What is fortified wine? Port, sherry, Madeira and more explained

Fortified wines are some of the most fascinating and underrated wines in the world. They range from bone-dry, salty fino sherry to rich, raisiny Pedro Ximénez that tastes like liquid Christmas pudding. If your experience of sherry is a dusty bottle of cream at your nan’s, it’s time to think again.

What does “fortified” mean?

A fortified wine is a wine with a spirit added, usually a neutral grape spirit. This raises the alcohol, typically to between 15% and 22%, and helps preserve the wine.

When the spirit is added makes all the difference:

• Added during fermentation: the yeast stops working, leaving natural sugar in the wine. The result is sweet and rich, like port.
• Added after fermentation: all the sugar has already been turned into alcohol, so the wine is dry, like fino sherry. Any sweetness comes from blending later.

Sherry

Sherry comes from the area around Jerez in southern Spain, made mainly from the Palomino grape. It’s aged in a “solera”, a system of barrels where younger wine is gradually blended with older wine over many years.

• Fino: pale, bone-dry and tangy, aged under a layer of yeast called “flor”. Serve chilled with tapas. Tio Pepe Fino is the classic.
• Manzanilla: like fino but from the seaside town of Sanlúcar, with a salty tang. Try Barbadillo Manzanilla.
• Amontillado: starts as a fino, then ages with air, becoming nutty and amber. Barbadillo Amontillado is lovely.
• Oloroso: aged with air from the start, rich, dark and nutty but still dry. Try Barbadillo Oloroso.
• Pedro Ximénez (PX): made from sun-dried grapes, intensely sweet and syrupy. González Byass Néctar PX is gorgeous poured over vanilla ice cream.
• Cream: a sweetened blend, usually of oloroso and PX. Harveys Bristol Cream is the famous one.

Port

Port comes from Portugal’s Douro Valley. It’s fortified during fermentation, so it’s sweet and rich. Ruby ports are fruity; tawny ports are nutty and aged in barrels. Read our full guide to port for more. Graham’s LBV is a great place to start.

Madeira

Madeira comes from the Portuguese island of the same name. It’s deliberately heated during ageing, which gives it a unique tangy, caramelised flavour, and makes it almost indestructible once opened. Blandy’s Duke of Clarence is a rich, sweet introduction.

Other fortified wines

• Marsala: from Sicily, used in cooking and as an after-dinner drink.
• Vin Doux Naturel: sweet fortified wines from the south of France, such as Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.
• Rutherglen Muscat: rich, raisiny fortified wine from Australia.
• Pineau des Charentes: grape juice fortified with Cognac. Pierre Ferrand Pineau des Charentes is delicious chilled.
• Vermouth: a fortified, aromatised wine flavoured with herbs and botanicals. Carpano Antica Formula is a superb sweet vermouth for a Negroni or Manhattan.

How to serve fortified wine

• Fino and Manzanilla: well chilled, like a white wine. Drink within a week of opening.
• Amontillado and Oloroso: lightly chilled or at cool room temperature.
• PX, cream sherry and port: cool room temperature, or lightly chilled in summer.
• Madeira: cool room temperature. It keeps for months once opened.

What to eat with fortified wine

• Fino and Manzanilla: olives, almonds, jamón, fried fish and seafood.
• Amontillado: mushroom dishes, roast chicken and consommé.
• Oloroso: hard cheeses, game and stews.
• PX and cream sherry: ice cream, Christmas pudding and blue cheese.

FAQs

Is sherry sweet?

Many sherries are completely dry, including fino, manzanilla, amontillado and oloroso. Only cream and PX are sweet.

How long does sherry last once opened?

Fino and manzanilla last about a week in the fridge; oloroso and sweet styles last several weeks.

Explore more on our sherry list and port list.