How do you solve a problem like Sherry? Since its heyday when everybody, not just the vicar or your nan, drank Sherry by the gallon, consumption of this rare breed of wine has been in chronic decline. The same questions about the future of this historic beverage plague the Port producers of the Douro, and as fads and fashions come and go, they might wonder if their time has passed, abandoned on a shelf gathering dust, an anachronism in our fast-paced, slash and burn world.
But wait, stay the executioner’s hand, let not the guillotine drop.
Last night, you, our beloved tasters, ventured out, converts and the curious alike, to explore the rich, sensory world of Sherry in all its many forms. Speaking to our hosts, Rachel and Alex, I felt inspired once again to splash out on a reviving Manzanilla, and indulge in a walnut-hued Oloroso, long aged, and mesmerising.
‘People forget how delicious it is,’ Alex in Tufnell Park observed, and felt the tasting hammered home just what a great drink Sherry is. He notes that as the seasons change into winter Sherry comes into its own, and not just the sweet stuff. Rachel in Greenwich agreed and highlights just how versatile and eye-opening Sherry is with food.
Difficult to pair vegetables like artichokes come alive with Amontillado, and game birds like partridge are a great partner to Oloroso. As José Pizarro has shown with his Bermondsey restaurants, the possibilities in the kitchen with Sherry are endless. And of the richer, sweeter styles, a Cream with mince pies is a peerless marriage.
Far from writing the epitaph of Sherry, I feel inspired by spending a moment contemplating and discussing the merits, and curious pleasures that the unique blending and ageing processes that developed over centuries in the cathedral-like Bodegas of Spain's southern coast.
Cool things come and go, but Sherry is always there. Things don't have to be popular to be good! If you know, you know. And if you don’t, we’ll have some bottles open in all three stores this weekend, so check them out for yourself!
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Diatomists is at the forefront of Sherry's renaissance and their wines are made with exceptional purity and precision. This single vineyard Manzanilla, from the famous albariza chalk soils of the Pago de Miraflores, where the vines grow within sight of the sea, carries a salty, marine freshness. Clear, brightly flavoured and briny, it is perfect for almonds, olives and seafood.
£14.00 online and instore (half bottle) |
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