See the how long an open bottle lasts guide.
Why has Sherry fallen out of fashion and is it coming back?
Sherry peaked in UK sales in the 1970s when Cream Sherry was a mainstream product. Its decline was driven partly by changing taste (moving away from sweet aperitifs) and partly by image — Sherry became associated with older generations. The premium revival of the last decade has been driven by cocktail culture, tapas restaurants (Barrafina, José, Dehesa) and sommeliers championing dry Sherries as exceptional food-matching wines. Sales of premium single-estate Sherries — Hidalgo's La Gitana, González Byass's Tío Pepe, Equipo Navazos' limited editions — are growing among wine enthusiasts. The gap between Sherry's quality and its price remains one of the best-value propositions in wine.
What food pairs with Sherry?
Fino and Manzanilla: jamón ibérico, fried seafood (gambas, croquetas), anchovies, olives, raw shellfish. The saline, almond character of Fino with salty, umami-rich tapas is one of the great wine and food combinations. Amontillado: soups, charcuterie, mild aged cheeses, white meat. Oloroso: blue cheese, aged hard cheeses, game, walnuts, liver pâté. Pedro Ximénez: vanilla ice cream (poured directly over), dark chocolate, dried fruit desserts. For the logic behind why these pairings work, see the food pairing principles guide.