Loving me the Hidalgo Gobernador Oloroso. For about $25, this is deep, crisp, yet rich, and with terrific acidity.
+1, and To see Chantal’s eyes light up when she talks sherry is amazing. They also do free 5pm tastings-and-intro-to-sherry on Tuesdays.
Went to Vera (http://www.verachicago.com/) Friday night. Had a great time. They do have a nice list of sherries. I actually wrote down the names of several that have been mentioned in this thread to take with me. Waitress was quite impressed and brought us all a tasting of one complimentary to have with an appetizer. We each ordered different ones for dessert, and then she brought us all another one to try. Ugh, Saturday morning was a tough one. I know we had the Bodegas Tradicion and one from Valdespino and To Albala. Vera is becoming one of my favorite places in Chicago.
Bought a bunch of various Valdesipino a few months ago from the Rare Wine Company. Superb stuff, even the PX.
Matt,
I’d age some of them…I had a Fino that was dated 1925 that we opened back on 11/11/11. It was the crown jewl amongst some tough competition. I have a few bottles in the cellar of the La Bota #21 & 22. They really do get better with some time sideways…just my $.02
I recently got in a rare sherry.
A.R. Valdespino, signature series II, rare oloroso “siglo xx”
The wine went into cask in 1900 and was released in 1980. Looking forward to giving it a shot.
I’m guessing that one won’t suck. 
I’d age some of them…I had a Fino that was dated 1925 that we opened back on 11/11/11. It was the crown jewl amongst some tough competition. I have a few bottles in the cellar of the La Bota #21 & 22. They really do get better with some time sideways…just my $.02
I’ve a Valdespino Inocente from pre WWII. Also some Sandeman Sherries (underrated IMHO) I’ve been sitting on for 20+ years.
It’ll be a new experience for me. I’ve never had a sherry at 100+ years old. Not even close.
At a visit at Bodegas Tradicion last year, had the fortune of trying a few barrels that were in excess of 80 years old. Talk about high octane…
Fino from the 30s…very interesting.
We corrupted you 
Lorenzo Gacia-Iglesias from Bodegas Tradicion was just in town…tasted his whole lineup. Good stuff.
-mark
Just for the record (and since I already have 2 bottles from them) http://www.spanishtablewines.com/ has the 1982 Gonzalez Byass Palo Cortado available for
$142.00. Expensive, but quite wonderful. They also have all 4 Palmas bottlings.
Not pimping Vera, but now that I’ve been there I am now on their email list. They have an upcoming sherry dinner:
Enjoy a four course dinner prepared by Chef Mark Mendez to complement the wines of Valdespino and La Guita. The menu and details are as follows:
Tapas Reception | La Guita Manzanilla & Inocente Found (cocktail)
First Course | Ajo Blanco, Jamon Iberico - Valdespino ‘Inocente’
Second Course | Smoked mackerel salad, marcona almonds, quail egg - Valdespino ‘Tio Diego’
Third Course | Paella, duck, foie gras, dates - Valdespino ’ Isabela’
Dessert | Walnut cake, mascarpone cream - Valdespino ‘El Candado’
Special Ending Reception | Chef’s selection of cheeses, paired with tastes of Valdespino VORS Amontillado & Palo Cortado.
http://vera.cmail3.com/t/ViewEmail/j/67008EA919072902/017D71E47822DEB40F8C96E86323F7F9
In 2011 I visited the 3 towns that compose the Sherry region and found it fascinating. I was especially interested in food-sherry pairings and my hosts did a a fine job of beginning my education.
The principal issue as I see it standing in the way of wider consumption of the various sherry styles is that Americans don’t have a clue about what goes with what. Sommeliers and restaurateurs need to be a bit more aggressive in setting up dinners and tastings.
MrBigJ
What I find interesting about this is how in fact Sherry is not only capable of pairing with a variety of truly difficult foods (onion soup, asparagus, cauliflower, artichoke), but in various forms is incredibly versatile.
Straightforward Finos and Manzanillas are I think similar to a fine white Burgundy in scope, everything from raw shellfish to simple veal to almost anything which flies. The darker Sherries are delicious with roasted and grilled meats, those awful vegetables, and almost any not-too-sweet dessert. Or of course they are great dessert in themselves. Honestly, one would be hard pressed to find a compact group of wines Easier to enjoy with food.
Remarkably delicious, versatile with food, complex, and yet about 75% of the people I usually drink with won’t touch them. It gets frustrating.
Any Recommendations for dry sherries in the sub-$20/split range to have around? I basically want one fine/ manzanilla and one or two amontillado, dry oloroso or something similar. No taste for PX.
The Valdespino Inocente Fino is available in halves and would be an excellent choice.
super interesting. I had that really old Fino with Kirk, though, and it was amazing. I’d love to try aged examples of some other really high quality Finos.