🍷 Amontillado
Sherry that first matures under flor and then without it, in contact with air.
Amontillado is a type of sherry that first matures under a layer of yeast called flor and then without it, in contact with air. Sherry is made in Jerez in the south of Spain, in Andalusia. The base of the wine is the Palomino grape.
First the sherry is aged under flor, like fino. The flor protects the wine from air and gives it freshness and a nutty smell. Then the wine is fortified with spirit, the flor dies, and the wine oxidises in the barrel. This gives it an amber colour and a nutty, tobacco and caramel taste. Alcohol content is about 17–22%.
Amontillado stands between fino and oloroso: it has the freshness of the first and the depth of the second. The wine is dry, but sometimes it is sweetened, and then it is called medium. A related style is palo cortado. Amontillado is served lightly chilled with nuts, cheese and soups. Because of its strength it is drunk from small glasses.
Links
- Part of
- 🍷 Sherry
- Where it is made
- 🗺️ Spanish wine
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Fino, 🍷 Oloroso, 🍷 Palo Cortado, 🍷 Medium Sherry
Frequently asked questions
What is amontillado?
A sherry that first matures under flor and then without it, oxidising.
How much alcohol does it have?
About 17–22%.
How is amontillado different from fino?
Fino stays under flor throughout, while amontillado later oxidises and darkens.
Similar
🍷 Palo Cortado · 🍷 Pale Cream · 🍷 En rama Sherry · 🍷 Cream Sherry · 🍷 Oloroso · 🍷 Medium Sherry
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.