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WSET Level 3 Award in Wines > 43. Sherry > Flashcards

43. Sherry Flashcards

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1
Q

Where is the center of the Sherry industry?

A

Jerez, which surrounds the southern Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera

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2
Q

Where must Sherry be matured?

A
  1. Sanlucar de Barrameda

2. El Puerto de Santa Maria

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3
Q

Describe the climate of Jerez. Name and describe the two famous winds of Jerez.

A 
Hot Mediterranean Climate
-coastal vineyards are cooler
-high annual rainfall
Poniente: cool, humid westerly wind
Levante: hot, drying wind from the east (stresses the grapes)
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4
Q

What is the soil of Jerez? Why is it good?

A

Albariza

  • chalky
  • water capacity: stores enough water to sustain the vines during the hot dry summers
  • rectangular pits dug between the rows of vines to trap water and reduce run-off (dug after the harvest)
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5
Q

What are the three main grape varieties of Jerez?

A
  1. Palomino
  2. Pedro Ximenez (PX)
  3. Muscat of Alexandria
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6
Q

Describe Palomino.

A
  • low acid

- lack varietal aromas (ideal for Sherry)

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7
Q

Describe Pedro Ximenez (PX).

A
  • little varietal aromas
  • thin skin (good for sun drying)
  • sweet sherries
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8
Q

Describe Muscat of Alexandria.

A

-sweet sherries

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9
Q

Describe fermentation of the base wines for sherry.

A
  • Palomino
  • rushed to press to avoid oxidation (so hot)
  • large stainless steel fermentation at higher temps than normal for whites (goal = neutral base wine)
  • base wine: dry, 11-12% abv
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10
Q

What is the “first classification” for sherry?

A
  • during autumn
  • wines classified into two groups
    1. biological aging (lighter, paler wines with more finesse – typically grown in the cooler, coastal regions, fermented at lower temperatures)
    2. oxidative aging (darker, richer, heavier wines – typically grown inland, warmer regions, fermented at higher temperatures)
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11
Q

What happens after the first classifications?

A
  • Fortification: wines are fortified using a 96% abv grape spirit
  • Sobretabla: wines set aside for a few months
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12
Q

What are biologically aged wines fortified to? Why?

A

15-15.5% abv

  • perfect for the development of Flor
  • leads to second classification (if the Flor develop correctly)
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13
Q

During the second classification, what happens to wines that are not developing flor correctly?

A

Either:

  • refortified
  • sent for oxidative aging
  • rejected altogether
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14
Q

What are biologically aged wines fortified to? Why?

A

17% abv

-at this strength, flor dies

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15
Q

What is sobretabla and to which method aging is it more important to?

A

The few-month time period after fortification where wines are set aside before they are incorporated into the solara system.

  • more important for biologically aged wines (development of flor)
  • no need to see if flor develops for oxidatively aged wines
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16
Q

For naturally sweet styles of sherry, what happens to the grapes after harvest?

A
  • sun-dried to concentrate sugar levels

- develops raisin flavors

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17
Q

Describe fermentation and fortification for naturally sweet styles of sherry.

A
  • desired must weight achieved during sun-drying
  • grapes pressed
  • fermentation begins
  • concentrated juice; yeast struggle; low alcohol
  • fortified to 17% abv
18
Q

What must sherry be matured in? Why?

A

butts: 600-liter oak barrels
- all oak flavor eliminated
- oak needed to allow oxygen to reach the wine
- max 5/6ths full

19
Q

How do producers keep their maturation environments cool?

A
  • thick whitewashed walls
  • high ceilings
  • windows that point towards the cooling poniente winds
  • earth floors (damp) = humidity
  • some are air conditioned
20
Q

Describe the solera system. What is solera?

A
  • several levels of butts (criaderas)
  • number of criaderas can vary from 3 to 14
  • solera is the final level of the system that holds the wine of the oldest average age.

-equal amount of wine is taken from each butt of the solera
-solera is not emptied; replenished from the butts in the next level that contain wine of a slightly younger average age (first criaderas)
-equal amount taken from each butt in the first criadera, this is blended, then added to each butt in the solera
etc.

21
Q

What is the main advantage of the solera system? What are the cons?

A

-consistency

CONS:

  • can ruin the whole system if bad wine is added
  • can ruin the whole system if too much wine is taken out each year
22
Q

What is flor?

A
  • number of east strains
  • forms thick layer on surface of wine
  • feed off alcohol and nutrients in wine and oxygen
  • produce CO2 and acetaldehyde (unique flavor)
  • protects wines from oxidation
23
Q

What does flor need to thrive? What time of the year does it grow well?

A
  • precise level of alcohol 15-15.5% abv
  • precise temperature (cool to moderate)
  • humidity

-grows well in spring and autumn; dies in winter and summer

24
Q

Why are butts only partially filled?

A

So that Flor can have access to oxygen

25
Q

Why is wine taken from the solera system rarely older (avg age) than 3-4 years?

A
  • as the avg age of the wine increase, the nutrient level decreases
  • flor can fail at low nutrient levels = oxidation
26
Q

In oxidative aging, why are the butts filled partially?

A

-impact of oxidation is greatly enhanced

27
Q

In oxidative aging, what does the introduction of new wine into the solera system add?

A

preserves the base character of sherry which would otherwise become overly oxidized

28
Q

How long can sherries be aged oxidatively?

A

up to 30 years (rare)

29
Q

Is is common to have sherries that are the product of only 1 solera system?

A

No - typically blends from several systems

30
Q

What are the 5 dry styles of sherry?

A
  1. Fino
  2. Manzanilla
  3. Oloroso
  4. Amontillado
  5. Palo Cortado
31
Q

Describe Fino and Manzanilla Sherries.

A
  • biological aging
  • pale lemon
  • citrus, almonds, herbs, bready
  • tangy, salty
  • do not improve in bottle; drik now
32
Q

What is the difference between Fino and Manzanilla Sherries?

A

Manzanilla de Sanlucar DO

  • matured in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda
  • cooler, more humid = thicker flor = more intensely tangy_
33
Q

What is en rama?

A

Fino or Manzanilla Sherries that have undergone minimal fining and filtering

34
Q

Describe an Oloroso Sherry.

A
  • oxidative aging
  • brown
  • full body
  • oxidative aromas: toffee, leather, spice, walnut
35
Q

Describe an Amontillado Sherry.

A

Some biological aging; some oxidative aging:

  • after biological aging complete, fortified to 17% abv to kill the floor
  • then enter the solera system
  • amber or brown
  • less full bodied than Oloroso
  • yeasty and oxidative aromas
  • yeast aromas fade with age
36
Q

Describe a Palo Cortado Sherry.

A
  • rare, high quality
  • aroma characteristics of Amontilldo
  • body and richness of Oloroso
37
Q

What are naturally sweet styles of Sherry? Describe each.

A
  1. Pedro Ximenez (PX)
    - deep brown
    - luciously sweet (500 g/L rs)
    - dried fruit, coffee, liquorice
  2. Muscat
    - deep brown
    - luciously sweet (500 g/L rs)
    - varietal dried citrus peel
38
Q

What are the sweetened styles of Sherry?

A
  • Pale Cream
  • Medium
  • Cream
39
Q

What is a Pale Cream Sherry? Describe it.

A

Sweetened Fino Sherry

-pronounced flor character

40
Q

What is a Medium Sherry? Describe it.

A
  • biological and oxidative aging
  • sweetened Amontillado Sherry
  • typically sweetened with PX
  • toffee, leather, walnut
  • dried fruit
41
Q

What is a Cream Sherry? Describe it.

A
  • oxidative aging
  • sweetened Oloroso Sherry
  • typically sweetened with PX
  • toffee, leather, walnut
  • dried fruit
42
Q

What are the four categories of age-indicated Sherries? TO which types of sherries do these categories apply?

A

Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Olorosso, PX

  1. VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum/Very Old Rare Sherry) - avg age of blend = 30
  2. VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum/Very Old Sherry) - avg age of blend = 20
  3. 15 years old (apply to whole solera system)
  4. 12 years old (apply to whole solera system)

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (41 decks)

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