Palo Cortado

Palo Cortado is the rarest dry sherry variety. Historically, this fortified wine was produced when a base wine that started as Fino or Manzanilla would unexpectedly lose the layer of flor—a thick layer of yeast—and then it would undergo slow oxidation which would result in a distinct sherry variety which falls between the Amontillado and Oloroso styles.

Nowadays, this process is monitored by experts, and it is rarely left to chance. Palo Cortado is typically light brown with a complex profile that combines refined flavors of Amontillado with more robust expressions found in Oloroso. It should always be served slightly chilled and it is recommended to be appreciated on its own, but it also pairs well with matured cheese, nuts, marinated or smoked fish, as well as foie gras and rustic dishes such as oxtail stew (rabo del toro). Palo Cortado aged in Sanlúcar de Barrameda is sometimes called Jerez Cortado.