Peter Liem, Author, Sherry, Champagne, Sherry Book, Jesús Barquín, Equipo Navazo, La Bota, Where to drink sherry, Sherry Recommendations, Restaurant Recommendations, Bar Recommendations, 10 Things Sherry, New York, NY, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Spanish, Spain, Spanish Restaurants, Sherry, Fino, Manzanilla, Palo Cortado, Amontillado, Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla

Q & A with Peter Liem

Q. What is it about sherry that inspired you to write your book Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla?

A. I became a fan of dry sherry very early in my wine drinking career, and alongside champagne, sherry is my greatest love in the wine world. I'm fascinated by the body of sherry literature that exists in English, dating back to the mid-nineteenth century and even earlier. However, there hasn't been much written over the past two decades, and I wanted to write an introduction to sherry from a more contemporary perspective. I eventually enlisted the collaboration of Jesús Barquín, founder of Equipo Navazos and one of the world's most respected sherry authorities, and together we've written Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla, which will be released on October 21 and available for sale at www.sherryguide.net. With the growing interest in fine sherry that we're seeing in this country and in others, I'm excited to be publishing this.

6 Things to Know About Sherry

1. Most of the finest sherries today are dry.

Sherry has a popular image as a sweet wine, but in fact, most of the sherries you'll find in top restaurants and wine shops are bone dry, even shockingly so.

2. Dry sherry can essentially be divided into two categories: fino and oloroso.

Fino is aged under flor, a layer of yeasts that lies on top of the wine when it's in barrel. Oloroso is not, and so it becomes a richer, fuller-bodied wine.

3. Sherry is aged wine.

Fino and manzanilla are essentially white wines, but they've spent many years aging in barrel, so the flavors are more mature than in most wines. With richer styles, such as amontillado, oloroso or palo cortado, this is even more pronounced.

4. Sherry is best when enjoyed with food.

Its savory, umami-driven complexity echoes many flavors, and is in turn enhanced by them. This holds true not only for fino and manzanilla, but also for amontillado, oloroso and palo cortado.

5. Related to the above point, sherry is incredibly versatile with food.

Again, that savory quality allows sherry to thrive in the presence of assertive and intense flavors, and even alongside supposed wine-killers such as artichokes, asparagus or eggs.

6. Sherry represents tremendous value for the money.

At the moment, you can buy ten, twenty, even thirty-year-old wines for a fraction of the price that it would cost you for the equivalent quality in other wine regions.

Sherry Recs

- Sherry | 6 Introductory / Inexpensive Sherries

- Sherry | 6 Aficionado Level Sherries

- Find | Where To Buy Sherry

- Eat | Restaurants: Where To Drink Sherry

- Drink | Bars: Where To Drink Sherry

Sherry Recs | 6 Introductory / Inexpensive Sherries

1. Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla (~$15 / 375ml)

A classic example of a light, fresh, modern style of sherry.

2. Emilio Lustau Puerto Fino (~$20 / 750ml)

Pungent and savory, this is matured in El Puerto on the Bay of Cádiz, and seems to echo the salinity of the sea.

3. Argüeso Amontillado (~$18 / 375ml)

Outstanding complexity and finesse, and almost ridiculous value.

4. Emilio Hidalgo Marqués de Rodil Palo Cortado (~$40 / 750ml)

Elegance, tension and grace; a thrilling example of palo cortado, and one that's delicious with anything from roast birds to red meats.

5. Gutiérrez Colosía Sangre y Trabajadero Oloroso (~$16 / 375ml)

This combines complexity and depth with an amazing harmony, making it accessible and deliciously easy to drink even though it's relatively rich.

6. César Florido Moscatel Dorado (~$13 / 375ml)

While the other sherries recommended here are dry, this one is lusciously sweet, with opulent flavors of golden raisin and floral honey.

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Sherry Recs | 6 Aficionado Level Sherries

1. Valdespino Fino Inocente (~$14 / 375ml)

Arguably the greatest fino in existence, it's a single-vineyard wine, and the last fino to still be fermented in cask. Great class, complexity and soil expression.

2. La Bota de Manzanilla (~$45 / 750ml)

This is unusually rich and expressive for manzanilla, thanks in part to its lack of heavy filtration, but it still shows all of the briny salinity and oyster-shell intensity expected from Sanlúcar.

3. Fernando de Castilla Amontillado Antique (~$40 / 375ml)

From a small, boutique bodega, this is concentrated without being aggressive, a perfect partner to cold-weather foods.

4. Barbadillo Palo Cortado Obispo Gascón (~$35 / 750ml)

This averages nearly 20 years of age, combining richness and finesse.

5. Bodegas Tradición Palo Cortado VORS (~$99 / 750ml)

Averaging 32 years of age, this demonstrates extraordinary length and detail on the palate, along with exceptional refinement.

6. El Maestro Sierra Oloroso 1/14 VORS (~$130 / 375ml)

A powerful, intense wine that averages about 60 years of age, this is well worth a special search.

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Recommendations | 6 F.E.D. Places Sherry NYC

Find | Shops

Tinto Fino

This East Village shop sells exclusively Spanish wines, and owner Kerin Auth has made sherry a primary focus. A superb selection and friendly, knowledgeable service make this a destination for both the sherry novice and aficionado alike.

Crush Wine & Spirits

Sherry buyer Joe Salamone is dedicated to offering the best of what Andalucía can produce, and you'll often find sherries here that are unavailable anywhere else in the US. Many of these sell out quickly, of course, but if you're looking for rare and exclusive sherries, you'll want to be on their mailing list.

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Eat | Restaurants

Casa Mono

Wine director Ashley Santoro has put together a tremendously exciting list of sherries here, a fitting accompaniment to Casa Mono's delicious food.

The John Dory Oyster Bar

What's better with oysters and seafood than manzanilla and fino? Wine director Carla Rzeszewski pours nine sherries by the glass, and her selections are always top-notch.

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Drink | Bars

The Beagle

One of the best places in the city to drink sherry. Owner Dan Greenbaum and bartender Tom Richter are passionate about sherry, and their enthusiasm is infectious. There's plenty of sherry to drink here, but you should sample one of their sherry cocktails as well.

Palo Cortado

I could sit at this bar all night drinking through Sandro Piliego's extensive list of sherry. (And I have.) This Brooklyn gem definitely deserves to be better known.

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Recommendations

Details of Peter Liem’s recommendations on sherries to try and where to eat, drink and shop in New York City.

City Guides

- New York City | Manhattan Guide: Download

- New York City | Brooklyn Guide: Download