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Sherry is a type of wine originally produced in and around the town of Jerez, Spain. By law, Sherry must come from the triangular area of the province of Cádiz between Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María.

Sherry is a fortified wine, made in Spain from three types of grapes: Palomino, Pedro Ximénez, and Muscat (Moscatel).

Sherry differs from other wines because of how it is treated after fermentation. It is first fortified with brandy and then if destined to be fino style a yeast called flor is allowed to grow on top. Oloroso style is fortified to a strength where the flor cannot grow.

Styles

Fino is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry.
Manzanilla is a variety of fino sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Amontillado is a variety of sherry that has been aged first under a cap of flor yeast, and then is exposed to oxygen, which produces a result darker than fino but lighter than oloroso.
Oloroso is a variety of sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a fino or amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine.
Palo Cortado is a rare variety of sherry that is fortified and aged without flor like an oloroso, but develops a character similar to amontillado, with some of the richness of oloroso and some of the crispness of amontillado.
Sweet Sherry (Jerez Dulce in Spanish) is created when one of the preceding varieties of dry sherry is sweetened with Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel wine. Cream sherry is a common variety of sweet sherry, with other varieties including pale cream sherry, medium sherry (also labeled medium dry), amoroso, brown sherry, and East India sherry.

Consejo Regulador for DO Jerez /Sherry