Sherry and Montilla Moriles

Sherry Wines and Montilla Moriles Wines are similar in styles but come from neighbouring regions. In both cases, the grapes are fermented and then fortified with distilled grape spirits (brandy) to increase the alcohol content. The wines can range from very dry to very sweet, offering a wide variety of styles to suit different tastes.

What is Sherry?

Sherry (Jerez) is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versions similar to white table wines, such as Manzanilla and fino, to darker and heavier versions that have been allowed to oxidise as they age in barrel, such as Amontillado and oloroso. Sweet dessert wines are also made from Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel grapes, and are sometimes blended with Palomino-based sherries.

Sherry is often used as an aperitif or dessert wine and is also a popular ingredient in many cocktails, such as the Sherry Cobbler and the Sherry Flip. It has a long history and is deeply rooted in Spanish and Andalusian culture.

What is Montilla Moriles?

Montilla Moriles is a lesser-known region than Jerez, located in the southern part of the province of Cordoba but produces very similar wines by common production methods. The wines cannot be called Sherry because this name is protected by European law and can only be used for wines from the designated sherry area.

The big difference is that the vast majority is planted with Pedro Ximenez grapes, used for both sweet and dry wines, rather than the Palomino Fino which is dominant in the sherry region. In general this holds more sugar. Therefore the juices have a higher potential in alcohol and many wines can be produced in Montilla-Moriles without fortification (especially the dry types).