Fernando de Castilla Classic Fino Sherry, Jerez

Fernando de Castilla Classic Fino is a dry Sherry made entirely from Palomino by Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla in the historic centre of Jerez. The grapes are pressed and fermented in stainless steel, then the wine is fortified to 15% and aged biologically, under a protective veil of flor yeast, in the traditional solera and criadera system in American oak casks. The wines in the blend have an average age of around five years, and like all the house’s Sherries it is bottled without fining or aggressive filtration.

In the glass it is a bright straw yellow. The nose is sharp yet gentle, with almonds, dried fruit and nuts, a floral touch and the classic salty, sea-spray tang of flor. The palate is very dry, fresh and light, with a slight, pleasing bitterness, hints of ripe pear and baked bread, and a clean, saline finish.

Serve well chilled, at 5–8°C. It is the perfect aperitif and a natural partner for tapas: jamón, cured meats, olives, salted almonds, shellfish, prawns and fried or grilled fish. Fino is best enjoyed fresh, so keep the bottle in the fridge once opened and finish it within a few days.

Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla is a small, independent Sherry house in the historic centre of Jerez de la Frontera. Its roots lie with the Andrada-Vanderwilde family, who produced grapes and wine for Sherry for around two centuries. In 1972 Fernando Andrada-Vanderwilde created the Fernando de Castilla brand, first for a fine brandy and later for Pedro Ximénez and Sherry vinegar. In 1999 the bodega was bought by Jan Pettersen, a Norwegian who had worked in Jerez since 1983, including 15 years at Osborne, and who also took over the cellars of the neighbouring almacenista José Bustamante. The house now focuses on complex Sherries bottled without fining, clarification or aggressive filtration. Its Antique range of single-solera wines, aged for up to 30 years, has built its reputation, and the bodega has also revived the old Jerez tradition of vermouth.