Sherry facts for kids

Different sherries

Sherry is a special type of wine that comes from Jerez de la Frontera, a city in Spain. It's made from specific kinds of grapes grown in that region. In Spanish, people call it vino de Jerez, which simply means "wine from Jerez." Sherry is known for its unique flavors and how it's made, which is different from many other wines.

What is Sherry?

Sherry is a fortified wine, which means it has a little extra alcohol added to it. This process helps it last longer and gives it a stronger taste. It's usually enjoyed as an aperitif (before a meal) or a digestif (after a meal), but it can also be paired with different foods.

Kinds of Sherry

There are many interesting kinds of Sherry, each with its own special taste and way of being made. Here are some of the most well-known types:

• Fino: This is a very dry and light Sherry. It's aged under a layer of yeast called flor, which protects the wine from air and gives it a fresh, almond-like flavor.
• Oloroso: Unlike Fino, Oloroso Sherry is aged without the flor layer, so it's exposed to air. This gives it a darker color and a richer, nutty, and sometimes spicy flavor. It can be dry or slightly sweet.
• Amontillado: This type starts like a Fino, aging under flor, but then the flor disappears, and it ages with air like an Oloroso. This gives it a complex flavor that combines the crispness of Fino with the nutty notes of Oloroso.
• Cream: Cream Sherry is a sweet type of Oloroso. It's made by blending a dry Oloroso with sweeter wines, often Pedro Ximenez. It's rich, smooth, and perfect for dessert.
• Pedro Ximenez: Often called "PX," this is a very sweet and dark Sherry. It's made from Pedro Ximénez grapes that are dried in the sun to concentrate their sugars before fermentation. It tastes like raisins, figs, and molasses.

Sherry barrels are used to age the wine.

How Sherry is Made

Sherry is made using a special system called the Solera system. Imagine a pyramid of barrels! New wine is added to the top barrels, and then it's slowly moved down to the barrels below, mixing with older wines. This process ensures that every bottle of Sherry has a consistent quality and flavor, blending young and old wines together. The flor yeast, which is a natural layer that grows on top of some Sherries, also plays a big role in giving them their unique taste and protecting them from the air.

Images for kids

• 

  A glass of Amontillado Sherry with olives

• 

  Sherry of 1775 – the oldest wine in the Massandra Winery collection, Crimea

• 

  Three levels of Sherry solera barrels

• 

  The Jerez Wine Regulatory Council helps make sure Sherry is made correctly.

• 

  A label showing the "DO Jerez" certification, meaning it's authentic Sherry.

• 

  A Sherry barrel with a transparent front so visitors can see the natural development of flor.

• 

  A bottle of 30-year-old Sherry.

• 

  A venenciadora pours Sherry drawn from a cask (or "butt") into a catavino (2007).

See also

In Spanish: Jerez para niños