Ch 43 Flashcards
Criadera
the levels in the solera system that holds wine at the different ages
- but not the oldest level
- can be 3 or as many as 14 levels
Solera System
-biological and oxidative aging holds wine for different ages in butts each level is a Criadera maturing process involves moving wine between levels progressively older final level = solera
ageing vessel and aging environment
matured in 600 litre nutural barrels oak allows oxygen to get to wine 5/6 fill cool environment bodega has high ceilings and windows that point toward the cooling poniat winds building kept damp and humid
fermentation fortification (sweet)
1st to achieve must weight
- grapes then pressed and fermented
- yeast struggles to get to a few degrees of ABV
- fortified to 17% once yeast stops
grape handling (sweet)
once picked, grapes are sun dried to concentrate their sugar levels
and develops flavors of raisin
Sobretabla (dry)
once the classification is done, wine is fortified
- set aside for a few months
- then incorporated into a solera
during the fall, wines are classified into 2 types of wine (dry style)
Decision is based on flavor characteristic of base wine
BIOLOGICAL
OXIDATIVE
describe wine classified as biological
light pale, more finesse
flor forms
typically grapes are sourced from coastal areas
fermented at low temp
describe wine classified as oxidative
richer, heavier
flor forms (at this point)
typically grapes are sourced from inland vineyards and are fermented at high temp
grapes handling and fermentation for dry style sherry
Palomino used hot temp at harvest- grapes are rushed to press before oxidative -large stainless vessel ferment at 20-25 degrees C Hot for white Aim = neutral base wine ABV 11-12
what are the grapes used in Jerez
Palomino
Pedro Ximeez (PX)
Muscat of Alexandria- only small amounts grown
Jerez soil
albariza soil
high chalk contact
good drainage but at depth hold water for summer
soil forms hard crust that limits evaporation
climate of Jerez
hot sunny Mediterranean vineyard along coast a little cooler WEST WIND = Poniete cool EAST WIND = levante hot -rain is high but soil can cope
what city produces sherry
Jerez de la Frontera center of Industry -matured w/i city limits or 2 sea side towns Sanlucar de barraneda El Puerto de Santa Maria
Pedro Ximenez (PX)
little varietal flavor
- thin skin = ideal for dried
- used for sweet sherries
- most grape comes from Montilla-moriles
Palomino
accounts for the vast majority of plantings
low acid
lacks varietal aroma
Ideal for Sherry, where style of wines are largely determined by either biological or oxidative maturation
flor need what kind of environment to survive?
used for biological aging
# of yeast strands
needs precise cool temp and moderate humidity
ABV lower than 15.5
nutrients from the wine (feeds off alcohol) and oxygen
produces CO2 and acetaldehyde
flor in a solera system
butt filled 5/6 full easy access to oxygen protect wine from oxidation needs regular additions of new wine wine drawn out of crideras and refilled fino survives for an average 3-4 years
biological ageing (dry)
subretubla critical
wine is fortified 15 to 15.5 abv
develops flor correctly
2ns classification: did the wine have style and character suitable for solera system
Fail: refortified and send for oxidative ageing or reject completely
oxidative ageing dry
wine is fortified to 17 percent
flor dies
soretabla not critical for quality
b/c no need to wait for flor to develop
oxidatative ages is meant for what kind of wine
Olorso and PX and some muscats are aged this way w/o flor
Amontillado is aged ___ after a period of biological ageing
-introduction of young wine helps to preserve base character
Long term age up to 30 years, high ABV, concentrates as water evaporates
blending
solera system produces consistent wine
still benefits of blending solera helps
blending can bring together intense flavors of very old wine which would other wise be unbalanced on their own
Fining and filtration
most sherry will undergo but kept to a minimum
particularly for biological aged b/c vibrancy of flavors can be dulled
name the naturally sweet style of sherry
Wines have gone through oxidative ageing
PEDRO XIMENEZ (PX)
-deep brown and luscious sweet
-dried fruit coffee licorice
MUSCAT
-retains varietal dried citrus peel character
name the dry style of sherry
Fino and Manzanilla
Oloroso
Amonontillado
Palo Cortado
Name the sweetened styles of sherry
Pale cream
medium
cream
describe fino and manzanilla
only biological age -pale lemon -citrus fruit, almonds, herbs, bready from flor -tangy and salty Does not improve / consume young -minimum fining and filtering
describe olorsos
only oxidative age
brown, full body
oxidative aroma, toffee, leather, spice, walnut
Concentrated develops as astringency/ balanced when blended
describe amontillado
undergone biological followed by oxidative age refortified to 17 abv amber/ brown less full bodied combined yeast w/ oxidation
describe palo cortado
defined as one that has the aroma character of an Amontillado but the richness of an Oloroso
nearly always very high quality
describe pale cream
sweetened style
short biological age
rectified concentrated grape must
similar to fino but rarely have pronounced flor character
describe cream style sherry
sweetened style
only shows oxidative character
sweetened w/ PX
Best: toffee, walnut, leather from dry
dried fruit from sweet
describe medium style sherry
sweeten style
must show character of biological and oxidative ageing
sweetened w/ PX
Best: toffee, walnut, leather from dry
dried fruit from sweet
4 categories of age indicated sherry
VORS- very old rare sherry (30 year)
VOR- very old (20 year)
15 year -applies to whole solera system
12 year -applies to whole solera system
