(Article - as seen in Somerset Living Food & Drink - Dec 2018 Issue pg. 45)
In the run-up to Christmas, victims of our global lifestyle, many of us will be giving our homes a quick ‘spring clean’ in readiness for those friends and family visitors that we see just once or twice a year.
Being single, I can happily do what I please,
without the angst of deciding who to offend, or
not, by choosing to spend the festive season with
one set of relatives or the other.
It is no coincidence that the holiday season is
renowned for its excess. Despite my best efforts
I usually succumb to the lure of the glittery treats
that festoon the shops. Being in the food and
wine business, my natural focus is on the grub
and the booze.
Which brings me round to the subject of sherry;
you know, that dusty bottle of Harvey’s Bristol
Cream at the back of the drinks cupboard, which
only sees the light of day when relatives of a
‘certain age’ make an appearance.
Well, it’s time to think again. Firstly, throw out
those diddly little sherry schooners, filled to the
brim with barely a mouthful to drink. Sherry is
a wine, albeit a fortified one, and deserves to be
treated as such, so use a decent-sized wine glass
with enough room to give it a swirl and a sniff
before you drink.
John Harvey & Sons was granted a royal warrant
as supplier of fine wine to Queen Victoria in 1895
and has supplied the royal household with sherry
ever since. I reckon, if it is good enough for Her
Majesty, then it’s good enough for me. It remains
the nation’s biggest selling sherry, with sales
approaching 250,000 bottles per year.
Created in 1796, and originally bottled in
Bristol, Harvey’s Bristol Cream is a blend of
Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximinez
Sherries; a unique product which has clearly
withstood the test of time, whilst also learning to
respond to changing tastes.
Earlier this year, Harvey’s refreshed The Bristol
Cream bottle and label. In addition to bringing the
design bang up-to-date, the bottle now features a
thermochromic ink logo that turns blue when it
reaches the perfect serving temperature.
This feature is designed to encourage consumers
to re-think the way that they drink Harvey’s Bristol
Cream, by chilling the sherry in the fridge.
At around £10 a litre, it is a great value sherry
that has long since shed its old-fashioned image.
It is full of toasty, nutty, raisiny flavours, making
it great as a mixer too.
During my recent three-day visit to the ‘Sherry
Academy’ in Jerez – during which I sampled over
60 Sherries – Harvey’s Bristol Cream was served
well-chilled as an aperitif, on the rocks, with a slice
of orange. Delicious and refreshing.
So, this festive season, stock up on a bottle or
two, and experiment. Here are a few tipples to
tickle the taste buds.
