Fortified Wine

Question 1

Vara y pulgar

Answer 1

Replacement cane pruning for Sherry vineyard

Question 2

Vineyard management of Sherry

Answer 2

1) pruning & canopy management:
Used to be replacement cane pruning called “Vara y pulgar”, Increasingly using cordon trained (single or double), spur pruned, VSP trellising to ensure open canopy and easy mechanization, shadings needed to prevent sunburn;
2) Maximum yield:
80 hL/Ha, actually 60-70 hL/Ha
3) Aserpia system:
vineyard soil is worked to create a series of thought and gullies down each row of vines to catch the winter rain-called “Aserpia”;
4) Rootstocks:
Using rootstocks that are tolerant of limestone soil and drought , such as 333EM, 41B and 13-5 EVEX.
5) Diseases and Hazards:
Mildew in spring- canopy management, applying fungicides; European grapevine moth- traps
6) Harvest:
As early as possible to avoid rain, usually with 12% potential alc, 5g/L total acidity and PH of 3.3-3.5.

Question 3

Describe the Winemaking for Sherry

Answer 3

1) Skin contact:
undesirable;
2) Pressing:
Free run juice and lightest pressing for biologically aged wines, later press fractions for Colorado;
3) Fermentation:
–Grape must from different vineyard to be fermented separately to create different base wine;
–Cultured yeasts are used and fermentation temperature around 22℃-26℃ ;
–Generally fermenting in stainless steel vessels. A small number of producers using barrel fermentation to give a fuller body.
–Majority of sugar is fermented whin seven days, the remaining sugar takes a couple weeks to be fermented;
–Malolactic conversion is prevented by chilling, due to low acidity and undesirable buttery flavours;
4) First Classification after fermentation:
To decide batches for biological aging wines (light bodied, less intensely flavoured) and oxidative aging wines(fuller bodied,more intense);
5) Fortification:
95% neutral spirit, biological aging wines fortified to 15-15.5% to allow flor yeast to grow, oxidative aging wine fortified to 17%;
6) Sobretablas:
After fortifications the wines are stored in tanks or barrels for a number of months before joining the solvers system.
7) Second classification:
To classify biological aging wines into potential Fino/Manzanilla (a fuller layer of flor and remained fresh), Amontillado (slightly less delicate) and Palo Cortado (fuller bodied and intensely flavoured)

Question 4

Primers yema

Answer 4

Free run juice and the lightest pressings

Question 5

Aserpia

Answer 5

A series of thoughts and gullies down each row of vines in Sherry vineyard to catch the winter rains