Sherry is one of the most misunderstood drinks in the world, and much of that misunderstanding comes down to how it is served. Too warm, too cold, in the wrong glass or kept too long after opening, and even a great bottle can disappoint. Get it right and sherry is one of the most rewarding and versatile drinks you can pour. This guide covers everything you need to know about serving and storing every sherry style correctly. For a full overview of the styles themselves see our guide to the styles of sherry wine.
Sherry is traditionally served in a copita, a small tulip-shaped glass that concentrates the aromas at the narrow rim. A standard white wine glass works well as an alternative and is what most people use at home. Whatever you use, fill it no more than a third full to allow the aromas to develop above the wine.
Avoid wide-rimmed glasses for delicate styles like fino and manzanilla, as the broader surface allows aromas to dissipate too quickly. For richer styles like oloroso and PX, a slightly larger glass gives the wine room to open up.
Temperature: 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. Fino should be served very cold, similar to a crisp white wine. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.
Glass: Small copita or white wine glass.
How long once opened: Fino is the most delicate sherry style and deteriorates quickly once opened. Consume within three to five days, kept in the fridge with a good stopper. Treat it like a fresh white wine rather than a spirit.
Best served: As an aperitif alongside olives, almonds, seafood, anchovies and jamon. Fino is one of the great food wines of the world and is at its best with simple, savoury flavours.
Temperature: 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. Manzanilla should be served even colder than fino, as cold as possible while still allowing the wine to express its briny, saline character.
Glass: Small copita or white wine glass.
How long once opened: Three to five days maximum, kept in the fridge. Manzanilla is the most delicate of all sherry styles and should be treated with the same care as fino.
Best served: As an aperitif with seafood, tapas, anchovies and jamon iberico. The classic Spanish pairing is manzanilla with freshly fried seafood, a combination that works as well in Sanlucar de Barrameda as it does at home.
Temperature: 12 to 14 degrees Celsius. Slightly chilled but not cold. Remove from the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before serving to allow the aromas to open up.
Glass: Copita or standard white wine glass.
How long once opened: Two to three weeks, kept in the fridge with a good stopper. Amontillado is more robust than fino or manzanilla due to its oxidative ageing and holds up well for several weeks.
Best served: With charcuterie, hard cheese, chicken, mushroom dishes and aged manchego. Amontillado bridges the gap between aperitif and food wine and works across a surprisingly wide range of dishes.
Temperature: 12 to 14 degrees Celsius, the same as amontillado.
Glass: Copita or standard white wine glass.
How long once opened: Two to four weeks, kept in the fridge. Palo cortado is more robust than amontillado and holds up well after opening.
Best served: With roasted pork, game, foie gras or truffle-based dishes. Palo cortado is one of the most food-versatile sherries and rewards those willing to experiment with pairing.
Temperature: 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. Cool room temperature or lightly chilled. Oloroso benefits from a little warmth compared to the dry styles, which allows its rich, complex aromas to express themselves fully.
Glass: Copita or standard white wine glass. A slightly larger glass suits oloroso well.
How long once opened: Four to six weeks, kept in the fridge. Oloroso is aged entirely through oxidation and is the most robust sherry style once opened.
Best served: After dinner alongside red meat, game, strong cheese and rich stews. Oloroso is one of the most food-friendly wines in the world and an excellent companion to the kind of food that might otherwise call for a robust red wine.
Temperature: 12 to 14 degrees Celsius. Lightly chilled.
Glass: Copita or standard white wine glass.
How long once opened: Four to six weeks, kept in the fridge.
Best served: As a dessert wine alongside soft cheese, cakes, biscuits and Christmas pudding. Cream sherry is the most approachable and versatile style for those new to sherry.
Temperature: 12 to 14 degrees Celsius. Lightly chilled to balance its intense sweetness.
Glass: Copita or small wine glass. PX is so rich and sweet that a small pour is all you need.
How long once opened: Several months, kept in the fridge. The extraordinarily high sugar content of PX acts as a natural preservative, making it the most robust sherry style once opened.
Best served: As a dessert wine poured over good vanilla ice cream, alongside dark chocolate, blue cheese or enjoyed slowly on its own after dinner. It is also excellent drizzled over cake or used as a dessert sauce.
Fino and manzanilla: 6 to 8 degrees. Very cold.
Amontillado and palo cortado: 12 to 14 degrees. Slightly chilled.
Oloroso, cream and PX: 12 to 16 degrees. Lightly chilled to cool room temperature.
Fino and manzanilla: 3 to 5 days. Keep refrigerated.
Amontillado: 2 to 3 weeks. Keep refrigerated.
Palo cortado: 2 to 4 weeks. Keep refrigerated.
Oloroso and cream: 4 to 6 weeks. Keep refrigerated.
Pedro Ximenez: Several months. Keep refrigerated.
Unopened sherry should be stored in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Unlike vintage port, most sherry does not benefit from long bottle ageing and is designed to be consumed within a few years of bottling. Fino and manzanilla in particular should be consumed as young and fresh as possible, as they deteriorate over time even in an unopened bottle. Check the bottling date on fino and manzanilla if buying from a retailer and choose the most recent vintage available.
The exception is VORS aged sherry (Very Old Rare Sherry, with an average age of 30 years or more) from producers such as Gonzalez Byass, which can be kept for several years after purchase without deteriorating.
For more on sherry styles, producers and how to choose, see our complete guide to sherry. To explore our full sherry range, browse our sherry wine collection.
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