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Solera Fina and Zamarra varieties of Fino, from Lebrija

Fino ('fine' in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry. It is drunk comparatively young, and unlike the sweeter varieties should be drunk soon after the bottle is opened as exposure to air can cause them to lose their flavour within hours.

When first barrelled, sherries made using the fino method are only partially filled to allow the action of the flor yeast to give it the distinctive fresh taste of dry sherries. If the flor is allowed to die and the wine undergoes oxidative aging, the wine darkens and the flavour becomes stronger, resulting in an amontillado sherry.

In the final classification of a fino, it is judged on such qualities as cleanness, paleness, dryness, and aroma. According to the overseer's judgment, the initial stroke mark on the cask may then be embellished with one or more 'palm leaves'--curved marks that branch off the side of the initial mark. Wines receiving these marks are designated accordingly 'una palma,' 'dos palmas,' 'tres palmas,' with each additional palm leaf indicating a higher standard of quality.

• Jerez Fino, made from grapes grown in the vineyards around Jerez and aged in the bodegas there, where the climate is hotter than those near the coast. This wine was usually made by the Fino's who were a rich merchant family in the rennaissance time. The hotter summers cause Jerez fino to develop a thinner layer of flor and thus a stronger flavour due to more exposure to the air.
• Puerto Fino, made around El Puerto de Santa María. The cooler climate near the sea results in a thicker layer of flor and a more acidic and delicate flavour than Jerez fino.
• Manzanilla, made around Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where the climate is cooler than El Puerto de Santa María. Similar to the Puerto Fino, manzanilla has a fresher and more delicate flavour than Jerez fino.
• Pale Cream Sherry is a sweetened fino.

As with particularly dry sherries, it is best served chilled before a meal, and in Spain is always drunk with tapas of some form, such as olives or almonds, or even seafood.

Fino is the most delicate form of sherry and should be drunk within a year of bottling. Once opened it will immediately begin to deteriorate and should be drunk in one sitting for the best results. If necessary it can be stored, corked and refrigerated, for up to one week after opening.

• Gonzalez Byass "Tio Pepe"
• Lustau "Jarana"
• Pedro Domecq "La Ina"
• Williams & Humbert "Pando"