Show Me The Sherry!

After years in the wilderness – sherry is back on the most wanted list

Traditionally seen as the preserve of old ladies – sherry is rapidly shedding its fusty old image to become one of the trendiest drinks in town.

Britain is starting to embrace the food culture of Spain – not just holidays on the Costa del Sol. Tapas restaurants continue to pop up all over Britain and wine magazines and critics alike are singing sherry’s praises. Wine drinkers tastes in general have veered towards light, crisp, refreshing styles such as Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, which is all to the good for producers of dry Fino and Manzanilla sherry.

In fact, although overall sherry sales are falling, sales of the dryer styles are bucking the trend. Supermarkets and wine merchants have both reported recent growth in sales of crisp Fino and Manzanilla sherry. The versatility of sherry has allowed it to cater to the tastes of younger drinkers who are moving away from creamier, sweeter styles of alcohol.

More people have also embraced the traditional Spanish way of drinking sherry i.e. sipping the dry varieties chilled before a meal. Many fashionable foodies rate the drier sherries as the perfect apéritif. They also make exceptionally good accompaniments to Spanish ham, cheese and salted nuts.

What’s more, you can be safe in the knowledge you are not going to get ripped off. In terms of quality, Sherry is probably the best value for money wine on the market. And with more bargains around than ever before you can get yourself a great deal. Shopping for wine online has never been simpler and you’re a mere click away from some really mouthwatering stuff. A quick visit to Laithwaites – Decanter Magazine’s Wine Merchant of the Year – reveals a host of different sherries laithwaites(dot)co(dot)uk. There are sweet Oloroso styles and the dry Manzanilla varieties – many of which come from the acclaimed Lustau cellars.

And who knows you could find yourself falling for the crisp dry taste of a fino or even an unctuously rich Pedro Ximénez – particularly good when poured over vanilla ice-cream! Speedy home delivery means you could be enjoying a glass of crisp dry fino sherry with a plate of garlicky king prawns in no time.

Mark Hooson is a professional writer for the wine trade; Spain has been making wine since the time of the Phoenicians and has the world's largest area of land under vine. Until quite recently though, A quick visit to Laithwaites – Decanter Magazine’s Wine Merchant of the Year – reveals a host of different Sherries.