As wine merchants we must have a challenge. In the past, it has been to introduce our customers to the joys of the great wines of Alsace, which we have managed with considerable success. Our present challenge is sherry, without question one of the great wines of the world. We personally adore these wonderful wines produced in Andalucia; from the bone dry, crisp Manzanilla, to the Christmas pudding in a glass - Pedro Ximenez - we feel our customers should avail themselves of the delights of these exquisite, value-for-money sherries.

Javier Hidalgo’s family has owned Bodegas in Sanlucar de Barrameda since 1792 and is now one of only six Houses making its own Manzanilla. The area of sherry production is strictly controlled. For Manzanilla it is limited to the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda, where the basic fino-style sherries are stored and are said to take on a salty tang due to the close proximity of the sea. If a town the size of Sanlucar existed in France and produced the quality of wine it does, the marketing men would have a field day.

Even Javier admitted that there may be a little of the 'manyana' attitude associated with the publicity, or rather lack of it, that surrounds sherry. What could better a glass of chilled Manzanilla or Fino with a handful of salted almonds or olives as a pick-me-up after a hard day. Alternatively, treat sherry like wine, as they do in Andalucia. We have enjoyed many lunches at Casa Bigote in Sanlucar, with a plate of prawns or langoustine, straight out of the bay and so fresh they are nearly kicking their way to the table, accompanied by a bottle of crisp, dry Manzanilla. There are several reasons why dry sherry is not as popular as it deserves; one is that it can go stale. It must be opened and drunk relatively quickly, not kept on the sideboard for six months. It must also be purchased from a wine merchant who has a good turnover of sherry and who ships it himself frequently. The young dry examples of Fino and Manzanilla do not age well in bottle, and we recommend they should be drunk within six months of purchase. Finally, the quality must be there in the first place. We believe the best two producers are Hidalgo and Valdespino, and Javier himself would be the first to agree that the House of Valdespino produces first class wines too. We have purchased a wonderful range of sherries from Hidalgo and we also have the famous Manzanilla la Gitana crisp, clean and dry, it is the perfect aperitif. We are also importing an older Manzanilla, or Pasada as it is called, which is more concentrated and full on the palate.

The fino Superior Napoleon, like the Manzanilla Pasada, has more age and great depth of flavour, with a lovely complex aroma and delicious almond-like hints. Amontillado Napolean is traditional, dry Amontillado, rich and dark but still with the freshness of the Manzanilla from which it is made. The next two wines are very special indeed. The first is Jerez Cortado. Hidalgo have a very old solera, created even before the firm's foundation in 1792, where they mature some of their finest wines and produce this incredibly powerful sherry with a dry, nutty flavour, yet with delicacy and finesse.

The other wine is their Oloroso Especial, a smooth, velvety wine with a dark amber colour, totally dry but with a hint of sweetness on the nose; altogether a wonderful sherry.

Lastly, we have their lovely Cream Especial, produced from a blend of Oloroso and old Amontillado, with a touch of the rich and lush Pedro Ximenez to add sweetness. This is a fabulously ripe, luscious example with an elegance often lacking in sherries of this style.

Hidalgo's sherries are exquisite. Try keeping a bottle of la Gitana in the refrigerator and see how habit-forming it can quickly become.

Single Vineyard sherry.

In 1987, Javier Hidalgo met with his old friend and fellow winemaker from Oporto, Cristiano Van Zeller. From this meeting sprung the idea of producing a single vineyard sherry. After 10 years of careful ageing and development Javier has now released two single vineyard sherries.

The wines selected originate from the Hidalgo family’s Pastrana vineyard situated in the Miraflores district near Sanlucar De Barrameda, famous for producing some of the finest grapes of the Jerez Superior district. The sherries have been aged in old American oak casks for many years using the traditional Solera system. The final selection of the wines considered suitable for the Pastrana label was very rigorous. As a result, the choice finally narrowed down to just two sherry styles, one being a classic dry old Amontillado and the other a very fine Manzanilla Pasada.

The Manzanilla has an average age of 15 years and it has a pale gold, straw colour. It is dry and crisp with a clean delicate bouquet; a most wonderful aperitif. The superb Amontillado Viejo is probably half a century old, dark amber in colour, intensely rich with a pervasive aroma of hazelnuts. Full of complex flavours, this is truly outstanding wine.