Jerez, in Spain's far south, is home to Sherry — a fortified wine made almost entirely from the Palomino grape, though sweet styles use Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel. What makes Sherry unique is its ageing: Fino and Manzanilla develop under a layer of flor yeast that protects the wine from oxygen and gives it a distinctive tangy, saline freshness, while Oloroso ages oxidatively without flor, turning deep amber and nutty. The region's chalky albariza soil retains moisture through the hot summer, keeping the vines going without irrigation.

Key grapes: Palomino, Pedro Ximénez, Moscatel