Palo Cortado facts for kids

Palo Cortado is a special kind of sherry wine. It's quite rare! This wine starts its life like a fino or amontillado sherry, which means it ages under a layer of yeast called "flor." But then, something unusual happens: the flor disappears. When this happens, the wine starts to age differently, exposed to air, much like an oloroso sherry.

The result is a unique wine that has some of the rich flavors of an oloroso, mixed with the fresh, crisp taste of an amontillado. Only about 1 or 2 out of every 100 batches of grapes used for sherry naturally turn into Palo Cortado.

What's in a Name?

The name "Palo Cortado" means 'cut stick' in Spanish. This name comes from the way winemakers mark the wine barrels.

When a wine is first put into a barrel, if it's meant to be a fino or amontillado, the winemaker draws a single line or 'stick' on the barrel. But if they notice the wine is changing and becoming a Palo Cortado, they draw a cross or 'cut' through that first line. This creates a crossed-out stick, or 'cut stick' (/).

At this point, the wine is made stronger with more alcohol, usually around 17.5%. This stops it from spoiling because it's now exposed to air. As time goes on, the winemaker might add more alcohol to help the wine develop. Each time they do this, they add another cross mark to the barrel. So, you might see barrels marked 'dos cortados' (two cuts) or 'tres cortados' (three cuts). The more cuts there are, the older the wine is!

Different Kinds

• Jerez Cortado is a type of Palo Cortado that isn't made in Jerez, which is the main sherry city. Instead, it's made in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Sanlúcar is one of the three main towns in the "Sherry Triangle" area.

In 2012, some rules for sweet and strong wines like sherry were updated. Here's how different types of fortified wines are classified by their alcohol and sugar content:

How to Serve It

Palo Cortado can be enjoyed before a meal as an apéritif. It goes well with snacks like olives, nuts, cheese, or a rich dish called foie gras. You can also drink it with your main meal, especially with chicken, red meats, or game dishes. It's best served a little bit chilled.

How to Store It

Since Palo Cortado is somewhere between amontillado and oloroso, it's quite stable. You can store an unopened bottle for a few years. Once you open it, make sure to put the cork back in and keep it in the refrigerator. It should stay good for a few weeks after opening.

See also

In Spanish: Palo cortado para niños