Amontillado Sherry

An amontillado sherry starts life as a fino but the protective layer of flor (yeast that floats on the top of the wine) has died, either through age or by having brandy added to it. This means that the wine ages with oxygen contact and develops flavours of hazelnuts, butterscotch, and orange peel. Amontillados are naturally dry wines but you do see sweetened examples. The name amontillado means ‘in the style of Montilla’, the fortified region next door to sherry. Very long-aged amontillados are some of the most prized wines in the region.