“Sherry is one of the greatest food wines in the world, yet it’s still one of the most misunderstood,” says José Pizarro, often described as the godfather of Spanish cuisine in the UK.
Pizarro, who’s lived here for nearly 30 years and now owns five restaurants in London and beyond, adds: “People often think of it just as an aperitif, but I believe it truly comes alive at the table.”
Sherry is a no-brainer match with tapas, of course. Nuts, crisps, olives, anchovies, grilled prawns or perhaps a few clams are all a perfect foil for the salty, appetising twang of chilled fino – the driest style – while velvety drapes of jamón ibérico, or punchy slices of spicy chorizo are even better with the sultry nuttiness of a dry oloroso.
Brits have embraced the tapas bar culture with aplomb – indeed, it is the forerunner of the “small plates” style of eating that’s been so prevalent and popular across the country for years – and sherry is an integral part of this.
That’s an ethos embraced by Owen Morgan, an official sherry ambassador who has five Spanish restaurants in south Wales and Bristol. “When we opened our first restaurant, Bar 44, in Cowbridge, in Glamorgan, in 2002, it was very rare to find sherry on a drinks list anywhere,” he says. “Now we are known for our sherry range and it’s really fantastic to see people who discover it for the first time then go on to return again and again for more. Our ‘Fino Fridays’ are really successful as an introduction to sherry – who doesn’t love fino with morsels of fried fish? – and we always pair dishes from our specials board with different sherries and people love that, too.”
Rob Scott-South, group general manager of the York-based Ambiente tapas mini-chain, agrees. “We’ve made sherry the focus of our drinks list for about 12 years now and have seen demand increase every year. Our proudest achievement is converting many younger people over the years into sherry fanatics. We love it when people, who may only see it as a sweet Christmas drink, discover the world of dry sherry and how versatile a food wine it is.”
Sherry works surprisingly well with spicier cuisines
It’s not surprising that sherry is now appealing to a youthful demographic. “People want to try new things these days,” says Morgan. “And sherry really appeals to those with adventurous palates.”
It’s true that sherry goes well with so many different food styles, and this is becoming a growing trend with in-the-know drinkers. It’s hard to know where to start (or finish) with suggestions for food that pairs brilliantly with sherry. The Andalusians have a useful maxim: if it swims, fino; if it flies, amontillado; if it runs, oloroso. A broad brushstroke approach but one that works well as a guide, to which I would add that amontillado is always a winner with cheese, either as a tapas dish or at the end of a meal.
“One of the things I love most about sherry is that it doesn’t need to stay within Spanish cuisine,” says Pizarro. “Fino is wonderful with oysters, sushi or even fish and chips. I also love amontillado with mushrooms or roast chicken, and oloroso with slow-cooked lamb or game.”
Sherry also crops up and thrives at many non-Spanish restaurants in the UK. Noble Rot, the three-restaurant group in London known for its incredible wine list, always has a selection of sherries available by the glass, as well as about 20 venerable bottles for the increasing number of serious sherry lovers. “Conduit St classic slipsole in smoked butter is delicious but has a smokiness that is notoriously difficult to pair, for example,” says Joshua Castle, now head buyer at Keeling Andrew, Noble Rot’s wholesale arm. He recommends an amontillado to take on the challenge: “It works exceptionally well with the spicy espelette butter.”
Jeremy Lee, chef-proprieter at Soho’s Quo Vadis adores sherry, too. “It’s so fantastically versatile. A good fino with our smoked eel sandwich is one of my very favourite things.”
Unsure of pairings? Follow the Andalusian advice: if it swims, fino; if it flies, amontillado; if it runs, oloroso
Sherry also sits surprisingly well with spicy cuisines. Ping Coombes, Masterchef winner in 2014 and now a successful chef and author, is a massive fan of sherry as a match with her native Malaysian cuisine. “Malaysian food is so diverse, reflecting a melting pot of cultures. You could be eating spicy curries made with fragrant fresh herbs blended with shrimp paste, or braised dishes with soy and warm spices like star anise and cinnamon. Fascinatingly, there is always a sherry waiting to be paired with these dishes and it pairs with such ease. A light fragrant fish curry goes so well with an ice-cold fino, while a rich braised pork belly with soy is amazing with amontillado or oloroso.”
Sweet sherries shouldn’t be forgotten. Cream sherry, whose quality has improved hugely over recent years, is made from blending super-sweet pedro ximenez with drier styles and is best served slightly chilled. It pairs spectacularly well with fruity puddings, especially if they involve oranges, as well as blue cheese.
There is certainly a sherry revival taking place all across Spain and farther afield (although for many of us it never went away) as drinkers discover how good it can be throughout a meal as well as being a trusty aperitif.
Pizarro sums it up: “If I had one piece of advice, it would be: don’t think of sherry as a special-occasion drink but rather as a wine to enjoy with food. Once people start pairing it with everyday dishes, they discover just how extraordinary it is.”
For more tips from chefs on how to pair sherry with dishes, visit sherry.wine/enjoying-sherry/sherry-pairings-recipes
