Here in England (I’m getting geared up for our 80 Harvests European leg!) it is the Sherry Festival (5-18th June) which means bars and wine shops around the UK are running promos on sherry wines to get consumers back into the golden nectar from Jerez.
It is a worthy cause because sadly sherry has been declining in popularity since around the around the 1890s. Today we see a large supply and very little demand which, as sherry expert Matthew Hudson points out, is very good news for the consumer. Sherry offers spectacularly complex wines for a ridiculously low price point. (Sshhh! Don’t tell anyone.)
Sherries fall largely into two categories – those biologically aged under flor, and those oxidatively aged in barrels. Both are complex and time-consuming processes that require attention to detail and patience. However we will find both styles (Fino and Oloroso respectively) for less than £15 a bottle in the UK. That’s a bargain in my mind.
As part of the Sherry Festival, Vinos de Jerez are encouraging wine drinkers to get out there and have a #sherrypicnic Unfortunately it has been raining solidly for the last week in England but as we all still love to drink al fresco, here are four of my favourite sherry and picnic food pairings to spice up your weekend:
Tapas with Fino sherry
Fino sherry was made for tapas and it works so well with a wide range of tapas dishes especially the fishy, salty sorts including anchovies and squid.
Fino or Manzanilla with Fish & Chips
The salty, fried goodness of fish and chips is a perfect combination with the fresh and delicate style of flor-aged Fino and especially the slightly saltier style of Manzanilla. Fish and chips isn’t technically a picnic dish but it is one of the meals easiest to get on the go! It took my fancy this week in the rain:
Jamon, Jamon with Palo Cortado or Amontillado
Salty Jamon Iberico (or an English-version like Woodalls that came in my picnic) works well with Fino and Manzanilla too, but I like the combination of flor-aged goodness and some of the depth of oxidative cask-ageing that you find in Amontillado or Palo Cortado. That extra depth and structure helps cut through particularly fatty and rich hams.
Biltong with Oloroso
Ask an Andalusian and their dark, dry and complex Oloroso sherry is made for meat dishes like steak, lamb or braised beef. It is pretty tricky to take any of that on a picnic, so biltong or jerky is my recommendation. The earthy, peppery and meaty notes stand up nicely against the nutty character of a well-aged Oloroso.
Tasting notes from Sherry Wines picnic hamper:
Manzanilla: Alegria by Williams & Humbert
A crisp and lively Manzanilla with notes of yeasty flor notes, dried chamomile and sea spray. The mouth is briny and aromatic.
Palo Cortado: Cayetano del Pino Palo Cortado Solera
A lovely sweetness on the nose with warm almond and marzipan notes as well as a faint lingering of salty flor aromas, with a complex yet smooth mouth feel.
What exactly is Palo Cortado? Matthew Hudson (IWSC’s sherry specialist) tells us:
