D5.C2. Sherry Flashcards
Production of Sherry dates back to which period in history?
Phoenicians
After which event in history, both domestic consumption and exports grew rapidly for Sherry?
After Jerez came under Christian rule in the 13th century both domestic consumption and exports grew rapidly as English, Irish and Flemish traders began to ship the wines
During which periods in history, Sherry industry was devasted?
- The Peninsular Wars
- The plague of phylloxera
When and why Consejo Regulador was formed?
The popularity of Sherry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries meant that other countries began to produce their own, often poor- quality Sherries so Consejo Regulador was formed in 1933 setting regulations to control the production and trading of Sherry wines
When does the sales of Sherry reached their peak?
1970s with shipments reaching 1.5 million hL
What does the domination of Sherry industry by Ruiz Mateos (Rumasa) lead to?
Through consolidation of production facilities, drove down prices; a tactic that would negatively impact the Sherry industry for decades to come. In 1983, the government nationalised Rumasa claiming that it owed millions in unpaid taxes. Its Sherry bodegas were sold causing a substantial rise in unemployment and social unrest. In addition, a large number of other bodegas closed or were sold and merged as they were unable to sustain themselves in a marked burdened with large quantities of low-quality wines and a market that was based on inexpensive brands. In these difficult times, brands changed ownership multiple times
How is the climate in Jeres?
Jerez has a hot Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, relatively rainy winters
What is the effect of Atlantic ocean on Jeres?
The Atlantic also brings a cool, damp wind called the poniente that provides a cooling, humid influence in the summer
What is the effect of levante on Jeres?
Levante is a hot, drying wind from north Africa, can make the climate more arid.This can cause grapes to transpire more quickly, concentrating the sugars. Too much sugar can be a negative because it may become difficult to ferment the wine to dryness, which is particularly problematic for the development of the flor
Why do the grapes in Jeres need sufficient shading?
Because, Jerez experiences a high number of cloud-free days therefore sunlight hours in the growing season are high
Where must the grapes for Sherry come from? What is the exception?
- From the delimited area of around 7,000 hectares known as the Zona de Producción or Marco de Jerez
- Pedro Ximénez (also called PX), can be grown around Montilla but matured in the Zona de Crianza
Grapes grown in Zona de Producción can be used to produce…
DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry or DO Manzanilla – Sanlúcar de Barrameda
What are the parts of the Zona de Producción?
- Jerez Superior: Made up of the better vineyard sites, all located on albariza soil, and makes up over 90 per cent of the plantings
- Jerez Zona
What are “pagos”, in Jeres?
Small delimited areas in Jeres, producing wines with different characteristics than the others, a function of factors such as aspect, location, small differences in soil etc
What is the structure of albariza?
It is a mixture of limestone, silica and clay
What are the characteristics of albariza soil?
- Due to the clay, it is very effective at retaining and gradually releasing water from winter rainfall, vital in a region that is very dry during the growing season
- lt forms a crust when dry which is helpful in reducing evaporation from the soil surface
What are the reasons that makes Jeres suitable for growing vines with higher planting density (average 70 hL/ha)?
- Albariza soil
+ Retaining water
+ Reflects light back into the vine canopy aiding the ripening of the grapes - Sherry does not need to have the same concentration of flavours as grapes for unfortified wines, since most of the flavour comes through the maturation process
What are the other types of soils in Jeres, other than albariza?
- Barros: Greater clay content
- Arenas: Sandy
What are the other names of Palamino?
- Palomino Fino
- Listán
Palomino is used to produce which type of Sherry?
It is used in all dry and sweetened styles of Sherry
What are the viticultural characteristics of Palomino grape?
- Mid to late ripening
- Well-suited to dry, sunny weather
- Capable of producing large yields
- Neutral variety
- Loses acidity very quickly as it nears maturity
Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria) is also called as:
Moscatel de Chipiona
What are the viticultural characteristics of Moscatel?
- Mainly grown,generally on sandy arenas soils
- Late ripening
- Well adapted to heat and drought
- It is an aromatic grape (grape, blossom)
What kind of wine is produced by Moscatel?
Sweet fortified wines of the same name
What are the viticultural characteristics of Pedro Ximénez (PX)?
- It has small, thin-skinned grapes which accumulate high levels of sugar
- It is a neutral variety, its flavours mainly come from the drying and maturing processes
- Traditionally dried in the sun to further concentrate that sugar
Legislation permits which forms of PX to be shipped to the Zona de Produccion from Montilla district in Cordoba?
- Fresh grapes
- Raisined grapes
- Young wine (mostly)
What is the principal training system in Jeres?
- Replacement cane pruning, here called vara y pulgar
Which kind of training system is increasing in Jeres? Why?
- Cordon training (single or double)
and spur pruning - More suitable for mechanisation. VSP trellising ensures the canopy remains open and arranged for easy mechanisation, although some shading of the bunches is needed to prevent sunburn
What is the maximum permitted yield in Jeres?
- 80 hL/ha, however, it is rare that this maximum is reached, usually closer to 60–70 hL/ha
Which sites are preferred for planting vineyards in Jeres?
Gentle (10–15 per cent) slopes with albariza soil
What is aserpia?
Each year after harvest the soil is worked to create a series of troughs or gullies down each row of vines to catch the winter rains, this system is called aserpia. It was very labour intensive and is now mainly done mechanically
What are the most commonly used rootstocks in Jeres?
- 333EM
- 41-B
- 13-5 EVEX
(all hybrids of V. vinifera and V. berlandieri)
Which of the rootstocks used in Jeres is found to be the most successful to date? Why?
- 13-5 EVEX
- It is tolerant of limestone soils (preventing the vine from suffering from chlorosis) and drought, while also producing good yields
Which hazards can be seen Jerez?
- The dry growing season means that Jerez has relatively little problem with disease while mildew can be a problem in the spring due to warm humid weather after any rain
- The hot climate and moderating influence from the Atlantic means that frost is not an issue
- European grapevine moth is a problem and often managed using pheromone traps
Which measures can be used for mildew in Jeres?
- VSP training helps to promote air circulation to reduce the development of such diseases
- When necessary, systemic fungicides are used as treatment
What is the harvest period for Jeres?
- Begins in th first week of August starting on the more inland vineyards
- Finishing with the cooler coastal plots by the second week in September
- The PX and Moscatel grapes are harvested slightly later
Why should the harvest be as early as possible in Jeres?
To avoid the risk of autumn rain, since any rot would be very undesirable, particularly for biologically aged wines
What are the approximate potential alcohol, total acidity and pH values of the harvested grapes in Jeres?
- 12% potential alcohol
- Total acidity of around 5 g/L
- pH of 3.3–3.5
When is acidification needed for Palomino?
If total acidity levels fall much below 5 g/L
What is the common method for harvest in Jeres?
Around 60% of the total grape volume is harvested by machine mostly at night or in the early hours of the morning when temperatures are coolest to reduce chances of oxidation and microbial spoilage
Is pre-fermentation maceration a common practice for producing Sherry? Why?
Skin contact is not desirable particularly for biologically aged wines as phenolic compounds can restrict the growth of flor yeast
Which press fractions are used for the production of biologically aged wines?
These styles will tend to be made from free run juice and the lightest pressings (called the primera yema)
Which press fractions are used for the production of oxidatively aged wines? Why?
- Oloroso wines tend to be made from later press fractions that are extracted using greater pressure.
- The higher levels of phenolics in these pressings mean the flor struggles to develop
The final press fractions of Sherry will be used for:
Other products, such as the wine used for seasoning barrels
Free run juice and the first pressings typically makes up around how many per cent of the juice yield for Sherry?
60–75%
Can free run juice be used to produce Olorosso Sherry?
Since free run juice and the first pressings typically makes up around 60–75 per cent of the juice yield, producers who mainly make Oloroso (e.g. Fundador), may also use free run juice in these styles
What is the maximum permitted juice yield for Sherry?
It is 70 L/100kg of grapes
Why is clarification of the must important for Sherry?
The albariza soil is dusty, and therefore clarification is important to remove these particles from the must
Which methods are used to clarify Sherry must?
- Cold settling
- Centrifugation
- Floatation
Why is it common for the musts from different vineyard sites to be fermented separately for Sherry?
To create many different base wines that can then be blended as needed
What are the common winemaking practices for the production of base wine for Sherry?
- Use of cultured yeasts
- Fermentation at around 22–26°C
- Fermentation generally takes place in stainless steel vessels
- However, a small number of producers are using barrel fermentation (with old barrels) for some of their wines to give a fuller body
What is the difference between the 2 phases of fermentation for Sherry?
- First phase: Usually quick and vigorous as the fermentation temperatures are not particularly cool. The vast majority of the sugar is fermented within the first seven days.
- Second phase: Slow phase of fermentation during which the last ofthe sugar is fermented. This usually takes a couple of weeks
Is malolactic conversion preferred for Sherry?
No, malolactic conversion is prevented as acidity is typically already low and buttery flavours are not wanted
Which method is used to prevent MLF for biologically aged Sherry?
Chilling the must, because using SO2 to prevent MLF would negatively impact the development of flor yeast
What is the “First Classification” of Sherries?
After fermentation, each batch of base wine will be tested and sent for analysis. It decides whether the batch will be used for biological ageing (lighter-bodied, less intensely flavoured wines) or oxidative ageing (fuller-bodied, more intense wines)
How are the biologically and oxidatively aged base wines fortified?
By using 95% abv grape spirit, wines destined for biological ageing will be fortified to 15–15.5% abv and wines destined for oxidative ageing will be fortified to 17% abv
What is sobretablas?
After fortification the wines are stored before joining the solera system, this stage is called sobretablas