43. Sherry Flashcards
Where is the center of the Sherry industry?
Jerez, which surrounds the southern Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera
Where must Sherry be matured?
- Sanlucar de Barrameda
2. El Puerto de Santa Maria
Describe the climate of Jerez. Name and describe the two famous winds of Jerez.
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)
What is the soil of Jerez? Why is it good?
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)
What are the three main grape varieties of Jerez?
- Palomino
- Pedro Ximenez (PX)
- Muscat of Alexandria
Describe Palomino.
- low acid
- lack varietal aromas (ideal for Sherry)
Describe Pedro Ximenez (PX).
- little varietal aromas
- thin skin (good for sun drying)
- sweet sherries
Describe Muscat of Alexandria.
-sweet sherries
Describe fermentation of the base wines for sherry.
- 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
What is the “first classification” for sherry?
- 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)
What happens after the first classifications?
- Fortification: wines are fortified using a 96% abv grape spirit
- Sobretabla: wines set aside for a few months
What are biologically aged wines fortified to? Why?
15-15.5% abv
- perfect for the development of Flor
- leads to second classification (if the Flor develop correctly)
During the second classification, what happens to wines that are not developing flor correctly?
Either:
- refortified
- sent for oxidative aging
- rejected altogether
What are biologically aged wines fortified to? Why?
17% abv
-at this strength, flor dies
What is sobretabla and to which method aging is it more important to?
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
For naturally sweet styles of sherry, what happens to the grapes after harvest?
- sun-dried to concentrate sugar levels
- develops raisin flavors
Describe fermentation and fortification for naturally sweet styles of sherry.
- desired must weight achieved during sun-drying
- grapes pressed
- fermentation begins
- concentrated juice; yeast struggle; low alcohol
- fortified to 17% abv
What must sherry be matured in? Why?
butts: 600-liter oak barrels
- all oak flavor eliminated
- oak needed to allow oxygen to reach the wine
- max 5/6ths full
How do producers keep their maturation environments cool?
- thick whitewashed walls
- high ceilings
- windows that point towards the cooling poniente winds
- earth floors (damp) = humidity
- some are air conditioned
Describe the solera system. What is solera?
- 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.
What is the main advantage of the solera system? What are the cons?
-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
What is flor?
- 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
What does flor need to thrive? What time of the year does it grow well?
- 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
Why are butts only partially filled?
So that Flor can have access to oxygen
