It is the one most usually recommended as an alternative to rice wine in Oriental cooking and it can often be used in place of white wines or brandy in European recipes.

There are many styles, ranging from very dry and light Fino sherries to very sweet 'cream sherries' that are deliberately sweetened during manufacture.

Fino is the most versatile sherry for cooking. If using sherry as a substitute for white wine in cooking, choose Fino and add a little less than the recipe states to compensate for the sherry's stronger flavour. Manzanilla and Oloroso sherries are also good varieties for cooking.

Use in stews, soups, stocks and court bouillon, and sweet or savoury sauces. Oloroso sherry makes a classic English trifle.

Store well sealed in the fridge. Fino sherry needs to be consumed within a few days of opening, sweeter sherries will last no more than ten days.