2. Sherry

Question 1

Comment on sherry Grape Growing /Location/Climate

Answer 1

• Jerez: located in southern Spain, low lat (36 deg) and low altitude 0 -90m
• hot Meditteranean
  
  • hot dry summer; mild, rainy winter
• Damp cool wind from Atlantic“Poniente” : cool inf in summer
• Hot dry wind from Africa“Levante” - makes env arid, grapes transpire quicker, sugars concentrate
• too much sugar - diff to ferment to dry also problematic for flor development & bio ageing
• high no. of cloud-free days + high no. of sunshine hrs means good ripening, but risk of sunburn

Question 2

Where may Sherry grapes be grown and describe the typical soil

Answer 2

Palomino grape

All grapes for Sherry must be grown in the
“Zona de Producion, area known as Marco de Jerez”,
(includes 8 municipalities e.g. Chiclana, Jerez, Sanlucar Barrameda) and may be used for

• DO Jerez-Xerez Sherry
• DO Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameida
• One exception - Pedro Ximenez cb grown in Montilla, but matured in Zona de Crianza, and still labelled “DO Jerez-Xeres Sherry”

ZdP split

• Jerez Superior - better sites, all albariza soil ~ 90% of plantings
• Jerez Zona - clay, sandy (barros, arenos)
• VY are split into “Pagos” each giving grapes different char, due to different aspect/location and soils

Albariza Soil

• Albariza - limestone, silica and clay.
  
  • retains winter rainfall and then gradually releases it
  • crusts over in hot weather to reduce evaporation from soil
  • reflects light back from the light soil aiding ripening
  • troughs are built (aserpia) to channel the water between the vines capturing more at the vine for absorption into the soil.
  • water retention allows higher density planting (70hl/ha)
  • supports high yields (flav concentration not reqd for Sherry which gets flav from maturation)
• When you see soil described like this - immediate thoughts of rootstock
  
  • tolerates lime.
  • controls the vigorous growth to get fruit not just vegetation
  • tolerates drought / water scarcity.
  • 41B; 333EM; 13-4EVEX from local researchers, very succesfull

Question 3

Describe the grape varieties grown in Jerez, how they are used in Sherry, and where they must be grown to qualify for the PDO designation on the label

Answer 3

Palomino (Listán)

• in the Zona de Produccion “Marco de Jerez”.
  
  • “DO Jerez Xeres Sherry”
• in Sanlucar de Barrameda
  
  • “DO Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda”
• Used in all styles (sweet and dry) of Sherry
• mid - late ripening,
• well suited to dry sunny weather produces large yields
• loses acidity quickly when it becomes ripe
• neutral, min fruit flavour to Sherry wines
• 99% of production by vol.

Pedro Ximínez - PX

• Grown in Montilla, shipped to ZdeP as fresh/raisined grapes or more commonly young wine
• Matured in the Zone de Crianza
• “DO Jeres Xeres Sherry”
• PX is used as a sweetening agent for sweet styles
• small, thin skinned grape
• high levels of sugar
• traditionally dried in the sun to concentrate the sugar
• neutral, flavours from drying/maturation process
• 1% of production by vol.

M​oscatel (Muscat of Alexandria) (Moscatel de Chipiona)

• Grows in coastal town Chipiona,
• sandy “arenas” soils
• late ripening,
• well adapted to heat /drought
• aromatic grape (grape/blossom)
• produces FW of same name.
• <1% of volume produced

Question 4

Sherry vineyard practices - describe

Answer 4

• Undergoing transformation toward mechanisation (soil mgmt, pruning, harvesting)
• Principle training was replacement cane pruning (Guyot),
  
  • inceasingly cordon trained (single or double) and spur pruned - best for mechanisation
• VSP trellising to
  
  • keep canopy open (mildew in spring) & arranged for mech.
  • shading to prevent sunburn
• Within row tight, between wide for tractors
• Yield 80hl/ha allowed - norm 60 - 70 hl/ha farmed
• Some producers limit yield for inc quality fruit
• Gentle slopes.. troughs (aserpia) dug mech. to channel rain to base of vines.
• Rootstock
  
  • 333EM, 41B, 13-5 EVEX (local, successful)
  • tolerate limestone (prevent chlorosis) ; drought ;
  • prod good yield
• Disease/Hazard
  
  • warm/dry climate ~ rel. few problems
  • mildew in spring with humidity after rain - systematic spraying of fungicides
  • European Grapevine Moth - managed with pheromone traps

Question 5

Sherry harvest - comment

Answer 5

• 60% is mechanised
  
  • Night or early hours of morning harvest
  • reduces oxidation and spoilage before reception
• 1st week August, start inland and work outwards
• 2nd week September cool coastal areas
• Early as possible - avoid rain as any rot undesirable esp for bio aged wine
• Grapes picked with 12% abv potential, total acid 5g/l and PH of 3.3 - 3.5
  
  • if acid is lower (extended ripening) then acidification is required.
• PX & Moscatel harvested slightly later as concentrated sugar is desired.

Question 6

Winemaking process for Sherry - Describe

Answer 6

• Press: Grapes pressed on arrival, no skin contact
  
  • (phenolic compounds restrict flor yeast growth)
• Free Run > Bio ageing (Fino, Manzanilla) > lightest press “primera yema” 60 - 75% of juice yield
• Press Wine > Oloroso ,later pressings, more pressure (phenolics)
  
  • or from free run, depending on production volumes required
• Yield: max 70l/100kg
• Clarify : must clarified before ferm >
  
  • cold settling/centrifugation/flotation
  • albariza soil is dusty, clarification removes
• Ferment >> musts fm diff vineyards fermented separately (blended later - see below)
  
  • cultured yeast, reliable ferment to dry, at 22-26 degC
  • no fruit flavours expected
  • ferm in ss, (some use old barrels- fuller body)
  • 1st ferm PHASE = quick/vigorous maj of sugar fermented in 7 days.
  • 2nd ferm PHASE = slow, couple of weeks, remaining sugar fermented
  • malo C prevented (chilling) - no butter flavours des. and acid already low
  • no use of SO2 - it will prevent flor yeast developing
• Blend > different parcels of wine blended before fortification and maturation
• first classification / analysis of each batch to decide
  
  • bio ageing - fortify to 15 - 15.5% abv, (optimal for flor yeast)
  • oxidative ageing - fortify to 17% abv, (yeast can’t survive)
• Fortification > spirit is 95% abv grape spirit, neutral
• After fortification, wine to sobretablas (may be tank or barrel), for storage before joining solera system.
• 2nd classification (Only bio ageing wines)
  
  • if flor is healthy and wine remained fresh - Fino or Manzanilla
  • if flor is not healthy or wine not delicate enough - Amontilado
  • if wine has even more full body and intense flavours - Palo Cortado
• the wines are now ready to enter the relevant solera system for maturing.

Question 7

Sherry Maturation - comment on location and vessels; and the architecture of the Bodegas

Answer 7

Location:

• For DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry maturation must take place in
  
  • Zona de Crianza which includes
    
    • Jerez de la Frontera
    • El Puerto de Santa Maria
    • Sanlucar de Barrameda
  • Exception:
    
    • Moscatel can be matured in Chipiona / Chiclana de la Frontera
• For DO Monzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda
  
  • • maturation in Sanlucar de Barrameda

Vessels:

• Maturation in old wooden barrels - most common 600 l butts
• Tends to be American oak (cheaper and historic reasons)

Architecture of Bodegas purposefully designed for optimum maturation conditions

• thick walls - constant temps
• tall buildings & high ceilings - warm air rises, butts stacked 3 or 4 high.
• Tall buildings have small windows near roof - face Atlantic allowing cool damp winds in
• window blinds diffuse sunlight and prevent dust/insects entering
• floors made of earth, wetted in summer to cool Bodega and inc humidity.
• Temp & humidity in Bodega important for growth and maintenance of flor yeast.
  
  • some fluctuations occur and often flor cannot be maintained throughout the year
  • flor growth is healthier in Sanlucar de Barrameda, resulting in Manzanilla being lighter and more delicate than Fino.

Question 8

Solera System - Describe

Answer 8

The solera system is a method of fractional blending

• used to maintain consistency and quality year after year.
• barrels of solera grouped into sections called criaderas which are stacked together in the Bodega.
  
  • Oldest wine will be called the SOLERA,
  • second oldest criadera 1,
  • third oldest criadera 2 etc
• Key rules:
  
  • no more than 40% can be removed from the criadera (blending or bottling) in one year
  • no wine younger than 2 years old may be sold.
• Wines can be removed from the solera system before they reach the SOLERA.
  
  • style and price related (maturing wines over long period adds cost)
    
    • inexp wines from 4th/5th criadera, with small qty from 1st criadera poss to add complexity.
    • mid price or prem wines will be from SOLERA and/or 1st criadera
• Wines can be blended from multiple soleras
• Wines can be fed from 1 solera into another for further maturing.
  
  • e.g. Amontillado will spend 5 years in a Fino solera system
  • then spend 8 years in an Amontillado solera system

Question 9

Explain biological ageing

Answer 9

The practice of maturing wine under a layer of flor yeast

• Flor comprises 4 strains of sacchoromyces cerevisiae,
  
  • from the grapes in the Jerez region
  • also present in Bodegas.
• Under right conditions flor forms naturally on surface of young wine.
  
  • max 15.5% abv
  • no added SO2
  • plenty of oxygen - sherry butts only 85 - 90% full
  • warehouse temps 16 - 20 degc
  • humidity above 65%

Influence of flor yeast on the wine:

• creates a reductive environment -
  
  • normally protects fresh fruit char, but Palomino is neutral so flavours expressed relate to reduction - brine, iodine, almonds,
  • fruit character expressed as citrus oil/peel and apple skins - this as a result of acetaldehyde.
• Protects wine from oxidation - it remains a pale lemon colour
• consumes alcohol - results in slight decrease in abv of final wine
• releases acetaldehyde, gives flavours of hay, apple, chamomile, bitter
• consumes glycerol and sugar - contrib to very dry nature of bio aged sherry
• reduces levels of acetic acid

Nature of flor changes in different areas (from bodega to bodega) and over the different stages of he solera system

• this can influence the amount of alc consumed and the amount of acetaldehyde produced

Over time in barrel it dies

• dead cells fall to bottom resulting in autolysis, and resulting nutty flavours and texture

In solera system new wine added to old

• replenishes yeast nutrients
• keeps flor alive so it continues to protect from oxidation
• smaller proportions removed more frequently (Fino and Manzanilla)
  
  • means wine will be fresher at pos rather than bottled stock sitting
• Note - it does not improve with age, once bottled.

Question 10

Explain oxidative ageing

Answer 10

The impact of oxygen is greatly enhanced by the air present in the part-filled butts.

• the introduction of young wine helps to preserve the character of the base sherry - otherwise it becomes overly oxidised
• colour changes from lemon - gold - amber - brown
• water evaporates and thus
  
  • alc increases as water evap from barrel ( 3 - 5 % p.a.) a little faster than ethanol evaporates
  • ​remaining components concentrate
    
    • ​aroma/flavour compounds concentrate and evolve to tertiary flavours caramel/nuts
    • glycerol level rises - gives oxid aged wines rounder fuller body than bio aged
    • acetaldehyde decreases slightly
    • acetic acid, and ethyl acetate (volatile acidity) increase slightly. (smells like nail polish remover)

Question 11

Describe the finishing process of Sherry and what is the difference for EN RAMA

Answer 11

Most sherries are tartrate stabilised (contact process), fined and filtered, before bottling

• Filtration is necessary to remove the flor yeast, otherwise it will start to develop when wine is opened and has contact with O2.
• IF EN RAMA - no / minimal filtration to remove flor takes place.
  
  • No legal definition
  • “represents wine as straight from the barrel”
  • Esp if exporting, some fining/ filtering to remove yeast flor
  • No further finishing.
    
    • the result is more complex & intense aromas and taste
    • tends to sell for higher prices
  • Applies to any dry style of Sherry, however most common with Fino

Closures

• driven cork, cork stopper and screw cap

Wines must be packaged and sealed in one of the three towns in the Zona de Crianza

• Jerez de la Frontera
• Puerto de Santa Maria
• Sanlucar de Barrameda

Question 12

What is the minimum solera aging requirement for Sherry?

Answer 12

2 years

Question 13

Styles of Sherry - Fino & Manzanillo

And their Cousin - Pale Cream

Answer 13

Fino & Manzanillo

Biologically Aged

Jerez
Flor in Jerez changes during the year (hot summer/cold winter)- more acetaldehyde char
Manzanilla
soleros in SdB have thicker layers of flor all year round the greater protection from O2 means Manzanilla is fresher and lighter than Fino
SdB has moderating influence from Atlantic and humidity

• Pale Lemon
• Dry, m body; l acid, l alc abv
• aromas: - acetaldehyde, bread, dough, almonds, brine, citrus peel
• Manzanilla signature aroma - chamomile
• G - OS Q
• Inexp/prem/sPrem price

PALE CREAM Sherry

Fino/Manzanilla + RCGM = Pale Cream

• Addition of RCGM= no colour change and no oxidative flavours onto the delicate Fino based sherry
• Not aged very long and _sweetening comp dilute_s some flor derived char
• med sweet - sweet
• subtle flor characters
• acc - good Q
• most are inexp

Question 14

Styles of Sherry Amontillado & Palo Cortado

And …. their cousin MEDIUM Sherry

Answer 14

Amontillado

First Biological then Oxidatively Aged

• starts life in Fino solera
• refortified to 17% - kills flor
• then matured in oxidative Amontillado solero system
• Inexp styles from younger Fino criadera blended with Amontillado and aged a short period
• More expensive - matured longer, more complex
  
  • the finesse of Fino,
    
    • brine from flor yeast,
  • nuttiness and depth from oxidative ageing
• good - OS Q
• mid - prem - Sprem price

MEDIUM Sherry

Amontillado + PX = Medium Sherry

• Sweetened with PX
• cheapest from young wines and sweetener added just before bottling. More premium from well aged Amontillado, + matured own solera after sweetening
• range off dry to sweet
• char of both bio and oxid ageing
• acc - OS Q
• range inexp - prem

Palo Cortado

First Biological then Oxidatively Aged

• Historically - an accident
• Name means cut arrow - i.e. started life as a Fino and at Class 2 less delicate, more complexity, less able to support flor yeast - more intense than Amontillado wine
• 4 Conditions: smell/taste/sugar/alcohol to qualify as PC- no further rules for maturation.
  
  • must smell like Amontillado (Bio & Oxi aromas)
  • must taste like Oloroso (no bio taste of acetaldehyde/dough)
  • <5g/l RS
  • 17 - 22%
• less bio ageing means:
  
  • acetaldehyde aromas present but less prominent than Amonitillado
  • glycerol stays higher tog with other concentr. Components - PC has slightly fuller, rounder mouthfeel than Amontillado
• good - OS Q
• mid to prem price

Question 15

What is Palo Cortado?

Answer 15

No rules to define, however to be classifed as this:

• wine must smell like Amontillado (bio & oxid aromas)
• taste like Oloroso (no bio flav, eg acetaldehyde/dough)
• <5g/l RS
• 17-22% abv

Maturation typically a number of years in Fino solera sys then tfr to Palo Cortado solera sys.

At classification 2 wines wld be less delicate, show more complexity, perhaps less able to support thick layer of flor yeast.

End result depends on producer

• less bio ageing than Amontillado results in
  
  • flavours of acetaldehyde but less than expected in Amontillado
• less bio ageing means g_lycerol level high_er
• together with concentration of other components gives P Cortado a rounder, slightly full mouth feel than Amontillado.

Some mid price, many prem price

G to OS quality.

Question 16

Styles of Sherry - Oloroso

AND its cousin - CREAM Sherry

Answer 16

Oloroso

Oxidatively Aged

• acetaldehyde dec
• evaporation conc flav & components
  
  • alc up, ethyl acetate up, glycerol up, sugar up
  • less acetaldehyde
• inexp styles released from SS early (good Q)
• base wine is richer (gordura) - affects char of final wine
• Brown
• round mouthfeel : m+/f body
• M/M+ acid
• med alc - fort to 17%
• tertiary and oxidative flavours toffee, toasted walnut, aromatic wood, coffee, chocolate, spice

Cream Sherry

Oloroso + PX = Cream Sherry

• Sweetened with PX
• cheapest from young wines and sweetener added just before bottling. More premium from well aged Oloroso, + matured own solera after sweetening
• usually always sweet
• char of oxidative ageing only
• acc - OS Q
• range inexp - prem

Question 17

Naturally sweet styles of Sherry - Pedro Ximenes PX and Moscatel

Answer 17

If Oxidatively aged, own solera

• Grapes are raisined 2/3 wks in sun
• Ferm stops at 4 - 6 % abv naturally due to hi sugar
• Fortified to 15-16% abv - LOW
• matured oxidatively in own Solera Sys
• slow evap concentrates alcohol, sugar, acid, flav
• Often single varietal - PX or Moscatel
  
  • Both used as blending / sweetener
  • range inexp - prem price / good - OS quality
• PX
  
  • min RS 212g, usually reaches 450- 550g/l RS - luscious
  • full body, coats the mouth
  • low acid
  • pronounced aromas of raisin, molasis, liquorice, toasted nuts, coffee, fig
• Moscatel
  
  • Less common, min RS 160 g/l in reality 325 - 375 g/l
  • cb protected from O2 for non-oxidative style
  • or aged many years in barrel - oxidatively
  • both styles present aromatic char of grape greater or lesser extent.
    
    • floral - white flowers, honey, citrus

Question 18

The character of sweetened Sherries “The cousins” is covered under each of the base Sherries.

Briefly comment in general on how these sweetened Sherries may be matured.

Answer 18

• Inexpensive examples will be sweetened by blending just prior to bottling.
• Mid price and premium examples will be blended and then will be further matured in own solera system.
  
  • e.g. Gonzalez Byass’ Matusalem VORS Cream Sherry remains 15 years in own solera after the dry and sweet Sherries (already aged 15 years) have been blended.

Question 19

Sherry with ind of Age

Comment on the criteria that determine a VOS or a VORS

Comment further on 12 - 15 yr old sherries

Answer 19

VOS - Vinum Optimum Signatum (‘Designated as Excellent Wine)

• Ave Age 20 yrs

VORS - Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum (where “rare” is adverb of manner) and meaning - Excellent Sherry and designated only rarely as such.

• Ave Age 30 yrs

VOS and VORS are:

• only made from oxidatively matured sherry:
  
  • Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, PX
• Prod in small quantities
• Each batch is assessed for typicity - tasting panel & lab tested to authenticate age.
• If astringent, wine can be sweetened with PX (may not mask original wine)
• vg - OS Q
• prem - Sprem prices

12 or 15 yr Old Sherries

• Also lab tested, but per solero, not batch and test once per annum
• Same as above - only oxidatively (or part oxi) matured wines

Question 20

Explain the structure of the Sherry business and laws that regulate it

Answer 20

The Industry

• Approximately 7000 ha under vine (2016) ave holding 3 ha
• 40% - owned by members of co-ops
• Rest split almost equally between independent growers and shippers.
  
  • ex of shippers: Gonzalez Byas, Barbadillo, Estevez Grp
    
    • also own large VYs but rely on growers for fruit.
• Companies must register with 1 or more of 3 categories of business

Bodegas de la Zona de Produccion

• large co-ops, press & ferment grapes to base wine
• within the Zona de Produccion (not Zona de Crianza)
• often owned by companies in one of the other registers
• if independent will still sell wine to the other ageing Bodegas
• If they sell own wines, do not qualify for either of the Sherry DO’s

Bodegas de Crianza y Almacenado

• Almacenistas - mature wines
• must be located in Zona de Crianza
• tend to work with small qtys
• must sell to shippers/exporters the “Expedicion”

Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicion

• shippers, exporters, sellers of DO Jerez or DO Manzanilla to market
• must be located in Zona de Crianza
• May mature young wines from BZP or sell matured wines from Almacenistas.
• Wines from Almacenistas may be blended with shippers own for vol / complexity
• Generally wine sold under shippers own brand
• Lustau is a brand of shipper with almacenista range featuring the almacenista name on label.

Changes in regulation of market - Fall in demand meant

• shippers could survive on own stocks
• almacenistas were going out of business.
• Regulation changed - to be a shipper min holding reduced from 12500hl to 500hl
• many almacenistas became shippers and market own wine under own brand

Question 21

Sherry - Role of Conseja Regulador

Answer 21

• sets parameters for max yield,
• min alc levels in base wine
• oversees rotation of stock in bodegas
• verifies authenticity of date-aged sherries
• promotional body - engages in events/marketing/eductation for wine profis
• campaigned & succeeded in establish the 2 DO’s

Question 22

Sherry Sales - & Export Markets

Answer 22

Demand for Sherry has been declining last 4 decades

In the decade to 2016

• Global Sales drop 40%
• Stock down approx 40%
• Sweetened Sherries drop 40%
• Fino drop almost 50%
• Manzanilla remains almost stable (Domestic Market preference)

Export markets - also declining (mill hl)

• UK 9.9
• Netherlands 5.7
• Germany 2.3
• USA 1.2
• (Spain 12 and stable, most popular are Manzanilla then Fino)

Being addressed by:

• Tapas Bars
• Sherry Cocktails
• Unfortified wines - range of styles