Fino

Fino ("fine" "refinado" "refined" in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry and Montilla-Moriles fortified wine.

Until the mid-19th century, most sherry winemakers did not understand what this yellowish foam that randomly appeared in some of their barrels was.

It turned out that this strain of Saccharomyces yeast thrived in air, and the more "headroom" there was in the barrel, the more likely it was to develop.

On 12 April 2012, the rules applicable to the sweet and fortified Denominations of Origen Montilla-Moriles and Jerez-Xérès-Sherry were changed.

In the final classification of a fino, it is judged on such qualities as cleanness, paleness, dryness, and aroma.

As with other particularly dry sherries, it is best served chilled at 7–10 °C before a meal, and in Spain is almost always drunk with tapas of some form, such as olives, almonds, or seafood.