Sherry Isn’t Just for Christmas: How to Drink It with Tapas Year-Round

For too many people, Sherry is the dusty bottle that comes out at Christmas and disappears for the other eleven months. That’s a shame—because real Sherry is one of the most versatile wines on the planet, and it was built for tapas.

What Sherry Actually Is

Sherry comes from Jerez in southern Spain. It’s made from Palomino grapes, fortified after fermentation, and aged using the solera system—a cascading set of barrels that blends younger and older wines for consistency and depth. The result? A family of styles, from bone-dry and briny to rich and nutty.

Dry Sherry with Savoury Tapas

• Fino & Manzanilla – crisp, saline, almost like sipping the sea breeze. Perfect with olives, almonds, or our patatas bravas.
• Amontillado – still dry, but with a nutty, toasty edge. Works beautifully with our creamy mushrooms on toast or charcuterie board.

Rich Sherry with Deeper Flavours

• Oloroso – darker, richer, with roasted nut and dried fruit notes. Pair it with our BBQ pulled pork blini or lamb koftas.
• Pedro Ximénez (PX) – sweet, syrupy, raisined. Pour it over ice cream, or let it finish the night alongside our cheese board upstairs at Gatsby’s.

Why It Works Year-Round

• Summer: ice-cold Fino with seafood or salads.
• Autumn/Winter: Oloroso or Amontillado with braises and roasts.
• Any time: a small pour, big flavour, and lower alcohol than you think (most Finos are around 15%).

Try It at Bodega 1830

We keep a rotating list of Sherries behind the bar because they transform a tapas spread into something bigger. Next time you’re in, ask for a flight—we’ll line up three styles and let you taste how they evolve.

Book via OpenTable. Start with tapas downstairs, finish with a Sherry or cocktail upstairs at Gatsby’s.

‍