What is sherry?

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Why: The crazy time-warped birth mother in The Mistress's Daughter only drinks Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry.

Answer: A fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez, Spain. The word "sherry" is an anglicization of "Jerez." Like Champagne and Gorgonzola, Sherry is a protected designation of origin; therefore, all wine labeled as "sherry" must legally come from an area in the southern Spanish province Cádiz known as the Sherry Triangle.

After fermentation is complete, sherry is fortified with brandy. Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, most sherries are initially dry, with any sweetness being added later. In contrast, port wine (for example) is fortified halfway through its fermentation, which stops the process so that not all of the sugar is turned into alcohol.

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: Contrary to popular belief, the term "Cream Sherry" does not reflect the use of any dairy ingredients in the recipe. The popular story is that in the 1860s, a visitor to the Harveys' cellars was given a taste of a new blend of sherry. When compared to Bristol Milk, she said, "If that be Milk, then this is Cream." The enterprising Harveys named the new blend "Cream Sherry" accordingly.