A Celebration of Fino En Rama Sherry

1 Jun

A Celebration of Fino En Rama Sherry

We have learned from 18 years of selling Sherry that to many it still carries outdated images of dusty bottles opened only at Christmas and at the sweeter end of sherry’s spectrum of styles. Yet across Spain, albeit mainly in the South, and in Britain’s best tapas bars & restaurants, Sherry is reclaiming its place as one of the World’s most complex, food-friendly wines. It also represents outstanding value for money.

Among the most exciting styles of sherry is Fino En Rama sherry, bone dry, raw, vibrant and versatile.

Bringing En rama sherry to the market is one of the most exciting times of the year for us at Ambiente. En Rama translates as ‘on the vine’ or figuratively speaking, raw.

It is bottled with minimal filtration or clarification, taken directly from single casks while preserving the delicate yeast known as flor. That is the layer of living yeast that protects and shapes fino sherry during ageing without any oxidation & giving it its unmistakable savoury freshness, saline character and notes of almonds & bread dough.

Most finos are fractionally blended in the famous solera systems found in the cathedral style Bodegas of the Sherry Triangle. They are filtered and stabilised before bottling to ensure consistency & commercial appeal. En rama, by contrast, embraces imperfection and authenticity. It can sometimes appear slightly cloudy, may throw sediment and evolves more dramatically in the bottle & varies slightly from bottle to bottle. The reward is intensity & freshness and a wine that is as close as you will ever get to tasting straight from a barrel in the DO of Jerez & Sanlucar de Barremeda.

Antonio Flores from Gonzalez Byass trying sherry from the cask

No producer has done more to celebrate the style than Gonzalez Byass. Their annual release of Tío Pepe En Rama, has become a highly anticipated event among sommeliers and sherry lovers. Drawn from selected casks in spring, when the flor is at its healthiest and most active, the wine captures the purest expression of biological ageing. Each release is subtly different, shaped by the season, humidity and life within the cellar itself.

Starting in 2012 when we were first introduced to En Rama by Gonzalez Byass, that sense of seasonality and immediacy is precisely why Tío Pepe En Rama has become so important to us. This year it was bottled on 20th April in Jerez & was being served to our customers by 1st May.

At Ambiente, sherry is never treated as an afterthought or niche curiosity. It is central to the restaurant’s identity and to the wider culture of tapas itself. The arrival of each year’s En Rama release signals the beginning of spring along with locally grown asparagus & the first outdoor tables appearing in the sunshine.

En Rama in our Tabanco by Ambiente courtyard

It also happens to be the perfect partner for classic tapas dishes. The wine’s salty tang and savoury depth elevates everything from anchovies and olives to jamón Ibérico and fried seafood. Served chilled, Tío Pepe En Rama cuts through rich flavours while amplifying delicate ones. Away from Spanish food it is also a great pairing for Asian food, especially sushi & our very own classic British dish of fish & chips.

Trying this year's Tio Pepe Fino En Rama — Our team tasting this year’s Tio Pepe Fino En Rama for the first time!

For Ambiente Tapas, then, Tío Pepe En Rama is more than a drink. It is an annual celebration of Andalusian wine culture, craftsmanship and spontaneity. It is a reminder that great sherry is not something old-fashioned, but something thrillingly modern, expressive and alive.

Please note other En Ramas are available! We also love Barbadillo’s Mazanilla Pasada En Rama de Pastora & stock a range of their oxidatively aged En Rama’s, but that is a tale for another time.

Zoe Sinclair

Discover Jerez and En Rama at Ambiente