Sherry is a commonly purchase at Christmas and a few glasses are often enjoyed as a match to sticky puddings and nuts. But then the half-consumed bottle can be left abandoned and only opened occasionally when it's discovered that the flavours don't seem quite as fresh as they were when first opened.
Sherry is a fortified wine, as is Port the other commonly purchased Christmas special. Brandy, or a cheaper neutral spirit, is used to fortify (increase) the wines natural alcohol levels, and so prolong their keeping qualities. Fortified, they take much longer to succumb to oxidation, but if left for long enough any bottle leftovers start to taste of cardboard and then eventually turn into vinegar.
So avoid turning your expensive half-consumed bottles into sherry vinegar by getting rid of any excess air in the bottle, either use a hand pump air extractor (the big brand Vacuvin sells for around £6 from wine shops and supermarkets) or pour the remaining fortified wine into a rinsed out half-bottle. Being in a smaller bottle should mean there is now little or no air-space under the shoved in cork.
But if your bottles are too far gone then use them in the kitchen to soak your trifle sponge at the bottom of this classic fruit and custard pudding, or use a splash of sherry to make an excellent gravy for pan-fried meats. Just remove your just-cooked chicken fillet, pork loin or beef steak from the frying pan and keep warm on a plate while you deglaze the tasty burnt on bits by adding the oxidised sherry and stirring vigorously. Season to taste and pour over your meat.
You could also get in some new bottles, so try these currently available sherries.
Croft Original Pale Cream Sherry
£12.50 (1 litre bottle) Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Morrisons
A blend of half dry Fino and half semi-sweet Cream sherry, Pale Cream exhibits both Fino marzipan nuttiness and the light brown sugar flavours of Cream sherry. Serve chilled like a white wine and enjoy as an aperitif.
£16.49 (50cl bottle) Waitrose
Pedro Ximenez, often shortened to PX on the label, is the sweetest category of sherry. Flavours of liquid treacle, figs and raisins. Dense and sweet, a classic.
£6 (37.5cl bottle) Tesco
This is the sweetest form of sherry so if you are looking for subtle flavours then this one is not for you. It’s the colour of liquid Marmite but has the aroma of sweet raisins. The flavour is rich and smooth and tastes of fruit cake with some black treacle and cough mixture added in. Thick and viscous – you may have to scoop it out of the glass.
£11 (1 litre bottle) Morrisons, Asda; 12.50 Tesco, Sainsbury's
Sweeter than Pale Cream but drier than PX, Cream Sherry is a blend of the driest Fino and the sweeter Amontillado, Oloroso and PX sherry styles. The contents of Harveys' blue bottlings have been a firm favourite with us Brits for years, but its dried cherry, raisin and brown sugar flavours still hit the spot.
Asda Rich Cream Fortified British Wine
£5.50 (1 litre bottle) Asda
The word 'sherry' does not appear anywhere on the label but the bottle styling is very similar to a Pale Cream Sherry. It is British not Spanish (meaning the underlying wine is made here using imported grape concentrate), it is fortified and it tastes rather like sherry, but it doesn't quite pack the finesse of the real stuff that costs £2 more a bottle. Good for trifles.
