Fun story here for you reading this piece. The wines of 1670 improved with the ocean’s movement as the East India Company transported them across the sea. Because of this prestigious historic journey, only select restaurants around the world offer the East India Solera Cream Sherry and Jaleo by José Andrés is one of them.
Another fun fact is that Jaleo by José Andrés, in case you didn’t know, is home to the most impressive collection of sherry wines in all of Las Vegas. Included in that coveted collection is the East India Solera Cream Sherry which is a light, pale and syrupy wine with a reported sweet finish of raisins, orange peel, and caramel (so– good!).
As if you needed an excuse to drink wine– guess what? It’s International Sherry Week! The official dates are November 4 to November 11, and it’s the perfect excuse to make your way to Jaleo by José Andrés and give that East India Solera Cream Sherry a swirl.
I highly recommend that you pair the East India Solera Cream Sherry (or any of the other seve sherry selections listed below) Jaleo’s famed “Costillas de Cordero“: a grilled Merino lamb with rosemary sauce and honey alioli.
7 Sherry Selections To Taste And Experience
- Fino: To protect this classic pale sherry, a special flor mold is used within the barrels. This mold results in flavors of green apples, unripe pears and salted almonds with a very light, dry finish.
- Manzanilla: This Fino, exclusively made in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, features notes of almonds, salinity and chamomile tea with a light, dry finish.
- Oloroso: This oxidative style of sherry is aged in barrels with the Fino flor mold, however, since the yeast keeping the flor alive can’t survive, it yields a higher alcohol content of 17%-18%. This popular sherry highlights flavors of walnuts, balsamic, dried fruit and a touch of leafy with a rich, butterscotch finish.
- Amontillado: Dry like Fino and rich as Oloroso, this Fino variety stands apart with its increased alcohol content (15%-18%) and strong flavors of hazelnuts, tobacco and fig with a very warm, rich finish.
- Palo Cortado: Originally created by accident, these sherries have a flavor profile incorporating hazelnut, pecans and butterscotch with a rich, bitter and dry finish.
- Pedro Ximénez: If you’re looking for a sweet sip, look to these sherries. Made from intensely sweet grapes in Jerez, these sherries boast notes of candied figs, chocolate, smoke, raisins and orange peel for a decadently sweet finish.
- Cream Sherry: A blend of Amontillados or Olorosos with either Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel, these sherries embody flavors of raisins, orange, walnuts and toffee with a sweet, rich and warm finish.
