Shakespeare wrote about it, Sir Francis Drake stole it and the first Queen Elizabeth drank it. Sherry. Is this the most under rated wine in the world? Many wine lovers, retailers and Spanish wine devotees definitely think so. We held a highly successful sherry tasting last weekend at Regional Wines & Spirits in store, to promote International Sherry Week. 

The first written mention of sherry was in the first century BC and excavations of wine presses have been discovered around the most famous sherry town, Jerez, dating back to 1100 BC. 

Here is what we tasted...

Alvear Fino CB 15% ABV RRP $24.99

A classic dry fino that tastes like sherry, but is made made from the Pedro Ximénez grape (rather than, more typically, Palomino) and is completely unfortified as well as coming from Montilla-Moriles rather than Jerez, which is the city where sherry comes from. This wine was made following the traditional solera ageing system in barrels and was aged under a veil of natural yeast known as the flor - exactly like sherry. This gives the wine its distinctive flavours of toasted almonds, olives and salty tang, finishing on a clean and refreshing flavour note. 

Tastes amazing with toasted almonds, salty fish bites, olives and smoked meats…

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Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla RRP $32.99 Special $28.99

La Gitana is Spanish for the gypsy and is one of the most complex dry sherries in the world, a top notch Manzanilla best enjoyed in its youth. Which is a little bit of an oxymoron for such a complex dry wine made from aged sherry components. This is full bodied, fully dry and super complex with salted almond, tangy green olive and notes of cedar all vying for first place in this beautifully integrated fortified wine. 

Tastes amazing with toasted almonds, salty fish bites, olives and smoked meats…

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Lustau Rare Amontillado Escuadrilla RRP $33.99

Dry amber coloured sherry in a half bottle with full flavours of walnuts, almonds and caramel. Complex, interesting and delicious.

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Alvear Pedro Ximenez 2018 15% ABV RRP $46.99

Sweet wine from Andalucia in the south of Spain where the grapes are late harvested and dried to concentrate flavours into sweet treats such as this lovely  fortified wine. Complex flavours here include caramel, walnut and hazelnut aromas.

Bodegas Alvear was founded in 1729 and is one of the top producers on Montilles-Moriles, which is north of the official sherry region of origin, the Jerez Xeres Sherry DO.

Tastes divine with caramel, dried fruit and toasted walnuts…

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