The joy of sherry, vino de Jerez

[Badger Kitten]

Ah, sherry.

No it's not just for old ladies and vicars.

As Mr BK is working late, I am enjoying a tea of Spanish snacks - salted almonds, serrano ham and monchego cheese, served with a chilled Palo Cortado.

This rare sherry style embraces the depth of an oloroso with the intriguing bouquet of a long-matured amontillado so there you go. I also have a dry amontilado and a bone dry fino.

Truly a fine drink, best chilled IMO.

*sip sip sip*

Do you enjoy sherry? If not why not?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I always associated it with my grandmother, but I've had some nice sherries recently. Don't want to get drunk on anything that sweet, though: killer hangover.

 

[Badger Kitten]

But you can have dry ones.

Fino is bone dry.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

But you can have dry ones.

Fino is bone dry.

Haven't tried that one.

 

[Badger Kitten]

Tio Pepe is a good one.

It's a very tasty aperitif. Pale gold in colour. Nice with air dried ham.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I'd be suspicious of a sherry in a bottle like that.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

I love sherry - pale cream, chilled from the fridge. Lovely!

 

[Badger Kitten]

I'd be suspicious of a sherry in a bottle like that.

why? It's the best selling brand in the world, which is why I suggested it as I don't know what you can get in Canada. Some Tio Pepes are a bit ropey but the Fino is all right

what do bottles of sherry look like in Canada?

 

[Fedayn]

I drunk a bottle in about 20 minures as a 15 year old.... Then went into school. Aaah well 3 weeks suspension from school.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I really don't have any great experience of sherry. My main recollection of it is that my dad kept repeating that he'd like a small glass of sherry while semi-delerious from fever.

Considering that Majestic Wine have now reduced their in-shop limit from 12 bottles to 6, I may pop a bottle of sherry into the box when I go over there tomorrow.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Oh - I also remember that British sherry is one of the more reasonable ways to drink if you're skint. One of my flatmates bought a bottle or two when she had run out of money and it was perfectly decent.

 

[Bakunin]

Pah! Sherry, a drink for schoolgirls!

This, the mighty Buckie, is where it's at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckfast_Tonic_Wine

Far cheaper than sherry and just as likely to make you puke, fight and fuck, methinks.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

why? It's the best selling brand in the world, which is why I suggested it as I don't know what you can get in Canada. Some Tio Pepes are a bit ropey but the Fino is all right

what do bottles of sherry look like in Canada?

Mostly like this.

I checked the BCLDB database, and apparently we have this Tio Pepe; I'll have to try a bottle.

 

[cesare]

My folks used to buy a bottle of Tio Pepe (also Remy Martin, and Glenfiddich) at Christmas, and it (they) lasted to the following Christmas.

I hadn't had any sherry for nigh on a decade till someone bought me lunch a few weeks ago and I had a glass of fino, was lovely.

 

[Badger Kitten]

Oh - I also remember that British sherry is one of the more reasonable ways to drink if you're skint. One of my flatmates bought a bottle or two when she had run out of money and it was perfectly decent.

Yeah I used to drink QC British sherry when younger and skint. Perfectly all right with ice in.

Now I like to ponce about with fancy stuff from Waitrose, they have a good selection, as does the la di da independent wine stall up the road.

 

[Callie]

mmm drysack! i like a bit of that

 

[lang rabbie]

Hmmm... I am becoming middle aged as well as middle class!

[hunts around kitchen and finds sherry secreted in various places]

In the fridge:
one half finished bottle of bone dry Manzanilla La Gitana - serve ice cold in small sipping glasses.

In the store cupboard:
One bottle Manzanilla Barbadillo - apparently the largest produce of Manzanilla but I've never tried it before.

One bottle Palamino Fino Tio Pepe - as mentioned above - a classic but I try to avoid paying the current UK full retail price.

One bottle Dry Oloroso la Copita - "though dry the nose is reminscent of Christmas pudding and dried fruits like figs and dates; with warm wintry spices and delicate hints of clove, root ginger and walnuts. Medium to full bodied, rich and spicy on the palate with nutty flavours coming through, finishing with bitter almond and rich Christmas cake flavours".

Bloody hell - I only bought it to have something to offer friends who aren't as keen on really dry fino or manzanilla as me, but that sounds too good to share!

One bottle Lustau Gran Reserva cream sherry - bought as a Sainsbury Taste the Difference product at less than half price. A blend of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez. To be served with home-made mince pies when folk come round at Christmas. People who like real sherry will like it and people who like cream sherry made to British taste will also hopefully enjoy it.

[In locked store where drunk house guests can't get at it] Pedantically, not strictly sherry, but a Montilla...

One (only one left of three bought - my dear sister-in-law will drink me out of hearth and home!) 50cl bottle of Gran Barquero Pedro Ximenz - the ultimate pudding wine - goes with chocolate cake or blue cheese.

 

[Badger Kitten]

Phworrr, lang rabbie, I am surprised there isn't a stampede round yours at drinks time.

 

[Dirty Martini]

Do you enjoy sherry? If not why not?

I could devote the rest of my life to drinking it.

I'd take holy orders to do so.

 

[lang rabbie]

Phworrr, lang rabbie, I am surprised there isn't a stampede round yours at drinks time.

Oddly enough, I've been regularly bumping into one of the local vicars [who looks like something out of G K Chesterton] coming down our street recently.

I'm wondering if his stories of needing to visit the vicarage round the corner for meetings of the Rural Deanery are merely a pretence and he is angling for an invitation to sample my fabled sherry holdings...

 

[Geri]

I hate it - vile stuff.

 

[oryx]

Sherry makes me think of Uncle Monty in Withnail & I proffering it to Withnail & Marwood:

-Sherry?
- Sherry
- Sherry.
- Sherry?
- Sherry
- Sherry.

 

[Bakunin]

Sherry makes me think of Uncle Monty in Withnail & I proffering it to Withnail & Marwood:

-Sherry?
- Sherry
- Sherry.
- Sherry?
- Sherry
- Sherry.

'I intend to have you, if it must be BURGLARY!'

 

[fen_boy]

Pedro Ximenez poured over vanilla ice-cream is delicious.

 

[fen_boy]

I checked the BCLDB database, and apparently we have this Tio Pepe; I'll have to try a bottle.

Have it very, very cold with Serrano ham and olives and cheese or something, it's very, very dry.

 

[butcher]

My indy wine merchant has some nice sherry, but I must say Waitrose has a great selection includind Manzanilla pasada (an age manzanilla, would you believe).

The best sherry experience I had must be a toss up between the bars of Granada (lots of Paolo Cortadto and tapas) or the tour of the sherry bodega at Jerez de la Frontera by the owner, who knocks back a bottle of fino every lunch time!

I can also personally recommend the solera manufactured Matusalem and Apostales available most Xmasses at Sainsbo's. The sherrys are up to 50 years old in the blend, an intense delight worth sharing with a loved one.

BTW if you ever go to Sanlucar do try the lacy pancake-like tortilla de cammerone with a cool fino or better still manzanilla, the salty, fishy and slightly oily tortillas are the perfect foil for the austere, crisp manzanilla.

If you like sherry, madiera is worth a pop, not just the cheap blends but the sercials, buals, rainwater and malmseys. Henriques and Henriques are a good supplier, and at thr reasonable end of good.

 

[brix]

I love sherry and am now plotting to get an invite round to Lang Rabbie's

This is a snap from one of my favourite bars in Madrid:

 

[lang rabbie]

And furthermore...

just found a half bottle of Gonzales Byas Noé Pedro Ximenez Muy Viejo - 30 years old matured in oak - lurking in the back of a locked cupboard.

I'd like to apologise to my sister-in-law for the unworthy thoughts I had about her ... I was convinced she had snaffled it when I couldn't find it for my inventory in the previous post.

[Looks at size of belly, and wonders whether to cultivate Uncle Monty moustache to complete transformation into decadent and reprobate metropolitan relative.]

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Life is but a trifle and only sherry makes it tolerable.

 

[lang rabbie]

Beachcomber?