Definition: Amontillado sherry

True amontillado sherry is a dry wine, aged for a long time, which eventually loses its flor and takes on a dark colour on contact with the air (oxidative ageing). These are very elegant, woody, rich and complex wines with a very noble rancio. They are nothing like most commercial amontillados, which are merely vulgar blends of semi-dry sherries. Variants include fino amontillado and manzanilla amontillada.