What to serve at a Sherry tasting

Food pairing brings together aromas, flavours and textures. Your own taste matters, but understanding the style of the wine helps you choose food that complements it rather than masking it.

Food ideas for each wine

• Fino: serve chilled with tapas, seafood, fish, cured ham, sushi or mild cheeses. Its dry, light character can bring freshness to savoury food.
• Manzanilla: its saline character makes seafood, white fish and shellfish natural combinations. Tapas and mild cheese offer other possibilities.
• Amontillado: nutty aromas and a more complex texture can complement soups, smoked dishes, roast white meat, vegetables, mushrooms and mature cheese.
• Oloroso: fuller body and toasted notes suit stews, game, red meat, Iberian pork and aged cheese.
• Palo Cortado: try braised dishes, game, fish in sauce, mushrooms, nuts and mature cheeses.
• Medium and Cream: their sweetness can accompany fruit compotes, caramelised fruit, blue cheese and some desserts.
• Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez: explore fruit desserts, nuts, ice cream and chocolate. The richness of the wine should remain in balance with the food.

Plan the order of the tasting

Begin with lighter, more delicate wines before moving towards more powerful styles. Consider sweetness as well as body: a very sweet wine can alter how a dry wine tastes afterwards.

The preparation of the dish matters. A sauce, a smoky flavour or strong seasoning may influence a pairing more than the main ingredient alone. Small portions make it easier to compare several combinations.

Serving and storage

Fino and Manzanilla are usually enjoyed well chilled. Other styles can be served less cold, allowing their aromas to develop. Use clean wine glasses and avoid filling them too much, leaving space to appreciate the aroma.

Keep bottles away from light, heat and vibration. Once open, Fino and Manzanilla should be tightly closed and refrigerated. The wine's own serving and storage guidance should take precedence over a general rule.

Build your own pairings

Olives, nuts, cured meats, cheese, vegetables, soups, mushrooms and desserts each open a different path. A tasting is a chance to compare, learn and discover the combinations you prefer, rather than follow an inflexible list of rules.