Not Your Grandmother's Sherry

A case for the misunderstood (but amazing) wine, and the best bottles to try

Oh poor, neglected, deeply misunderstood Sherry. Long dismissed as the syrupy-sweet drink of English grandmothers, Sherry has been slept on for far too long.

I have a special affection for Sherry. I spent my middle school and early high school years in the Sherry Triangle in Spain. Spain? Surprised to hear that? Many people don’t realize that Sherry is Spanish. Its original name, and the name it goes by in Spain, is Jerez (named for Jerez de la Frontera, one of the three towns it’s made in). The Castilian pronunciation of Jerez (“Heh-reth”) proved challenging for the British, who took a special liking to the drink and preferred the anglicized adaptation of the word which permeates foreign markets today.