Drink Fino Sherry before you die! Why?
No other wine is as stimulating to the appetite as Fino Sherry. No wonder T.S. Eliot said "all a civilized person needs is a glass, or two, of dry sherry before dinner."
Now, while Mr Eliot didn’t specifically specify Fino Sherry, one can infer that a mind of his caliber would appreciate the dry elegance and refreshing nature of this unique and complex wine.
The dry salty tang Fino sherry is not everyone’s cup of tea. But, then, neither is tea the first time many people taste it … especially when unsweetened and black. Similarly, anchovies, olives, coffee, beer and, even, wine often cause people to screw up their faces in disgust the first time they try them. But, the same people go on to revere these often polarizing treats... some to a fanatical degree. The distinct flavor of Fino Sherry may surprise you. Yet, just as with those other acquired tastes, perseverance can lead to a deep appreciation.
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| A glass of fino sherry served with some choice olives - a superb combination | iStock.com / barmalini |
Fino sherry can be such a deliciously rewarding wine—full of complex layered flavors with a refreshing crisp taste and hallmark salty tang—that I think everyone should persevere through at minimum a glass, and preferably a bottle, at least once in their life.
How to serve Fino Sherry
Even though Fino Sherry is a fortified wine it shouldn’t be treated like other fortified wines—they just not as robust or hardy as other wines in the fortified category. A bad or indifferent encounter with Fino Sherry could simply be because of the way it was presented. There are three keys to having an exemplary experience with Fino Sherry, these are:
- Serve if fresh. Fino sherry is like an aromatic white wine. You want one that’s been recently opened. Not one that was opened last Christmas and has been sat at the back of your grandmother’s kitchen cupboard ever since.
- Drink it cold. As cold as you can get it. Have
the bottle in a bucket of ice if you’re able. And, if you’re really organized
chuck your best white wine glasses in the freezer a good 30 minutes before
serving. Fino Sherry should be treated like a Champagne in terms of serving
temperature and like Chablis in terms of serving vessel—use a stemmed white
wine glass, like the one in the picture above, rather than a stemless wine
glass. If you’ve got a traditional catavino or copita glasses then use those.
They may look too small but by drinking out of a smaller vessel you’re keeping
more of the sherry on ice and thus drinking more of it at its ideal
temperature!
- Pair it right. The third, and final, key to having an exemplary experience with Fino Sherry, is to have it with the right snacks. Drinking Fino Sherry with some choice olives, marcona almonds, jamón ibérico, or even anchovies takes the experience to a whole other level.
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| Harvesting Palomino Grapes for Fino Sherry, Jerez, Spain | © Tororio Stock / stock.adobe.com |