Drink Fino Sherry before you die! Why?
Because no other wine is as ethereal or stimulating to the appetite as Fino Sherry. No wonder T.S. Eliot said that "all a civilized person needs is a glass, or two, of dry sherry before dinner."
Now, Mr Eliot didn’t specifically specify Fino Sherry. But, someone of his intellect would have been referring to either a Fino Sherry or an Amontillado Sherry or both—both can be great aperitifs, but probably more so the Fino.
The dry salty tang of these Fino wines 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.
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. 
A glass of fino sherry served with some choice olives - a superb combination | iStock.com / barmalini
Even though Fino Sherry is a fortified wine it shouldn’t be treated like other fortified wines—they just not as robust or hardy. A bad or indifferent encounter with Fino Sherry could simply be because of the way it was presented. There are, I think, three keys to having an exemplary experience with Fino Sherry.
The first, make sure it’s fresh. Fino sherry is like a 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.
The second, 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. I used to think they were 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!
And, the third 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 |