It’s said that good things come in threes, and that really applies to Sherry. Hailing from an area called the “Sherry triangle” in southeastern Andalucía, the region officially known as DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry gets its nickname from the city of Jerez de la Frontera along with neighboring towns El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Although regional authorities recently added a handful of varieties allowed in the production of Sherry, it is traditionally made with three grapes: Palomino, Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez (PX). If your only image of Sherry is in the hands of an older relative enjoying a “nip” from a tiny, ornate glass in the afternoon, it’s time for an update. After all, if this region, whose winemaking history stretches back more than 3,000 years to the Phoenicians, has just amended its regulations for the first time in 50 years, we can all dust off whatever notions we may have held onto. Dry The four types of dry Sherry are Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado and Oloroso. Manzanilla specifically comes from Sanlúcar de Barrameda; Fino is produced elsewhere in the region. Both styles get their distinctive taste from barrel aging under a layer of yeast known as flor. Visually a clear, bright yellow, they exhibit flavors of lemon, apricot and peach with soft toasted nut and saline notes. Antonio Flores, winemaker and master blender at Gonzalez Byass, recommends olives, salted almonds or jamón with his Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, but also suggests creative pairings like shrimp tacos, falafel or vegetable tempura. Oloroso is made without flor; it starts with a heavier base wine and is fortified with brandy to 17 or 18% alcohol to inhibit the presence of flor. Long barrel aging causes evaporation, further concentrating alcohol; Oloroso can be as high as 22% abv. It's darker than Fino, the color of brewed tea, with flavors of cooked apples, dried apricot, caramel, walnuts and dried herbs. Alberto Orte, owner and winemaker of Bodegas Poniente, likes to pair his Oloroso with hearty entrées like mushroom-based pastas, rice dishes, grilled pork or beef stew. Amontillado, in short, is a Sherry that started its life under flor, as a Fino, but finished its aging like an Oloroso and, thus, shares qualities of each. Sweetened Sweetened Sherries (dry Sherries blended with a sweetening agent) include Cream, Medium Cream and Pale Cream, which can have flavors of caramel, orange marmalade, coffee bean and clove. They are excellent with strong cheeses like Cabrales, Comté or Epoisses or foods that combine sweet with salty: blue cheese-stuffed dates or bacon-wrapped figs. Naturally Sweet Naturally sweet Sherries are made from overripe, often raisined grapes that are so concentrated with sugars fermentation stops at 4–6% abv, resulting in lusciously sweet wines. Though made with both Moscatel and PX, the latter is most common with flavors of dried fig, cherry preserves, almonds, baking spices and orange zest. It is wonderful with desserts: dark chocolate, ginger cookies, rum raisin or dulce de leche ice cream. Sherry Bottles to Try Bodegas Poniente NV Oloroso Palomino (Jerez) González Byass NV Tio Pepe Fino en Rama Palomino (Jerez) Viña Palaciega NV Medium Dry Sherry (Jerez) Bodegas y Viñedos Diez Merito NV Pemartín Medium Sherry (Jerez) Bodegas y Viñedos Diez Merito NV Bertolo Cream Sherry (Jerez) González Byass NV Noe Viejo Pedro Ximénez (Jerez) This article originally appeared in the May 2023 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!