Odd Grape Week: Manzanilla Sherry

It's a shame that more wine drinkers aren’t familiar with fine sherry. The sherry producers of Spain make painstaking efforts to create this vastly under appreciated wine. Sherry is a blended wine made up of several vintages (much like Champagne). Fino and Manzanilla Sherries are both delicate, dry wines that make an ideal aperitif.  They are both made from the Palomino Fino grape. These light straw colored wines contain subtle hues of brown while shimmering in the glass. Unique, non-wine scents  will pique your curiosity. Fino and Manzanilla Sherries are very light-bodied and have a tangy taste, followed by roasted nut flavors. Sherry can also pair nicely with some foods - particularly seafood. Try it with grilled shrimp, olives, or roasted almonds.

The Skinny
Lustau Papirusa Light Manzanilla Sherry, NV ($8 - half bottle/375ml)

• From Jerez, Spain (Southern Spain)
• Made from the Palomino Fino grape using the Solera Method
• Light straw-colored and very shiny & delicate in appearance, with hints of brown
• Unique, non-wine scents:  almond, bread bough, and seawater
• Light-bodied and tangy in the mouth.  Roasted nut flavors and a long, woody finish

**** (4 stars out of 5)

An extremely well-made wine at a low price.  Buy it - quick!

Comments

[fortna]

Funny--I used to drink more Sherry than Port 30 years ago--wonder why it's just the opposite now? Must be the age thing, although I still enjoy using Spanish Sherries to cook with, though. Now I’ll think about that until next I need more sweet wines.
Cool!

[Beau]

Thanks for the comments!
Actually, Fino and Manzanilla Sherry are both
bone-dry. Cream Sherry (and similar styles) made from
the Pedro Ximenez grape are super-sweet. I think the
sweet style of Sherry was more recently popular in the
US. However, dry Sherry is my preference.

Cheers!