Sherry vs port: what's the difference?
Sherry is a fortified Spanish wine that's often bone dry, nutty and a little salty, while port is a fortified Portuguese wine that's almost always sweet, rich and full of dark fruit.
Sherry
EasyBoozy
TartSweet
Not bitterBracing
Mostly dry and savory, nutty and salty, with sweet styles too.
What does Sherry taste like?Port
EasyBoozy
TartSweet
Not bitterBracing
Sweet, rich and jammy, like liquid fruitcake.
What does Port taste like?The real difference
Both are fortified with grape spirit, but at different moments. Port gets it partway through fermenting, which stops the yeast and leaves sugar behind. Most sherry ferments dry first and is fortified after, then aged in a solera, a stack of barrels that blends old and young wine. Sweet sherries like Pedro Ximénez exist too.
Side by side
SherryPort
FromSouthern SpainThe Douro Valley, Portugal
SweetnessMostly dry, some sweetAlmost always sweet
TastesNutty, salty, toastyDark fruit, chocolate, spice
On a menuWith tapas, in cocktails, before dinnerAfter dinner, with cheese or chocolate
Which to order
- Order sherry if you want something savory to sip with salty snacks.
- Order port if you want a sweet glass to end the meal.
Quick questions
- Is all sherry sweet?
- No, most isn't. Fino and manzanilla are bone dry and salty; amontillado and oloroso are dry and nutty. Cream sherry and Pedro Ximénez are the sweet ones.
- How strong is port?
- About 19 to 22%, well above most table wine, so it's usually poured in small glasses after dinner.