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WSET 3 > 43 - Sherry > Flashcards

43 - Sherry Flashcards

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1
Q

what is the centre of the Sherry industry?

A

region: Jerez
town: Jerez de la Frontera

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2
Q

requirements regarding maturation of Sherry

A

the wines must be matured either within the city limits or in one of the two smaller seaside towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda & El Puerto de Santa Maria

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3
Q

3 important cities for Sherry production

A
  1. Jerez de la Frontera
  2. Sanlúcar de Barrameda
  3. El Puerto de Santa Maria
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4
Q

climate of Jerez

A

Hot Mediterranean

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5
Q

climate & influences on Jerez

A
  • Hot Mediterranean
  • sunny
  • vy that are nearer the coast are on average a little cooler & benefit more from the prevailing cool humid westerly wind known as the poniente
  • on occasions the temperature can be sent soaring by the hot & drying levante, which blows from the east
    –> this extra heat can seriously stress the vines & damage grapes
  • annual rainfall is high compared to many other Spanish regions, but rainfall in the growing season is limited
  • the albariza soil in the region ensures the vine can cope
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6
Q

the soil in Sherez

A
  • the albariza soil in the region ensures the vine can cope
  • has a very high chalk content
  • provides good drainage but vitally its depth & excellent water holding capacity mean that it can store enough water to sustain the vines during the hot dry summers
  • in order to maximise the amount of water retained by the soil during the autumn & winter, rectangular pits are dug between the rows of vines to trap the water & reduce run-off
  • this is done once the harvest has finished & the soil is smoothed out again in the spring
  • moisture retention is further enhanced during the summer when the albariza soil forms a hard crust that limits evaporation from the soil
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7
Q

what is the poniente?

A

the prevailing cool humid westerly wind in Sherez

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8
Q

what is the levante

A

the hot & drying wind which blows from the east

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9
Q

grape varieties permitted in Jerez (3)

A
  1. Palomino
  2. Pedro Ximénez (PX)
  3. Muscat of Alexandria
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10
Q

Palomino

A
  • grape used in Sherry
  • accounts for the vast majority of the plantings in Jerez
  • produces wines that are naturally low in acid & lack obvious varietal aromas
  • this makes it ideal for Sherry production where the styles of wine are largely determined by either biological or oxidative maturation
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11
Q

Pedro Ximénez (PX)

A
  • grape used in Sherry
  • has little varietal flavour
  • thin skin
    –> makes it ideally suited to being sun dried & consequently it is used in the production of sweet Sherries
  • very little planted in Jerez
  • most of the grapes that are used come from the neighbouring region of Montill-Moriles where it grows more successfully
  • it is an unusual feature of the regulations that these grapes can be used in the production of Sherry
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12
Q

grape used for sweet Sherry production

A

Pedro Ximénez

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13
Q

where does most of the grape Pedro Ximénez used for sweet Sherry come from?

A

Montilla-Moriles

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14
Q

name one unusual feature of the regulations of Sherry & PX

A
  • the PX grapes that are used come from the neighbouring region of Montilla-Moriles where it grows more successfully
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15
Q

Muscat of Alexandria in Jerez

A
  • only very small amounts of this are grown
  • like PX, it is used to make sweet wines
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16
Q

Grape used to make the dry wines of Jerez

A

Palomino

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17
Q

grape handling & fermentation of dry Sherry

A
  • Palomino
  • the grapes must reach the press as quickly as possible to avoid oxidation
  • fermentation typically takes place in large ss tanks at temperatures ranging from 20-25C
  • suits the aim of the Sherry producer who is seeking to produce a neutral base wine
  • the base wine is dry with approximately 11-12% abv
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18
Q

why is it important that grapes for Sherry production reach the press as quickly as possible?

A

to avoid oxidation
(high temperatures at harvest time)

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19
Q

fermentation vessel & temperature for dry Sherry

A
  1. large ss tanks
  2. 20-25C
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20
Q

why is the fermentation temperature for dry Sherry higher than white wine?

A

suits the aim of the Sherry producer who is seeking to produce a neutral base wine

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21
Q

what abv does the base wine for sherry have?

A

the base wine is dry with approximately 11-12% abv

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22
Q

describe the First Classification of Sherry

A
  • during the autumn the wines are classified into 2 types
    1. those that will be sent for biological ageing
    2. those that will be sent for oxidative ageing
  • these decisions are based on the flavour characteristics of the wines
  • typically, lighter paler wines with more ‘finesse’ are selected for biological ageing & darker, richer ‘heavier’ wines are selected for oxidative ageing
  • note that at this stage the film-forming yeast known as flor will have started to grow on the surface of all the wines
  • the exact criteria for classification will vary according to the house style of the producer but this is not a part of the process that is simply left to chance
  • producers need certain volumes of new wines in particular styles in order to meet the sales demands of their brands & classify wines with this in mind
  • as a simple guide
    –> wines made from grapes grown in the relatively cooler coastal vineyards and/or fermented at lower temperatures are more likely to be suitable for biological ageing
    –> wines made from grapes grown in the warmer inland vineyards and/or fermented at higher temperatures are more likely to be suitable for oxidative ageing
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23
Q
  1. fortification of Sherry
  2. sobretabla
A
  1. one the classification has been made the wines are fortified using a 96% abv neutral spirit
  2. the wines are then set aside for a period of a few months before they are incorporated into a solera system. This stage is know as sobretabla
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24
Q

wines for biological ageing (dry Sherry)
- fortified to …
- sobretabla

A
  • fortified to between 15-15,5% abv
    –> this is the ideal strength for the development of flor
  • for these wines the period of sobretabla is very important
    –> the producer needs to wait & see if the flor develops correctly on these wines
    –> a second classification is necessary to determine whether the wine has a style & character that is suitable for its respective solera system
    –> wines that fail to make the grade are either refortified & sent for oxidative ageing or rejected altogether
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25
Q

wines for oxidative ageing (dry Sherry)
- fortified to …
- why?
- sobretabla

A
  • fortified to 17% abv
  • at this strength the flor dies
  • the period of the sobretabla is not critical for the quality of these wines because there is no need to wait & see if flor flavours develop
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26
Q

grape handling for naturally sweet styles of Sherry

A
  • once picked, the grapes destined for naturally sweet wines are sun-dried to concentrate their sugar levels
  • this process also develops flavours of raisin
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27
Q

fermentation & fortification of naturally sweet styles of Sherry

A
  • once the desired must weight is achieved, the grapes are pressed & fermentation started
  • the grapes yield such a concentrated juice that the yeast struggle to ferment the sugars & rarely manage more than a few degrees of alcohol
  • once the fermentation has stopped the must is fortified to 17% abv
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28
Q

Sherry has to be aged in

A

600-litre oak barrels called butts

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29
Q

the butts are often used to mature — before they are used to mature Sherry so that any —

A
  1. unfortified wines
  2. oak flavour is eliminated
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30
Q

why is oak needed in maturation of Sherry? (and not inert vessels)

A

to allow oxygen to reach the wine

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31
Q

how do the producers of Sherry make sure oxygen reach the wine during maturation?

A
  1. old oak casks (600L butts)
  2. only ever 5/6 full
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32
Q

keeping the maturation environment cool is a particular challenge in Jerez
- how does the producers of Sherry keep the maturation environment cool and maintain the correct level of humidity?

A
  • traditional bodegas have thick whitewashed walls, high ceilings & windows that point towards the cooling poniente winds helping to maintain a relatively cool environment
  • the earth floors of these buildings are kept damp to maintain the correct level of humidity
  • some are now air-conditioned
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33
Q

keeping the maturation environment cool is a particular challenge in Jerez
- how does the producers of Sherry keep the maturation environment cool and maintain the correct level of humidity?

A
  • traditional bodegas have thick whitewashed walls, high ceilings & windows that point towards the cooling poniente winds helping to maintain a relatively cool environment
  • the earth floors of these buildings are kept damp to maintain the correct level of humidity
  • some are now air-conditioned
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34
Q

describe the ‘solera system’

A
  • Sherry is famous for its system of maturation called the ‘solera system’
  • a very versatile system that can be used to sustain biological & oxidative ageing
  • made up of a number of groups of butts, referred to here as levels, which hold wines of different average ages
  • these levels are called criaderas and the maturation process involves moving wine between them over time to achieve a blend of younger & older wines
  • solera is the final level in the system that holds wine of the oldest average age

The process
- wine for bottling is taken out of the solera system from the solera. An equal amount of wine is taken from each butt in this level
- the solera is not fully emptied & the butts are replenished with the same volume of wine taken from butts in the next level that contain wine of a slightly younger average age called the first criadera
–> an equal volume of wine is taken from each butt in the first criadera
–> all of the wine taken from the first criadera is then mixed together
–> finally this blended wine is used to top up each butt in the solera
- the first criadera is then replenished in exactly the same way with wine from the second criadera & so on, so that each criadera is being replenished in turn with younger wine
- the criadera containing the youngest wine is usually replenished with sobretabla wine

  • the number of criaderas can vary from as few as 3 to as many as 14
35
Q

why is it only possible to talk about the average age of wines that are taken out from a solera-system for bottling or blending?

A

as a result of the systematic blending that happens every time wine is moved between the levels of the system

36
Q

what is the main advantage of the solera system

A

wine taken out of it for bottling or blending is the same every time

37
Q

(solera)
it is a feature of the system that the wine introduced into a new level takes on …

A
  • the characteristics of the older wine it has been blended with
38
Q

the consistency of the solera system cannot be maintained if

A
  • wine of poor quality is fed into the system in the first place
  • too much wine is taken out each year
39
Q

criaderas from the same solera system are often kept

A

in different buildings

40
Q

biological agein requires the presence of …

A

flor

41
Q

what is flor?

A
  • made up of a number of yeast strains
  • together these yeast form a thick layer on the surface of the wine
42
Q

flor ‘food’

A

they feed off the alcohol (and other nutrients) in the wine & oxygen in the atmosphere to produce carbon dioxide & acetaldehyde

43
Q

what gives biologically aged Sherries their unique flavour?

A
  • Acetaldehyde
  • The yeast strains that feed off the alcohol (and other nutrients) in the wine & oxygen in the atmosphere to produce carbon dioxide & acetaldehyde
44
Q
  1. in order to thrive, flor needs …
  2. its sensitivity to the ambient conditions is such that … of an individual bodega & even a butt’s position within it can influence …
A
  1. precise levels of alcohol, temperature & humidity
  2. the temperature & humidity
  3. the style of the maturing Sherry
45
Q
  • Flor cannot thrive in a wine with an abv above … & it favours … temperatures & … of humidity
  • consequently, flor grows more vigorously in … & dies back in …
A
  1. 15,5%
  2. cool to moderate
  3. high levels
  4. the spring & autumn
  5. winter & summer
46
Q
  • Flor cannot thrive in a wine with an abv above … & it favours … temperatures & … of humidity
  • consequently, flor grows more vigorously in … & dies back in …
A
  1. 15,5%
  2. cool to moderate
  3. high levels
  4. the spring & autumn
  5. winter & summer
47
Q
  1. the solera system is able to sustain a … culture of flor in every butt
  2. the butts are only … so that the flor has easy access to …
  3. importantly, this layer of flor also … from …
A
  1. permanent
  2. part filled - oxygen
  3. protects the wine - oxidation
48
Q

the flor is constantly consuming … & therefore regular additions of …is needed to keep the flor supplied with these nutrients

A
  1. alcohol & other nutrients
  2. new wine
49
Q
  1. in order to maintain a ready flow of nutrients between the criaderas, wine is drawn off the solera at …
  2. this also best serves the style of wine produced. Biologically aged Sherries, such as Finos, quickly lose their …
  3. and ideally need to be consumed …
A
  1. frequent & regular periods throughout the year
  2. freshness
  3. as soon as possible after bottling
50
Q
  1. although it is possible to keep the flor culture alive …
  2. wine taken from these solera systems rarely has an average age greater than …
  3. as the average age of the wine increases the overall level of nutrients in the oldest criadera & solera drops & by the time the average age reaches … the levels are sufficiently low that the flor can start to fail & oxidative characteristics develop
A
  1. indefinitely
  2. 3-4 years
  3. 7 years
51
Q

Oloroso, PX & some Muscat Sherries are aged …

A

oxidatively, without the presence of flor

52
Q

Amontillado is aged …

A

oxidatively after a period of biological ageing

53
Q
  1. the impact of oxygen on Oloroso, PX, some Muscat Sherries & Amontillado is greatly enhanced by …
  2. in these solera systems the introduction of young wine helps to …
A
  1. the air present in the part-filled butts
  2. preserve the base character of the Sherry, which would otherwise become overly oxidised
54
Q

Sherries can be matured oxidatively for upwards of …

A

30 years although very few wines make it to this age

55
Q

with age, the alcohol level of the sherries aged oxidatively rises to …

A

22% abv as the water content evaporates

56
Q

the advantage of the solera system

A

it produces a wine of consisten style & quality

57
Q
  1. some Sherries are the product of only one … but this is relatively rare
  2. most Sherries, including many of the very best, are blends of wines from several …
  3. the large producers own many different …, giving them wines of different ages & styles that they can use to make up their various blends

ie: in the case of very old Oloroso this blending can bring together the intense flavours of very old wines, which would be unbalanced on their own, with the freshness of younger wines

A

solera system(s)

58
Q

fining & filtration for Sherries?

A
  • most Sherry will undergo fining & filtration prior to bottling
  • however, in recent years, there has been a growing trend towards keeping these interventions to a minimum
  • this is particularly true of biologically aged wines because the vibrancy of their flavours can be dulled by high levels of intervention
59
Q

Styles of Sherry (12)
(4+2+2+4)

A

Dry styles
1. Fino & Manzanilla
2. Oloroso
3. Amontillado
4. Palo Cortado

Naturally sweet styles
1. Pedro Ximénez (PX)
2. Muscat

Sweetened styles
1. Pale Cream
2. Medium & Cream

Sherries with an Indication of Age
1. VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum / Very Old Rare Sherry), >30YO
2. VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum / Very Old Sherry), >20YO
3. 12 YO
4. 15 YO

60
Q

Fino & Manzanilla
- biological and/or oxidative ageing?

A

only biological ageing

61
Q

Fino & Manzanilla
- characteristics

A
  • pale lemon
  • aromas of citrus fruit, almonds & herbs
  • bready notes derived from the action of flor
  • tangy or salty flavours
62
Q

Fino & Manzanilla
- bottle ageing?

A

do not improve in bottle & should be consumed as fresh as possible

63
Q

Difference between Fino & Manzanilla

A
  • wines that are matured in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda qualify as Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which is a separate DO to that of Jerez
  • the wines are made in exactly the sam way as Finos from Jerez but the cooler more humid conditions on the coast guarantee a thick layer of flor throughout the year
  • this results in wines that have a more intensely tangy aroma
  • Manzanilla is most famous for the Fino style wine that is called Manzanilla fina
64
Q

what is en rama

A

Fino Sherry that have undergone minimal fining & filtering

65
Q

Fino Sherry that have undergone minimal fining & filtering is commonly labelled

A

en rama

66
Q

Oloroso
- biological and/or oxidative ageing?

A

oxidative ageing

67
Q

Oloroso
- characteristics

A
  • brown
  • full-bodied
  • dominated by oxidative aromas such as toffee, leather, spice & walnut
  • very old Olorosos can become very concentrated, & develop an astringency that is balanced when blended with younger wines in the solera system
68
Q

Amontillado
- biological and/or oxidative ageing?

A

a period of biological ageing followed by a period of oxidative ageing

69
Q

Amontillado
- production method

A
  • once their biological ageing is complete they are refortified to 17% abv, to kill the flor, & fed into an Amontillado solera system
  • can be matured for as long as Oloroso
70
Q

Amontillado
- characteristics

A
  • amber or brown
  • less full-bodied than Olorosos
  • combine yeast derived aromas with oxidative aromas; although the yeast aromas slowly fade as the wine ages, they remain recognisable
71
Q

Palo Cortado

A
  • a rare style of Sherry
  • defined as one that has the aroma character of an Amontillado but the body & richness of an Oloroso
  • some producers identifyl PC at the second classification although this is not universally the case
  • producers use a variety of different methods to make PC
  • PC Sherries can be very difficult to tell apart from both Amontillado & Oloroso Sherries with which they share similar characteristics
  • Nevertheless they are nearly always wines of very high quality
72
Q

Naturally sweet styles of Sherry

A
  • these wines have all undergone oxidative ageing
  • they are rare & more regularly used as a component in sweetened Sherries
    1. Pedro Ximénez
    2. Muscat
73
Q

Pedro Ximénez (PX)

A
  • deep brown
  • lusciously sweet
  • often reaching 500 g/L residual sugar
  • pronounced aromas of dried fruit, coffee & liquorice
74
Q

characteristics of Pedro Ximénez (PX)

A
  • deep brown
  • lusciously sweet
  • often reaching 500 g/L residual sugar
  • pronounced aromas of dried fruit, coffee & liquorice
75
Q

Muscat (Sherry)

A
  • take on similar characteristics to PX
  • retain a varietal dried citrus peel character
76
Q

sweetened styles of Sherry

A
  1. Pale Cream
  2. Medium & Cream
77
Q

Pale Cream

A
  • must have undergone a short period of biological ageing prior to sweetening, typically with RCGM
  • similar in appearance to Fino but rarely have a pronounced flor character
78
Q

Medium & Cream

A
  • very diverse category that includes both inexpensive & super premium wines
  • Medium: must show characteristics from both biological & oxidative ageing
  • Cream: only has oxidative characteristics
  • these wines, in particular the premium wines, will be sweetened with PX wine
  • the best wines seamlessly balance the toffee, leather & walnut flavours of the dry wine with the dried fruit notes of the sweet wine
  • inexpensive versions can taste cloying & lack complexity
79
Q

can the terms Amontillado, Oloroso & Palo Cortado be used for sweet styles of Sherry?

A
  • as a result of recent changes to the law the terms can only be used for dry styles of wines
  • historically, a sweet Oloroso/PX blend could be labelled as Oloroso dulce but this is no longer the case
80
Q

Sherries with an indication of age

A
  1. VORS
  2. VOS
  3. 12YO
  4. 15YO
81
Q

VORS

A
  • Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum
  • Very Old Rare Sherry
  • the average age of the blend is at least 30 years old
  • each batch must be tested to see wheteher it complies
82
Q

VOS

A
  • Vinum Optimum Signatum
  • Very Old Sherry
  • the average age of the blend is at least 20 years old
  • each batch must be tested to see wheteher it complies
83
Q

12yo & 15yo Sherry (vs VORS/VOS)

A

the lesser categories apply to a whole solera system, so can be used more flexibly

84
Q

what types of Sherry can qualify for age indicated status

A
  • Amontillado
  • Palo Cortado
  • Oloroso
  • PX

WSET 3 (45 decks)

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