Jerez

In preparation for my upcoming trip to Spain I though I'd try Sherry. Jerez, as it's known in Spain, originates in the south of the country, specifically in a town called Jerez de la Frontera.  Sherry is a fortified wine much like port (from Porto, Portugal) and is made from white grapes. Sherry differs from port however in that it is fortified with brandy after fermentation of the grapes is complete, while port is fortified halfway through its fermentation. Because sherry is fortified after the completion of fermentation, all of the sugar in the wine turns into alcohol. This means that sherry starts off dry and any sweetness is added later in the wine making process. The sherry I tasted today comes from the Gonzalez Byass bodega is Jerez and is a cream style sherry. It has about 17% alcohol and is made from a blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes. Although I won't have enough time to visit the bodegas in Jerez (it's an hour drive from Seville) I sure am looking forward to sampling sherry and wine during my visit to Spain.