MY SHERRY AMORE

Sherry has made a big comeback, shedding its old tannie image in favour of something far trendier. Jim Hislop sipped his way through his fair share of the fortified tipple and is happy to report that he, too, is now a convert.

I was always a little wary of drinking sherry in the past. Perhaps it’s because it conjured up images of blue-rinse grannies on package tours to sewing-machine museums, or the sickly-sweet liquid that you glug down when first experimenting with booze. In fact, I have to admit that before writing this article I wasn’t much of a sherry drinker. But I had to do some ‘market research’ for you and took one for the team. I’ve got to say, I’m a convert! There’s much more to this fortified wine than I thought. Though it’s traditionally known as a pre or after-dinner drink, it can be used in cooking, enjoyed on its own as a chilled summer refresher or at room temperature as a fireside warmer, or, as has recently been the case, in trendy bars as the main ingredient in some super-cool cocktails (see box opposite). 

Sherry originally comes from Spain, but because we have a similar climate and terrain (terroir) in South Africa – especially in Paarl with its wet, frost-free winters and sweltering, dry summers – we produce some delightful local versions on our very own doorstep, though we can’t market them as sherries. Only the ones made in Spain’s Cádiz Province’s ‘sherry triangle’, between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María, may officially use the name.

One of Paarl’s oldest ‘sherry-style wine’ producers is Monis, who have been fortifying the delicious stuff since 1906, when they were headed by the industrious Italian Roberto Monis, who did a lot to establish the reputation of fortified wines in South Africa. Other local producers of sherry-style wines include KWV in Paarl and Orange River Cellars in Upington.

HOW’S IT MADE?

Sherry is made by fortifying, i.e. adding a distilled spirit to, a ‘neutral-flavoured’ white wine. Because Chenin Blanc is such a common grape variety in SA, it’s often used for our sherry-style wines, but so are Colombar, Sémillon and Palomino. The grapes are gently pressed once to extract the must (juice, skins, seeds, and stems), which is then used in the making of fino. This process is called primera yema. A second pressing is called segunda yema, and the must from this process is used for oloroso. The resulting must from each process is fermented in stainlesssteel tanks. The wine from the fermented must is then fortified by adding distilled wine. This wine is stored in oak casks, which are filled up to five-sixths of their capacity. The remaining space is left for the flor yeast, which gives the sherry much of its flavour, to naturally grow above the wine (it needs the oxygen to grow).

Next follows a rather complicated process called solera, which basically results in wines of different vintages being blended together to give a uniform taste and quality.

Finally the sherry can be sweetened (in which case it’s called ‘cream’)

or left dry, giving a range of different fl avours, tastes and colours from pale lemon to rich, dark brown.

STORING & SERVING

Sherry – and sherry-style wines – should be stored upright in a cool, dark place and, once opened, in the fridge. And don’t keep it too long – fi nish the bottle within the month, otherwise it will go stale. Pale, dry sherries and sherry-style wines are at their best served chilled, whereas medium and full-cream versions go down a treat both chilled, or at room temperature.

The fortifi ed wine is full of wonderful, complex fl avours, so serving it in a white wine glass will give it room to show off its charms as opposed to the traditional small sherry glasses or schooners. But remember, it does have higher alcohol than normal wine so don’t go fi lling that glass to the brim! A serving of around 75ml is perfect.

GREAT FOR COOKING

Sherry adds a delicious fl avour to everything from roasts to soups and sauces, and can be enjoyed with a variety of foods, especially of the cocktail party variety, like spicy prawns, parmesan shavings, biltong and nuts. And sherry trifl e is a good example of how this fortifi ed wine can do wonders for puds.

When I was putting this article together, I tried an experiment at home. While I was cooking kassler chops, I splashed them with a dash of full-cream sherry-style wine once they’d become crispy.

To go with them, I threw some chopped tomatoes and fresh coriander together with sliced baby marrows and another healthy splash of the full cream fortifi ed tipple. The end result was delicious. The wine added a lovely nutty, sweet fl avour to the chops and veggies. A great end to a happy experiment…

TAPAS AND SHERRY

Sherry’s not just for straight sipping, anymore. Just ask these bars, who’ve made it the star of cocktail hour.

ALL SHOOK UP!

Not surprisingly, sherry is the perfect pairing partner with Spanish tapas. Garlic-marinated olives go well with a glass of chilled sherry, and this pairing is a popular dish in many Spanish tapas bars. Meatballs in tomato sauce, another tapas classic, pairs well with strong cheese, which loves sherry.

Then there are Spanish omelettes – OK, I know that drinking sherry for breakfast might seem a bit much, but when in Rome (or Spain in this case)... Braaied mini ribs or costillas, as they’re called in Spain, have a marinade made with sherry, tomato purée, Tabasco, sugar and salt. The ribs need to be braaied until slightly charred. Try this Spanish-style braai moment for a bit of cross-cultural ‘pollination’. Are you liking sherry yet? I think it’s growing on me, a bit like fl or yeast... , as have a marinade made liking sherry yet? I think

 Gin and sherry? You betcha, says Tiger’s Milk (Tigersmilk.co.za), who pours their ‘Gin up my Cobbler’ – a combo of gin, Monis full-cream, grapefruit and honey – to thirsty folk at their bars in Joburg, Pretoria and Cape Town.  Over at 14 on Chartwell (14 Chartwell Dr, Umhlanga; tel: 031 561 1017), barfl ies love the Bulleit Bobbler, a cocktail of Monis medium cream, Bulleit bourbon, raspberry syrup and a dash of port, for good measure  Capetonians should duck into The Twankey Bar (Taj Cape Town, Corner of Wale and Adderley Street; tel: 021 819 2040), to sip on The Wale’s Bones, a warming combination of medium cream, tequila, and Aperol over loads of ice.

SIP THESE STYLES STYLES

 PALE DRY Light in colour, it’s crisp and refreshingly dry with subtle citrussy and nutty (mainly almond) fl avours. Serve chilled and enjoy on its own or as a pre-dinner sipper, with a snack platter of biltong, nuts, Parma ham and strong cheeses, or with a dinner of spicy prawns or fresh seafood.

spicy prawns or fresh seafood.

Try: Monis Pale Dry (R115)

 MEDIUM CREAM* Offering the perfect middle ground between honey sweetness and crisp dryness, medium sherries and sherrystyle wines have a golden colour, fruity, spicy fl avour, and creamier mouthfeel than pale dry. Serve chilled or at room temperature alongside rich, fl avourful foods like pâtés, creamy mushroom soup, or four-cheese pizza.

Try: KWV Medium Cream (R110)*

FULL CREAM Dashingly dark, with honey-nut fl avours, full cream sherry and sherrystyle wine pairs well with crackers, mature cheddar and cashew nuts, and is robust enough for spicy Asian dishes. It also loves desserts, so do serve those brownies with a glass or two of this. Try: Orange River

Cellars Full Cream (R80) Try: Orange River TOP PICK