Oloroso Sherry

Oloroso is the dark, powerful, fully oxidative style of Sherry: a fortified white from the neutral Palomino grape grown on the chalk-white albariza soils of Jerez in southwestern Spain, aged in long contact with air rather than under a protective veil of flor yeast. Over years and decades in the solera it deepens from gold to a rich amber-mahogany and grows nutty, savoury and concentrated — walnut, hazelnut, dried fig and date, toffee and polished old wood, over a balsamic, almost soy-like rancio depth. Naturally bone-dry despite its opulent nose (its name means "fragrant" or "scented," not sweet), it is conspicuously strong at around 17 to 22 percent alcohol, with soft phenolic grip, a faint salinity and a long, warming, savoury finish. Served in a modest measure at cool room temperature, it is a wine for rich roasts, game, mushrooms and aged cheese, and for slow, contemplative drinking. Many commercial bottles are sweetened after ageing into medium or cream styles, but the true benchmark is the naturally dry Oloroso seco.