Is sherry coming home?

Sherry sales increased by 12% last year for the heavier qualities and 24% for finos and manzanillas

Andrew J. Linn

Friday, 24 March 2023, 12:18

Has sherry turned the corner at last? After decades of stagnant sales and serious questions about its future, the oldest Spanish official wine denomination can see a bright light at the end of the tunnel. The heyday of Jerez wines was during the middle years of the last century, and it was not until the last quarter that consumption showed signs of a serious downturn. Why? Mainly on account of over-production leading to inferior quality. The main sherry houses have for decades been dependent on traditional bulk consumers like Britain.

Consequently, the sherry bonanza of the 1960s/1980s turned into a wake. Small bodegas were absorbed by larger ones, quality declined, although the leading brands of Tio Pepe and La Ina are still exemplified by wines that are cheap and undistinguished, rather like Möet et Chandon in the case of champagne.

Sherry sales increased by 12% last year for the heavier qualities and 24% for finos and manzanillas. And it's not just the wine. One of Scotland's biggest distilleries has bought into the Estevez bodega for 115 million euros – but the objective is sherry barrels, used for maturing Scotch, ergo an 'infinity cask' that will last 100 years. Now that is taking the long view.

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