We need to talk about sherry – that fortified wine that you’d probably more often associate with an eighty-year-old pensioner called Phyllis than the bars of Manchester. But that stigma deserves to be lifted, and to prove it this November, in steps International Sherry Week, urging you to cast aside those dated images of net curtains and crystal cut glass, because sherry’s back… and better than ever.
Whether it’s the sticky-sweet liquid raisin joy of a shot of Pedro Ximenez poured over a bowl of ice cream or a crisp dry fino when you get in from work, there’s an entire spectrum outside of Grandma’s liquor cabinet. That said, Grandma’s onto something here – the cream stuff’s good too.
Salut
Sherry Week wouldn’t be right without the wine bods of Salut getting involved. Thankfully they’ve come up trumps with a flight of Manzanilla, Palo Cortado and Oloroso – 50ml of each for £6.50 – from Lustau, the self-titled best sherry in the world.
Common
Over at Common the focus is on the Palomino dry styles because 'we love their work and we think you will too.' We concur, and to showcase the best that dry sherry has to offer they’ve got a fino flight with Fernando De Castilla’s Classic Fino and fuller bodied Valdespino Fino Inocente, along with an introductory flight showcasing the holy trinity of Manzanilla, Fino and Amontillado.
Evuna
Spanish tapas joint Evuna is always a good one for sherry, but for the occasion they’ve rustled up a flight of three sherries for £7, which also come with a portion of Gordal olives to nibble on as the sherry reverie kicks in.
Reserve
Didsbury wine dealers Reserve will be holding drop-in tastings matching sherries with nibbles, with Fernando di Castlilla Antique Oloroso with game pate amuses bouche on Thursday 5th, Lustau Loas Arcos Dry Amontillado with cured meat and parmesan on Friday 6th and Lustau Puerto Fino with toasted almonds (YES) and Fernando di Castilla Antique PX with dark chocolate on Saturday 7th.
Kosmonaut
Kosmonaut have also enlisted the help of the ever-reliable grape fiends Hanging Ditch, serving up a flight of sherries for £12. Get yourself a booth, sit back, and get taken on the sherry ride of your life.
Umezushi
One of the city's best sushi restaurants is also getting in on the action, and have teamed up with Hanging Ditch for a one-off tasting menu available on Saturday 7th. Following their hugely successful sherry and sushi masterclass tastings in the summer, you can rest assured you'll be onto a winner with this one.
Hanging Ditch
And you can also go straight to the source, as Hanging Ditch host their own Sherry Sunday Club on Sunday 8th at a tenner a pop for a flight of sherry - just call 0161 832 8222 to get involved. Seeing as they've managed to hold up International Sherry Week in Manchester almost single-handedly (respect), it'd be rude not to.
At home
M&S on Market Street sells Pedro Ximenez for a reasonable £8 or so, as well as a pretty decent fino. Aldi’s also one of the supermarket world’s best kept secret in booze, and they’ve got a very drinkable cream sherry for around £6 – pour yourself 50ml and within seconds you'll find you don't give a crap about anything. If you fancy doing things properly hot foot it to Manchester’s favourite wine merchants Hanging Ditch where you’ll find over a dozen drier styles, plus six sweet.
Photo: Dominic Lockyer
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