Fortified Flashcards
Rancio
A tasting term to describe collection of aromas and flavours in certain wines, they vary but include leather, wood varnish and strong coffee.
The origin is not well understood but thought to stem from a combination of wood, oxygen and time
Static maturation
The term for wines of different vintages maturing seperately. At some point skilled blenders taste the wines and use experience to compile the blend. An example is solera system
Zona de Producción
The delimited, 7000ha area in which grapes can be grown in for DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry or DO Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda
The exception to grape sourcing for Sherry
PX can be grown around Montilla, Andalusia (in the mountains above Malaga) and included in DO JXS
Pagos
Smaller delimited areas within vineyards in the Zona de Producción each thought to have different characteristics due to aspect, location and soil types
Albariza composition
Limestone, silica and clay
Barros
Another soil type in the ZdP with greater clay content
Aremas
Another soil type in the ZdP thats mostly sandy
Vara y pulgar
Replacement cane training. Used to be principal system in Sherry but now cordon trained
Aserpia
Term for digging troughs down each row on albariza soils after the growing season to collect winter rain water ensuring it penetrates the soil rather than running off the slopes.
Was very labour intensive but now done by mechanisation.
13-5EVEX
Rootstock developed by local vitcultural research station and the most successful to date. Its tolerant of limestone soils (resulting in no chlorosis) and drought
Potential alcohol, total acidity and pH levels typical at harvest for Palomino
12%, 5g/L and 3.3-3.5
Primera yema
Free run juice and lightest pressings usually destined for biologically aged wines
First classification (sherry)
After fermentation each batch of wine is tasted and sent for analysis to decide whether suitable for bio ageing (lighter body, lighter intensity) or oxi (fuller body, more intense)
Second classification
Wines marked for bio ageing are tasted and analysed.
Wines with a full layer of flor and have remained fresh are classified as potential fino/manz.
Slightly less delicate = amontillado.
More full bodied and intense = palo cortado
The 3 municipalities DO JXS maturstion can take place, and the exception.
Jerez de la Frontera
El Puerto de Santa Maria
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Together, the Zona de Crianza
The exception is Moscatel can be matured in the 2 municipalities Chipiona and Chiclana de la Frontera
Fractional blending
Solera system is a method of this. Used to maintain consistency and quality
Manzanilla pasada
Manzanilla thats undergone short oxidative ageing. Flor may have been left to die naturally by not replenishing with new wine for around 1 year.
Wines are on average 2 yrs older than Manzanilla, any older and they’d qualify for Amontillado.
Will have their own solera system
Palo Cortado definition
Must have ‘aromas similar to those of an Amontillado, but a palate more similar to that of an Olorosso, as a consequence of oxidative ageing once the initial film of flor has disappeared’
Must have sugar levels below 5g and alcohol of 17-22%
VOS
Vinum Optimum Signatum. Avg age of 20yrs +
VORS
Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum. Avg age of 30yrs +
Fino Viejo
Biologically aged wines with a minimum avg age of 7 years. Applies to all categories
Bodegas de la zona de producción
Usually large co-ops.
Press grapes and ferment must into base wine.
Often owned by a big company operating in another register, but can be independant and sell base wine.
Can sell their own wines but do not qualify for either DO.
Bodegas de Crianza y Almacenado
Ageing and storage bodegas.
AKA Almacenista.
Must be in the Zona de Crianza and tend to be small in the amount of wine they mature.
Wines must be sold to Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicción
Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicción
Ageing and shipping bodegas.
AKA shippers, the only ones permitted to export or sell either DO to market.
Must be located in zona di Crianza.
Also permitted to mature wines
Methuen Treaty
Signed in 1703 and ensured Portugese wines received lower rates of duty in England than any other country
Marquês de Pombal
Prime minister of Portugal at the time of Port vineyards being officially demarcated (1756)
Campanhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro
AKA Real Campanhia.
Created by the Pombal.
From which all Port exports had to be bought.
Empowered to fix prices and given exclusive right to supply fortification spirit.
Mountains that offer shelter for vineyard regions of Port
Serra do Marão
Socalcos
Traditional method.
Narrow terraces supported by walls of rocks.
Allow planting densities of 6000vines/ha.
Not suitable for mechanisation, and labour required to maintain walls.
Protected by UNESCO so conversion not permitted.
Vines can be planted at lower densities to allow tractor onto terraces.