25 Sherry Flashcards
Fortified wine
When a wine is fortified, alcohol is added to the wine to:
・Protect it from spoiling
・Bolster its body, warmth, and sturdiness
Name 2 styles of fortified wines.
Port
Sherry
Ports are fortified ___ fermentation.
Sherries are fortified ___ fermentation.
Ports = during fermentation
Sherries = after fermentation
Sherry GI
Southern Spain (Jerez de la Frontera)
Sherry’s base wine
What variety?
Sweetness level of the base wine
・Palomino (Dry)
・Pedro Ximénez
Once fermentation is complete, alcohol is added to fortify the wine before it enters the ___.
solera system
Solera?
A solera is a system of old-oak casks containing wines of different ages.
The wines in the barrels are regularly blended together as they age to ensure a consistent style of mature wine.
What are the 3 most important styles of dry Sherry?
・Fino
・Oloroso
・Amontillado
What helps differentiate the 3 dry styles of Sherry?
1 Aging periods
2 Conditions within solera
Fino Sherry ages under ___
a layer of flor
What is flor?
What does it do to wine?
A layer of yeast that develops on the surface of the Sherry (Sherry barrels are filled only 3/4 full).
The flor forms on the surface of the wine and it protects it from oxygen.
How is this method called?
biological aging
To what abv is Fino Sherry fortified before it enters to solera?
around 15%
Fino Sherry
2,8
2 Pale lemon
8 Apple, Almonds, Flor(Biscuit, bread dough)
Fino Sherry
Aging potential?
After bottling, these wines rapidly lose their freshness and should be consumed as early as possible.
Fino Sherries are best served at what temperature?
Chilled
What is the dry Sherry that does NOT involve flor?
Oloroso Sherry
Base wine for Oloroso is fortified to what abv?
around 17%
Why doesn’t Oloroso involve flor?
Oloroso is fortified to 17% abv prior to aging in the solera, and flor cannot survive at such a high level of alcohol.
Because Oloroso does not develop flor, how does it age (and what’s the term for it)?
The wine ages oxidatively
- in contact with oxygen.
Oloroso Sherry
2,8
2 Brown (from oxidation)
8 Dried fruits (Raisins, Prunes)
Oxidative aging (Walnuts, Caramel)
How is Amontillado Sherry made?
Fortified the base wine
Solera system - Aged under flor
Refortified to around 17% abv (kills flor)
Solera system - Aged without flor (oxidatively)
Amontillado Sherry
2,8
2 Deeper colour than Fino
8 Flor (Biscuit, bread dough)
Oxidative aging (Walnuts, Caramel)
4 styles of sweetened Sherry
・Pale Cream Sherry (Fino)
・Medium Sherry (Amontillado)
・Cream Sherry (Oloroso)
・PX (Pedro Ximénez)