Fortified wine Flashcards
Sherry climate
Maritime, cooling wind from the Atlantic
Hot and windy
Sherry Soil types
Albariza- white chalky clay (most prized, reflects sunlight to vines and retains water)
Barros- Brown clay
Arenas- Sand (great for Moscatel)
Sherry region name
Jerez or Xeres
Province of Andalusia, Atlantic coast near North Africa
When did sherry become protected as a region?
1933, one of the first protected Spanish appellations
sherry grapes
Palomino (95% of plantings)
Pedro Ximenez
Moscatel
Solera levels
Añada- youngest
2nd Criadera
(these two are “nurseries”)
1st Criadera
Solera (oldest, goes to bottle)
What is flor?
Film of yeast (saccharomyces) that grows on surface protecting certain sherries from oxidation and spoilage
How does fortifying sherry while making it effect what style is made?
The more you fortify it may prevent flor, changing the style
Biological aging sherry vs Oxidative aging
Biological aging develops flor
Oxidative aging does not
Sherry ABV
Manzanilla 15-17
Fino 15-17
Amontillado 16-17
Palo Cortado 17-22
Oloroso 17-22
Cream 15.5-22
Pedro Ximenez 15-22
Where is Manzanilla sherry made?
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Which sherries use Flor? No Flor and both
Flor (biological aging): Manzanilla and Fino
Flor, but loses it: Amontillado and Palo Cortado
No Flor (Oxidative aging):Oloroso, Cream, PX
7 Sherry styles
Manzanilla- more salty/snappy
Fino- Light and dry
Amontillado- starts as fino, then fortified higher for oxidative aging (flor dies off)
Palo Cortado- Flor plays a roll, but more of a minor role than Amontillado. Almost like an Amontillado/oloroso hybrid
Oloroso- No flor because of higher fortification
Cream- sweetened Oloroso
Pedro Ximenez- Way sweet, grapes dried in sun
What is fortified wine?
Base wines that have a high proof neutral grape brandy added to increase alcoholic strength to 15-22%
Timing of fortification
Fortified before fermentation- no alcohol is created from fermentation of base wine
Fortified during fermentation- stops the action of yeast retaining residual sugar in the wine (port)
Fortified after fermentation- Boosts alcohol levels; dry wine is most often produced (Sherry)
What is Saca? (Sherry)
process of removing wine down to next ciradera or solera
Rocio is refilling
En Rama (Sherry)
bottled unfiltered, only with fino or manzanilla
Madeira location
off the coast of Morocco and 625 miles from mainland Portugal
Madeira Climate/soil
Subtropical
Volcanic
Madeira Grapes
(Red) Tinta Negra (85% of plantings)
(White)
Sercial
Verdelho
Malvasia (malmsey)- makes boal
When is Madeira fortified?
Depends on style. For sweeter wines, during fermentation. Dryer wines, after fermentation
Heating processes of Madeira
One of these two processes
Estufagem- Transfered to stainless steel vat, warms the wine with hot coils. Takes at least 3 months
Canterio- Aged in casks for at least 2 years in attics exposed to the natural warmth of sun. This method is for producers best wines. This is a slower, gentler maturation process
Styles of Madeira
Sercial: (0-6% RS) Driest style
Verdelho: (6-7.5% RS) Medium-dry
Terrantez: (7-8% RS) Rare style, rare grape
Boal or Bual (7.5-10% RS) made from Malvasia
Malmsey (10% or more RS) Richest, sweetest style
Quality levels of madeira
3 year old: good for cooking
5 year old reserve: youngest component 5 yrs in cask
10 year old special reserve: (youngest 10 years in cask..)
15 year old extra reserve: (youngest 15 years in cask..)
Solera Madeira: can no longer be made
Colheita madeira: basically early Frasquiera
Fransqueira or Vintage Madeira: ultimate quality level
Best madeira is made from what grapes?
one of the five white “noble” grapes
Port Climate and location
Northern Portugal along Douro River
Warm/hot maritime closer to Atlantic Ocean, hotter and drier as you move inland
Douro River goes into the Atlantic at Oporto
Port Soil
Well-draining Schist (and granite)
Red Port grapes
Touriga Franca
Touriga Nacional
Tinta Barroca
Tinto Cao
Tinta Roriz
(all are small-berried and thick-skinned, therefore able to stand heat spells and droughts)
Lagares
stone or cement troughs where grapes are crushed by feet
Mechanical ones are now much more common
Sub regions of port
Baixo Corgo
Cima Corgo
Douro Superior
Neutral grape spirit added to port
aguardente
Fortified to 19-22% ABV
aged tawny port
wine matured entirely in cask, generally minimum of 10 years
10 yrs, 20 yrs, 30…. ages are approximations, or what they taste like, not what they actually are
LBV port
Late bottle vintage
come from single vintage, not necessarily the best
Aged 4-6 years in cask (more time in cask than vintage port, less time in bottle
ready to drink when shipped
Vintage port and Single Quinta
Most expensive and age worthy, Vintage port can only be made in the best years
2 years aging in oak, then the rest in bottle
Single Quinta (or estate) comes from the best estates in non-declared vintage years. Made in same style as Vintage
Decant both of these
Ruby port vs Tawny port
Ruby- bottle aged
Tawny- cask aged
Les Vins Doux Naturels
French fortified wine 15-16% ABV, remains sweet
Muscat Beaumes-de-Venis: Made in Southern Rhone from Muscat Blanc
Banyuls: Made in Roussillon from Grenache
