Wines of the Week: Great value sherry for the festive season

Sherry is a diverse and undervalued wine style. Terry Kirby selects the best bottles to buy...

Manzanilla

Williams and Humbert Alegria Manzanilla 37.5cl

The driest of sherrys, Manzanilla is the perfect aperitif, to be drunk ice-cold with nuts, olives or fishy canapés. From a long-established, British-founded sherry house, this is wonderfully tangy, salty and palate-tingling. £5.29, Waitrose; £5.50, Oddbins; £7.95, The Wine Society (for 75cl)

Amontillado

Tesco Finest Amontillado Sherry 50cl

Amontillado wines are kept longer in the barrel to become richer and fuller, but are still dry and need to be drunk cold. With flavours of spices, nuts and hints of citrus, this is a fabulous match for hard cheeses and desserts such as almond tart. £5.50, Tesco

Pedro Ximénez

El Candado Valdespino 37.5cl

Pedro Ximénez sherries are the most luscious of all. Dark and rich, full of Christmas spice flavours, with a long, long finish. Drink with chocolate cake and all sweeter puddings or just drizzle over vanilla ice cream. £8.59, thedrinkshop.com; £8.59, rannochscott.co.uk