Brian Elliott: try some surprising sherry

Like wines from Alsace or the riesling grape, the public seldom share the wine trade’s massive enthusiasm for sherry. However, the sustained rise in tapas bars – and the sheer common sense of matching local wine to local food – ought to be altering that. After all, sherry is even versatile enough to partner desserts; try one with a glass of dense, almost black, pedro ximenez for instance.

More especially, though, seafood works brilliantly with bone-dry versions like fino and manzanilla. These emanate from the palomino grape grown on the distinctive, chalk-based vineyards around Jerez (pictured) – and made into extraordinary wine under flor, that uniquely local yeast layer.

Although sherry insiders speak highly of several Scottish retailers – Luvians, St Andrews Wine Co and Drinkmonger are all admired – it was WoodWinters (in Edinburgh and Bridge of Allan ) that was a top three UK retailer in the 2015 Sherry Festival.

I asked WoodWinters, therefore, to nominate three of its sherries to summarise what this seriously under-appreciated wine is all about. Behind the classic sherry, bruised apple characteristics, there is a lot going on in El Maestro Sierra Fino (£9.50 for a half bottle). Its supplementary flavours include fudge, brazil nuts and savoury spice – with a mandarin orange tang – but a certain roundedness to its attractively light texture.

Top marks though go to Single Vineyard Pastrana Manzanilla Pasada (£15), which has been aged for the seven or so years needed to acquire pasada status. It starts with the clean, crisp saline edge associated with manzanilla but also develops walnut and caramel depth with suggestions of olives – and orange peel acidity.

Finally, switching to sweeter styles, I am hugely impressed by Fernando de Castilla Pedro Ximenez (£17). It combines influences of treacle, figs, dates and mocha with bold marmalade-centred fruitiness and, above all, a much less viscous and syrupy texture than lesser versions of PX.