In my estimation, a crisp dry sherry is a perfect summer drink. I’ve been enjoying Hidalgo’s “La Gitana” Manzanilla this season. Briny, savory, nutty and citrusy - it’s a perfect combination for light warm-weather fare and a fantastic QPR. What other recommendations do you have for dry sherry?
Jason - there are a lot of them. Some of the best are going to be those from the La Bota series, from Equipo Navazos. Those aren’t produced by a particular bodega. Jesus and the others go around and select barrels from many bodegas and sell them under that label. They started out doing it for themselves as a hobby that has now become a small business. They know more about sherry than anyone else, so I’d trust their selections. Moreover, having tasted most of their selections, I’d be happy to taste more!
At the lower end, you have Pedro Romero and Barbadillo, which I have sold in the past and which are quite good and seriously inexpensive. Moving up you have Gonzalo Byass El Rocio, and the Lustau Almacenista series. All are seriously inexpensive for the quality. And that’s just manzanilla.
The La Bota wines can be great, but are the are not the “crisp dry” summer drinks that Jason is looking for. I would recommend trying Valdespino Deliciosa, La Guita, Argueso San Leon Clasica, or Barbadillo Solear Manzanilla.
Valdespino’s basic Fino is a great little glugger — gut impression, I’d score it around 85.
Rey Fernando de Castilla’s “Antique” lineup is very good.
Had this a few weeks ago and thought it was very pretty.
Valdespino has a lovely Manzanilla en Rama.
I like Hidalgo’s “La Gitana” quite a bit and it’s always been one of my favorite wines.
One of the big things about purchasing Manzanilla Sherry is making sure you are getting fresh bottles. They loose their freshness pretty fast after sitting on a retailers shelf for a while, so make sure you purchase your sherries from a retailer that you know turns the product.
Thanks everyone for the great suggestions so far. Sherry is such a steal for the quality you can get.