Sherry is made from various grapes, including the Listán Blanco or Palomino. Sherry does not have a particular vintage as it is produced using the solera system. Imagine a three-row pyramid of barrels with, say, seven along the bottom, six on the row above and five along the top, and you have a mental image of how the solera system works. In any one year only a third of the wine in these butts may be sold, and they are topped up by adding wine from the row above, which is known as the first criadera (nursery).

Flor is another unique feature of Sherry production and is responsible for giving Sherry its unique character. It is formed by the yeast occurring naturally in the Jerez region. Wine that has been selected to become a fino or manzanilla will develop a layer of flor which will protect it from the air and give the wine its distinctive tangy, dry, bready character. In the case of olorosos, the higher alcohol prevents the growth of flor and exposes the wine to air. This gives oloroso its darker amber colour and more intense nutty flavour.