Sherry Wine Tasting, Time to Save Money

Sherry Wine Tasting, Time to Save Money - Episode #303

August 29, 2007

Taste along Gary Vaynerchuk as he shares some Sherry love with the Vayner Nation. These wines from Spain need some serious attention and GV will try to do just that!

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Comments on this episode(158) Leave a comment ›

“Great episode Gary - I would love to see another one on Sherry (and I …” by Omallley
“I absolutely love the fortified wines but I’ve never had a dry sherry …” by bigmay
View all 158 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

Alvear Fino SherrySpanish Sherry
Pedro Romero Amontillado Dry Rich SherrySpanish Sherry
Pedro Romero Dry Oloroso SherrySpanish Sherry
Alvear Cream SherrySpanish Sherry

Links mentioned in todays episode.

Diggnation 112

158 Responses

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about 3 weeks ago

Omallley
Great episode Gary - I would love to see another one on Sherry (and I have to say, that I am a big fan of the Alvear’s…good stuff, tangy, delicious and under 20 Canadian bones )
about 2 months ago

bigmay
I absolutely love the fortified wines but I’ve never had a dry sherry so that’s on the list of things to pick up. When are you going to get to an episode on the Solera process? It’s fascinating. Maybe you could mix in a Madeira or two?

QOTD: I know at least 2 lurkers, possibly 3. I’m not really sure how often the third watches. I’m trying to get them to comment … really, I am.
about 2 months ago

Fangorn81
Yeah what is with all the birds?
about 3 months ago

Chris
Why does it always sound like you’re sitting in the middle of a wild bird preserve? There’s always birds chirping in the backround.
about 7 months ago

Bill Rennie
Gary … Thoroughly enjoyed this episode. For a number of family reasons, I haven’t checked your web site out for 6 weeks or so. I was very pleased to see the “Sherry episode” as Sherry wines are one of my many passions. To all of you who are interested in Sherry, as Gary stated in this episode, out of necessity he has abbreviated somewhat the Sherry/Jerez story. In fact 2 of the wines discussed - the Alvear Fino and the Alvear Cream are not really Sherry as they are from the Montilla-Morales region of Spain which is just north of Jerez. They employ very similar wine making techniques in their Bodegas, however one of the interesting differences is the basic grape is generally Pedro Ximenez, not Palimino. The PX grape is naturally fermented to an alcoholic content of around 15% alc. where the flor film of yeast will develop. In Jerez it is necessary to add raw brandy spirits to fortify the base wine to this level. As Gary said the Jerez or Sherry making business is complex. The key thing to really remember is that Jerez is really just a geographic designation, not a wine style, much like Bordeaux where wine may be red, white or dessert. The other thing to remember as Gary say’s Sherry (and Sherry style wines such as Alvear’s) are distinctive and of great value. Enjoyment and appreciation of these wines will take some time, (not unlike the appreciation for single malt whisky), but once understood are a pleasure to enjoy. Gary’s comment that Sherry goes well with cheese is bang on, particularly salty cheeses. Sherry also goes very well with salty foods such as nuts, olives and ham. And fino sherry is one of my favourite wines with Chinese food. Great episode … Bill … Calgary, Canada
about 8 months ago

Kristen
Yeah, I have to say that “nuts in your mouth” really left us infantile viewers chuckling with good humor. I’m glad that you gave the overview of some of the aspects of sherry making (which is something I know naught about). Definitely one the list of things to try (checked off Dolcetto from that list and quite pleased with it). So who knows, maybe sherry could be my next biggest thing?

QOTD: 0
about 8 months ago

Derek
Interesting episode Gary, never really got into sherry, but I am now thinking about it.
about 8 months ago

SoCal
QOTD: Not many……dude…..nutz in your mouth? That killed me
about 8 months ago

MannyPants
Wow, very entertaining. I almost fell out of my chair when you started talking about nuts in your mouth. Not a big sherry fan but I’ll have to give it another try.
about 8 months ago

Tommy Vernieri
Ha! I commented on 306 before watching this one. I guess my Dolcetto comment didn’t make you so happy after all. WLTV has definitely changed my attitude towards wines, and in this case reminded me about Dolcetto.

What really shifted my mindset was doing a day of tasting rooms in Sonoma. Tasting so many wines back to back really opened my eyes to the fact that you can’t make any generalizations about wine. People should try to find events where they can taste a variety of thing all at once, it is really great for opening your mind to different wines.
about 8 months ago

chenin
There are great Sherrys out there, keep on trying.
Maybe they’re not all 8$ though…
Great as an aperitif, chilled.

I don’t know any lurkers, except maybe my gf, who
really hates your show, I am sorry to say. Oh well.
about 8 months ago

Elliot Essman
Wonderful episode. Please, more on sherries in the future, particularly Amontillado. What do you get for $20?
about 8 months ago

BobMac
QOTD: I knew a lurker once, and it was me.

Thanks for doing a show on sherry. I’ve always been interested in them, but I’ve never actually tried them. I put all four in my cart, so I’ll be drinking them soon.
about 8 months ago

Nick L
Lurker CKC coming out for the first time on this, of all, episodes.

Sort of loosely related to the topic of sherry: I’d love to see some Pineau des Charentes make an appearance on WLTV. One of my favorite ways to drink up at desert.

Thanks.
about 8 months ago

Greite
Missed this episode when it posted, but I got a chance to catch up today.
Never been a huge sherry fan, but you presented some interesting facts and made it sound rather appealing. I think I’ll have to give it another go.

Thanks, Gary.
about 8 months ago

mcj
QOTD: 0
about 8 months ago

Franky
Sherry? Not for me. You don’t like them too, Gary?
about 8 months ago

PlonkDumper
Wild. Leaving a comment so I can slowly pull myself from murky lurker status.
All about the Albarino! Not sure about animal wines though; assuming it is somewhat tongue in cheek Gary?
about 8 months ago

Shane
I know one lurker, but I am trying to get better.
about 8 months ago

Shad
Watching this in reverse from the Big Announcement show because, well, I just got busy yesterday. Any how, I liked the episode. Anytime I can learn something new about wine is a good day.
about 8 months ago

Chris
Great rant, why not wine, if we say to give peas a chance.

On the solera, when you splain it, where does the fortification of the wine come in the process? Is it part of the initial blend or do they wait til sometime later? Is it different depending on the wine, sherry/madiera/port/marsala/etc. Finally, there are some wines out there that advertise using a solera process that blends every vintage of reserve cabernet they have ever produced. It is big bucks, is it worth it?

QOTD - maybe one or two
about 8 months ago

Matt T.
I agree whole-heartedly with the rant.

This was an interesting episode about something I didn’t know much about. I guess I’d been led to believe that fortified wines were in some way a lower class, and generally unpleasant. I guess all of us with stereotypes need to occasionally reexamine them.
about 8 months ago

sharon
Yeah my husband and sister are both LURKY and refuse to be shamed into commenting. So I do all the talking. I guess I’ll give sherry a try (sigh).
The alcohol content turns me off, though.
about 8 months ago

Jeff Cleveland
QOTD: None…I only know a couple people that watch and I see there comments. I would like to find a way to get in touch with people that make comments. 1855class says he lives in Milwaukee…I live in Milwaukee…it would be fun to be able to hook up with him but I can’t figure out how.
about 8 months ago

Karl Laczko
Excellent rant, you should join in on the forums some time! QOTD - no, don’t know any lurkers, although I’m trying to create a couple.

I see you messed up a little on Jerez, grapes, classifications and whether Alvear is even a Sherry, but you did say you weren’t an expert, so OK.

I’m currently sipping a fine Lustau Oloroso, very dry, really dark and you nailed that “industrial smell” description. Definately not sweet, bitter and herby. Yum! (Don’t like the sweet Sherry, go Madeira or Marsala for that).