The Society's Fino

72 Reviews

A bracing sherry to lift the most jaded of palates. From the independent house of Sánchez Romate, this fino has long been a member favourite. Fino derives its appley, bready character from the veil of flor yeast that floats on the surface of the wine whilst in cask, protecting it from contact with oxygen. The wine is shipped often and in small quantities to guarantee freshness – the lifeblood of fino – and bring out the crispness and character. Serve chilled as an unbeatable aperitif, or with strongly flavoured appetisers, olives, almonds or smoked salmon. The venencia pictured on the label is emblematic of Jerez. The cup on a long stick is used to sample sherry straight from the barrel, often poured from a great height into the glass for aeration of the wine and, no doubt, added theatre.

£8.95 Bottle

£107.00 Case of 12

In Stock

Code: SH571

Wine characteristics

Sherry
2 - Dry
75cl
Within one year of purchase
15% Alcohol
no oak influence
Screwcap

Vegetarian
Vegan

100ml of this wine contains 77 kcal
The bottle contains 11.3 units of alcohol
A 125ml glass of this wine contains 96 kcal and 1.9 units of alcohol

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend adults do not regularly drink more than 14 units per week. For information and support on responsible drinking please see www.drinkaware.co.uk. For more information about how calories in wine are measured, click here.

Sánchez Romate SA

Bodegas Sánchez Romate can be found in the historic heart of Jerez de la Frontera, and is one of the few bodegas still entirely owned by Jerez families. As well as being the home of sherry (the word ‘sherry’ is an anglicisation of Jerez), the city is home to many late gothic churches and convents, and is also the birthplace of flamenco, and some horse shows.

With its pretty streets lined with fragrant orange and lilac trees, it is no wonder that families have been flocking here for centuries to produce its most famous wines. Romate’s founder, Don Juan Sánchez de la Torré, did just that in 1781, meaning it is now one of Spain’s oldest wineries still in operation.

Their family-owned status means they retain both their independence (they still produce, age, bottle, and despatch all of their own produce) and can continue making wines according to their artisanal traditions. Their popularity went way beyond Jerez, however: they have also been the official purveyor to the House of Lords, the Vatican, and the Spanish Royal Family.

Sánchez Romate own vineyards in some of the best locations in the sherry triangle, benefiting from western Andalusia’s glorious sunshine and cooling sea breezes. The white albariza (limestone) soil is perfect for sherry grapes (palomino and pedro ximénez) because they absorb and retain the winter and spring rainfall and supply it to the vine in the scorching summer.

Their winery of course uses the Solera ‘steps and ladder’ system, a method unique to...

Bodegas Sánchez Romate can be found in the historic heart of Jerez de la Frontera, and is one of the few bodegas still entirely owned by Jerez families. As well as being the home of sherry (the word ‘sherry’ is an anglicisation of Jerez), the city is home to many late gothic churches and convents, and is also the birthplace of flamenco, and some horse shows.

With its pretty streets lined with fragrant orange and lilac trees, it is no wonder that families have been flocking here for centuries to produce its most famous wines. Romate’s founder, Don Juan Sánchez de la Torré, did just that in 1781, meaning it is now one of Spain’s oldest wineries still in operation.

Their family-owned status means they retain both their independence (they still produce, age, bottle, and despatch all of their own produce) and can continue making wines according to their artisanal traditions. Their popularity went way beyond Jerez, however: they have also been the official purveyor to the House of Lords, the Vatican, and the Spanish Royal Family.

Sánchez Romate own vineyards in some of the best locations in the sherry triangle, benefiting from western Andalusia’s glorious sunshine and cooling sea breezes. The white albariza (limestone) soil is perfect for sherry grapes (palomino and pedro ximénez) because they absorb and retain the winter and spring rainfall and supply it to the vine in the scorching summer.

Their winery of course uses the Solera ‘steps and ladder’ system, a method unique to Jerez, and Sánchez Romate has it down to a fine art. They make all types of sherry – fino, amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado, cream and pedro ximénez – and age each wine in traditional American oak for varying numbers of years depending on its type.

The flor that forms in the casks is vital to the sherry’s taste, flavour-intensity and texture (flor attacks glycerol, which can leave sherry fat and uninteresting). The type of flor yeast present in each barrel varies greatly, as different types form depending on the temperature variation throughout the bodega and the strength of the air currents. We’ve worked with Sánchez Romate to select the best casks for our Society Fino and Fino Perdido.

One of our best-selling sherries is their Fino Perdido (or ‘lost fino’), an exclusive to The Society. The name is a result of a change in Spanish classification laws: the term ‘fino-amontillado’ to indicate a sherry halfway between the two styles was declassified in recent years. The Fino Perdido – a sherry made in this style – was somewhat abandoned until our sherry buyer, Toby Morrhall, discovered it when visiting the winery. It’s broad, rich, powerful style and delicious orange peel and nutty character has proven hugely popular with our members.

Sánchez Romate remains a benchmark of Jerez wines: with over 200 years of balancing tradition with a cosmopolitan lifestyle, they have always aimed simply to please their consumers, and to satisfy an essential need – the art of living.

Only £7.25 and that's for a full bottle - no wonder this own-label fino, made by Sánchez Romate, is the Society's best-selling Sherry, and was voted a Wine Champion this year by the Society's buyers, it's ...

Only £7.25 and that's for a full bottle - no wonder this own-label fino, made by Sánchez Romate, is the Society's best-selling Sherry, and was voted a Wine Champion this year by the Society's buyers, it's exemplary fino, tangy and yeasty, with the salinity, lipsmacking acidity and apple peel freshness that makes it the perfect glass to reach for on so many occasions. Will keep for a week or so in the fridge after opening.

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Amy Wislocki

Friday 1st Sep 2023

Jancis Robinson.com

This is a ridiculous wine: too cheap. Saline, briny complexity. Bone dry, so salty and deep, with pure Jerez character and great length. Pure Fino. Very good value.

Julia Harding MW

Friday 4th Aug 2023

Times of Tunbridge Wells

Stonking salty-savoury, bone-dry fino sherry. Dry and pale lemon in colour with low acidity, palate-reviving, lightly fortified fino and manzanilla sherries are aged ‘biologically’ under the so-called...

Stonking salty-savoury, bone-dry fino sherry. Dry and pale lemon in colour with low acidity, palate-reviving, lightly fortified fino and manzanilla sherries are aged ‘biologically’ under the so-called foamy film of yellow-white flor (‘flower’) yeasts, which shield the wine from oxidation while reducing levels of glycerol (and body), releasing aromas of apple skin, bread dough, hay and almonds. This textbook fino comes in a 75cl bottle and is made for The Wine Society by Sanchez Romate. It’s fabulously refined and tangy with glorious freshly baked sourdough, green apple peel, yeasty/almondy aromas and a salty edge. Serve well-chilled as an aperitif or drink with runny-centred tortillas, asparagus with hollandaise, green olives, jamon iberico, Marcona almonds, gazpacho, vinaigrette salads, sushi and fish and chips.

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James Viner

Monday 31st Oct 2022

Times of Tunbridge Wells

Sherry is the planet’s most undervalued fortified wine bargain and it mixes wonderfully into cocktails. There is a ton of character here, with notes of apples, herbs, citrus fruit, iodine, some nuttiness...

Sherry is the planet’s most undervalued fortified wine bargain and it mixes wonderfully into cocktails. There is a ton of character here, with notes of apples, herbs, citrus fruit, iodine, some nuttiness and sourdough, to boot. Try it with everything from fried/grilled/smoked fish, anchovies, green Manzanilla olives and lightly salted and toasted Marcona almonds to sashimi, gazpacho, smoked/cured meats, patatas bravas and tortilla. It also makes for a stonking Rebujito when mixed with Sprite or 7up and garnished with mint and/or a green olive. Stunning value (for 75cl) as always from The Wine Society and perhaps its most bargainous, newly-crowned ‘Wine Champion.’ A convincing sherry in every respect.

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James Viner

Thursday 25th Aug 2022

decanter.com

Silver medal, 90/100. Lemon blossom and salty nut scents and flavours. Crying out for tapas. Very typical and still with great character. Amazing value. Bravo!

Decanter World Wine Awards

Tuesday 16th Aug 2022

The Guardian

Fabulously fresh, bone-dry sherry at a crazily good price. Classic fino

Fiona Beckett

Friday 12th Aug 2022

JancisRobinson.com

Salty and iodine-like. Bone dry, super-salty and an absolute benchmark. Very good value. 16.5/20

Julia Harding MW

Tuesday 9th Aug 2022

decanter.com

All fridge doors should have a bottle of The Society’s Fino ready to be poured. For under a tenner it delivers all the saline freshness, briny deliciousness and apple peel crunch that makes a glass of...

All fridge doors should have a bottle of The Society’s Fino ready to be poured. For under a tenner it delivers all the saline freshness, briny deliciousness and apple peel crunch that makes a glass of Fino what it should be: a simple and pure pleasure. Stock up. 89/100

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Ines Salpico

Thursday 28th Jul 2022

Oz Clarke's 250 Best Wines for 2012

An excellent example of the Wine Society's sherry – and simply outstanding value for money. Fino sherry is bone dry, but a little fuller than manzanilla, a little fatter, even, but it still has...

An excellent example of the Wine Society's sherry – and simply outstanding value for money. Fino sherry is bone dry, but a little fuller than manzanilla, a little fatter, even, but it still has that marvellous tangy dryness which makes it such a good appetizer, that almost slightly sour green apple peel acidity and the strange soft-sourness of yeasty bread dough – rather like a malty mixed grain bread in the making. There's also a taste of roasted almonds – and roasted almonds would be the perfect accompaniment.

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Sunday 1st Jan 2012

Bite Magazine

Perfect for anytime, from a civilised sip when the sun's just over the yardarm to some serious food matching… the freshness of green olives and sliced apple with a salty almond savouriness....

Perfect for anytime, from a civilised sip when the sun's just over the yardarm to some serious food matching… the freshness of green olives and sliced apple with a salty almond savouriness. Great with Iberian ham, manchego and olives as well as sushi, asparagus and smoked fish.

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Monday 1st Jul 2013

Decanter

5 Stars -Outstanding: Complex, long and multi-layered. Exemplary fino. A great, classicwine.

- Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW

Saturday 1st Feb 2014

Decanter

5 Stars -Outstanding: Fine blend of yeasty freshness with citrus elements on the nose.Palate is dry and tight; develops with a fine richness of flavour. This is alittle tarry with an enticing herbal note. ...

5 Stars -Outstanding: Fine blend of yeasty freshness with citrus elements on the nose.Palate is dry and tight; develops with a fine richness of flavour. This is alittle tarry with an enticing herbal note. Iodine note on finish.

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- Sarah Jane Evans MW

Saturday 1st Feb 2014

Decanter

5 Stars -Outstanding: Very fino nose, birght clean aromas, lovely almond, citrus andapple tone. Quite complex, rich and in the Jerez style, with a little morealcohol on the finish.

- Nick Room

Saturday 1st Feb 2014

JancisRobinson.com

Absolutely classicand delightfully long. Superb. Very very good value

. - Jancis Robinson

Tuesday 24th Jun 2014

The Lady

Not only a bargainbut also one of the best finos on the market. It’s very dry and lemony with acertain salty tang which lingers deliciously in the mouth... I always have a bottle of this in the...

Not only a bargainbut also one of the best finos on the market. It’s very dry and lemony with acertain salty tang which lingers deliciously in the mouth... I always have a bottle of this in the fridge.

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- Henry Jeffreys

Friday 18th Jul 2014

Associated Press

A classic that alwayscomes tops in tastings… made… by Sanchez Romate, one of the few remainingfamily-owned bodegas and will have you reaching for a jamon sandwich in notime. Distinct bready...

A classic that alwayscomes tops in tastings… made… by Sanchez Romate, one of the few remainingfamily-owned bodegas and will have you reaching for a jamon sandwich in notime. Distinct bready aromas, a fresh citrus element and notes of salty almondsmake this extremely reviving when the sun comes out.

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- Sam Wylie Harris

Friday 17th Apr 2015

Spears Wealth Management

Sanchez Romate is oneof Spain's oldest wineries and a celebrated producer of exemplary sherries. ItsFino is bang on: bone-dry, with citrus and a touch of nuts and herbs on thefinish. Served...

Sanchez Romate is oneof Spain's oldest wineries and a celebrated producer of exemplary sherries. ItsFino is bang on: bone-dry, with citrus and a touch of nuts and herbs on thefinish. Served well-chilled, its vibrant enough to kickstart the most jaded ofappetites. A perfect Sherry at a perfect price, and yet another reason to shopat The Wine Society.

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- Jonathan Ray

Saturday 2nd Jan 2016

Manchester Evening News

Possibly the bestvalue wine on the planet. This is a fairly full-bodied Fino, with sappy fruitand a saline whiff. It's made by Sanchez Romate in Jerez and is perfect for thedinner table where it will...

Possibly the bestvalue wine on the planet. This is a fairly full-bodied Fino, with sappy fruitand a saline whiff. It's made by Sanchez Romate in Jerez and is perfect for thedinner table where it will match ham, cheese, fish and many other tapas.

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- Andy Cronshaw

Saturday 5th Nov 2016

Manchester Evening News

One of the best valuewines you can buy.

- Andy Cronshaw

Saturday 10th Jun 2017

Times of Tunbridge Wells

Sherry's one of thegreatest wines in the world, and a personal favourite. With green applesspliced with sourdough, iodine and hints of smoke and jasmine, this tangytextbook lowish-acid fino is simply...

Sherry's one of thegreatest wines in the world, and a personal favourite. With green applesspliced with sourdough, iodine and hints of smoke and jasmine, this tangytextbook lowish-acid fino is simply dazzling. Try it with green olives, jamoniberico, salted almonds, Manchego, oysters, exqueixada, paella, tortilla,gazpacho, mezze/tapas, anchovies, fish curry, fritto misto, smoked salmon,sashimi, vinaigrette-laden salads and ratatouille! Refined and appetising, it'sbuilt for an Adonis cocktail (a lighter interpretation of the Manhattan).

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- James Viner

Wednesday 24th Apr 2019

midweekwines.co.uk

Another terrific winethat rightfully secured a place on [the International Wine Challenge GreatValue] list is a sherry from The Wine Society that will delight even thoseharbouring a few doubts about...

Another terrific winethat rightfully secured a place on [the International Wine Challenge GreatValue] list is a sherry from The Wine Society that will delight even thoseharbouring a few doubts about sherry.

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- Brian Elliott

Wednesday 5th Jun 2019

Liverpool Echo

… for those of youwho love a sherry with all the freshness of apple crispness, then The Society'sFino is a great buy.

- Jane Clare

Saturday 15th Jun 2019

The Times

<span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;...

<span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Sherry still sailsunder the radar, but tapas bars are attracting a new hipster crowd who droolover the likes of [this wine], a glorious, fresh brown bread of a dry sherry,only £6.95. - 

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Jane MacQuitty

Saturday 10th Aug 2019

midweekwines.co.uk

<span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;...

<span style='font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Often the last cornerof the wine universe that newcomers fall in love with is sherry – especiallyversions at the driest end of the spectrum but here is fino with suchdelightful balance and complexity that it (deservedly) secured an IWC goldmedal. Soft and smooth, The Society’s Fino has apple and dried fruit flavoursskilfully integrated into a nutty background that also contains subtle hints ofyeast. - 

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Brian Elliott

Wednesday 14th Aug 2019

The Mail on Sunday

Brilliance in abottle. Serve chilled with green olives.

- Olly Smith

Sunday 3rd Nov 2019

The Mail on Sunday

Best buy for Sherry.

- Olly Smith

Sunday 24th Nov 2019

Times of Tunbridge Wells

Fino sherries, made from early ripening, relativelylow-acid/high-yielding/large palomino grapes in water-retentive, predominantlylimestone-rich, chalky, milky-white 'albariza' soils, are...

Fino sherries, made from early ripening, relativelylow-acid/high-yielding/large palomino grapes in water-retentive, predominantlylimestone-rich, chalky, milky-white 'albariza' soils, are pale-golden,delicate, palate-reviving and bone dry. With a pungent bouquet redolent ofgreen apples, freshly baked sourdough crust, yeast and salted almonds, thisarabesque of a Fino tingles with life and spins on the palate with effortlesscharm. The archetypal aperitif, it's just the ticket for seafood, shellfish, smokedsalmon, sashimi, olives and fish and chips. Epic value given that this is 75cl!

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- James Viner

Wednesday 27th Nov 2019

Daily Express

This award-winningSherry must be one of the best value around. It's crisp and dry with asatisfying finish. Made by independent producer Sánchez Romate - producingSherries for more than a century...

This award-winningSherry must be one of the best value around. It's crisp and dry with asatisfying finish. Made by independent producer Sánchez Romate - producingSherries for more than a century - it is shipped in small quantities toguarantee freshness. Serve chilled with smoked salmon, olives or almonds tobring out its apple-like tones.

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- Matt Nixson

Saturday 7th Dec 2019

Metro

Anyone seeking a lip-smacking aperitif as we slide into spring, look no further. Fino is the lightest sherry style, produced from palomino grapes, aged under a blanket of yeast called...

Anyone seeking a lip-smacking aperitif as we slide into spring, look no further. Fino is the lightest sherry style, produced from palomino grapes, aged under a blanket of yeast called 'flor'. Stay with me. Like sipping a glass of morning sea-air, this bone-dry style rocks with a salted almond pairing. Made for intense chilling, this is a bargain and should be picked up by the barrel-load.

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- Rob Buckhaven

Tuesday 25th Feb 2020

Sussex Express

My other favouritestyle is the bone dry Fino, with its unmistakeable, bready, yeasty aroma fromthe flor – a naturally occurring yeast which grows on the top of the maturingbarrels of sherry,...

My other favouritestyle is the bone dry Fino, with its unmistakeable, bready, yeasty aroma fromthe flor – a naturally occurring yeast which grows on the top of the maturingbarrels of sherry, imparting a unique flavour and keeping the colour pale.Intensely aromatic and deep flavoured, it is a transformation of the ratherordinary palomino grape variety from which it is made. Fabulous with smokedsalmon, anchovies or grilled garlic prawns. The Wine Society has an excellentexample from the house of Sánchez Romate at the unbelievably reasonable priceof £6.95.

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- Richard Esling

Monday 2nd Nov 2020