Fortified - Sherry

Question 1

What are Pagos? And Parcelas?

Answer 1

Pagos are vineyard districts.
Parcelas are vineyard plots.

Question 2

Name principal Sherry Pagos.

Answer 2

Anina
Balbaina
Carrascal
Marchanudo
Martin Miguel
Miraflores
Los Tercios
Torrebreda

Question 3

Name 3 different soil types in Sherry.

Answer 3

Barros (clay)
Arenas (sand)
Albariza (high chalk content)

Question 4

What’s the principal training technique in Sherry?

Answer 4

Vara y Pulgar - stick and thumb

Question 5

Mosto Yema is divided into which 3 stages of quality?

Answer 5

Primera Yema or free-run juice
Segunda Yema or press wine
Mosto Prensa (for distillation)

Question 6

In which 2 stages is the fermentation separated?

Answer 6

Tumultuous fermentation: hot and vigorous.
Lenta: slow fermentation in which high temperatures subside and remaining sugar is converted to alcohol over a period of weeks.

Question 7

What’s the size of a Bota?

Answer 7

600L
Made from American oak
Not filled more than 500L

Question 8

What is Mitad y mitad?

Answer 8

A mixture of grape spirit and old wine with which the fortification takes place.

Question 9

To which degree of alcohol are Fino’s fortified? And Oloroso’s?

Answer 9

15.5%
17%

Question 10

What mean the terms Palo and Gordura?

Answer 10

Classifications at the conclusion of the fermentation. Palo is a vertical slash and fortified to 15-15.5% abv. Gordura is a circle and fortified to 17-18% abv.

Question 11

What is Sobretablas?

Answer 11

An intermediary stage of 6 months to 1 year for biologically aged Sherries. During this stage the course of the wines might be redirected.

Question 12

What means Palma Cortada?

Answer 12

A more robust Fino which may eventually emerge as Amontillado.

Question 13

What means Raya?

Answer 13

Flor growth is diminished or died and the wine’s robust character is reinforced by further fortification to 17-18% abv and the wine emerges from Sobretablas as an Oloroso.

Question 14

What means Dos Rayas?

Answer 14

The wine’s flor has disappeared and the wine’s character is rough and coarse. Used for blending or sweetening or ending up as sherry vinegar.

Question 15

What is the maximum RS for Fino, Amontillado, Palo Cortado and Oloroso?

Answer 15

Max. 4 g/L.

Question 16

What is the RS of PX, Moscatel and Dulce?

Answer 16

PX - more than 212 g/L.
Moscatel and Dulce - more than 160 g/L.

Question 17

T/F - since 2021 Sherry can be aged anywhere in the DO, also outside of Sherry triangle.

Answer 17

True

Question 18

T/F - since 2021 unfortified wines that reach 15/17% alcohol can now be labelled as Sherry as well.

Answer 18

True

Question 19

How is the wine called that is removed from solera for bottling?

Answer 19

Saca

Question 20

T/F - Fino and Amontillado Solera’s have usually more criadera’s (as much as 16) than Palo Cortado and Oloroso Solera’s (up to 3)

Answer 20

True

Question 21

What is Dulce Pasa?

Answer 21

A sweetening agent made from sun-dried Palomino fruit that is run off in barrel with spirit in it.

Question 22

What is Dulce de almíbar?

Answer 22

Used to sweeten Pale Cream Sherries.
Mix of glucose and lactulose blended with Fino sherry and matured.

Question 23

What is Sancocho and Arrope?

Answer 23

Reduced (reduced via heat) syrup and grape must.
It’s a dark coloured sweet non-alcoholic syrup.
It is used in production of vino de color.
Reduced to one-third is Sancocho. Reduced to one-fifth is Arrope.

Question 24

What is Color de Macetilla?

Answer 24

Vino de Color made by blending 2 parts of Arrope with 1 part grape must. A violent fermentation happens and the finished wine has 9% abv and 235 g/L RS. This wine is matured in solera.

Question 25

What is Color de Remendado?

Answer 25

Cheaper style of vino de color. Sancocho or Arrope is blended with local wine.

Question 26

What is Pale Cream Sherry?

Answer 26

Made with Fino Sherry that is sweetened with Dulce de Almíbar.

Question 27

What is Medium Sherry?

Answer 27

Amontillado Sherry that is sweetened.

Question 28

What is Cream Sherry?

Answer 28

Oloroso Sherry that is sweetened.

Question 29

What are Vinos Generosos?

Answer 29

Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso

Question 30

What are Vinos Dulces Naturales?

Answer 30

PX, Moscatel and Dulce. Must is partially fermented, then fortified and aged oxidatively.

Question 31

What are Vinos Generosos de Licor?

Answer 31

Pale Dry, Medium, Pale Cream, Cream = blended

Question 32

What is the ageing requirement for both Fino Viejo and Manzanilla Pasada?

Answer 32

7 Years

Question 33

Where is Manzanilla produced?

Answer 33

In the coastal Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Question 34

Describe Amontillado.

Answer 34

It is left in the cask as Fino without refreshment. The flor dies off and the wine is aged for a total of 4 years - 2 years biologically and 2 years oxidative. Amontillado is a dry and nutty wine. Some are sweetened and sold as commercial Medium Sherry.

Question 35

Describe Palo Cortado.

Answer 35

A wine that started life as a Fino, left to develop as an Amontillado, and then became deeper in colour with characteristics of an Oloroso. According to age classified as Dos, Tres or Cuatro Cortados.

Question 36

How is Brown Sherry made?

Answer 36

Sweet wine blended from Oloroso and Raya Sherries.

Question 37

What is En Rama?

Answer 37

Means Raw. This is a young Fino or Manzanilla made from unfiltered and unclarified wine taken out of the cask when the flor is at its thickest during Spring. With no stabilisation the wine must be enjoyed within 3 months of bottling.

Question 38

What mean VOS and VORS?

Answer 38

Very Old Sherry - minimum age of 20 years.
Very Old Rare Sherry - minimum age of 30 years.

Question 39

What is an Almacenista?

Answer 39

Almacenistas purchase young wines, age them and sell the wines at proper maturity. The role of Almacenistas today is minor, and the term itself has been trademarked by Lustau.
They’re like the Partidistas of Madeira.