Sherry is a fortified wine, made in and around the town of Jerez, Spain. according to Spanish Law, sherry must come from the small triangular area of the province of Cádiz, between Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El puerto de Santa María.
Sherry differs from other wines because of how it is treated after fermentation. After fermentation is complete, it is fortified with brandy. Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, all natural sherries are dry; any sweetness is applied later. In contrast, port wine is fortified halfway through fermentation, stopping fermentation, so not all the sugars are allowed to turn into alcohol and so leaving a sweet wine. Once bottled, sherry does not benefit from further ageing and may be consumed immediately, though the sherries that have been aged oxidatively may be stored for years without losing their flavour.
Fino (‘fine’ in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of Sherry.
