L3 - Sherry - Chap 43 Flashcards
What is Jerez’s climate?
Jerez de la Frontera
-Hot, sunny, mediterranean climate
-Most vineyards on the coast -on average a little cooler
-Benefit from cool humid westerly wine known as poniente
-Easterly wine levante- is hot and dry and increases temp which can seriously stress the vines and damage grapes
-Rainfall is high
What is the soil in Jerez and the impact on wine?
The soil in Jerez is Albariza soil:
-very high in chalk content
-provides good drainage during rainy season
-its depth and excellent water holding capacity also means it can store enough water to sustain vines during hot dry summers
To maximize water retained by soil in autumn and winter, rectangular pits are dug between rows of vines to trap water and reduce run-off. Done at the end of harvest
Moisture retention further enhanecd in summer when albariza soi forms a hard crust that limits evaporation in soil.
What are the primary grape varieties for Sherry?
PRIMARY SHERRY GRAPES
- Palomino- vast majority of plantings in Jerez. Produces:
-naturally low acid
-lacks varietal aromas
-Ideal for dry sherry production where the style of wine is largely determined by either biological or oxidative maturation
-Pedro Ximenez (PX)
- Has little varietal flavor, thin skin makes it suitable to be sun dried and produce sweet sherries.
-Very little planted in Jerez, mostly planted in Motilla-Morilles neighboring Jerez
Muscat of Alexandria- very little of this grown, but like PX used for sweet wines
How soon after harvesting must Palomino (for sherry) be picked and why?
Palomino is normally harvested in very high temperatures.
As a result, to avoid oxidization, the grapes must be pressed as quickly as possible (after harvest).
At what temperature should Palomino (for sherry) be fermented?
Why?
Palomino is typically fermented in large stainless steel thanks at relatively high temperatures for white wine (ranging 72 F to 79 F or 22C to 26C).
The reason is that although high it suits the neutral base wine
What are the stages of the winemaking process for Sherry
-HARVEST/PRESS: Grapes harvested in fall and immediately pressed & fermented
-FIRST CLASSIFICATION
-FORTIFICATION AND SOBRETABLA
-SECOND CLASSIFICATION
-MATURATION IN THE SOLERA SYSTEM
-BLENDING AND AGING
What is the first classification during the sherry process?
What does it determine?
FIRST CLASSIFICATION
During autumn wines are classified into 2 types, based on their flavor characteristics:
-Biological aging
– Usually for lighter, paler wines, with more ‘finesse’
–wines from grapes grown in cooler coastal vineyards and fermented at lower temperatures are better biological aging
-Oxidative aging
–Usually for darker, richer, heavier wines
–wines from grapes grown in warmer inland vineyards & fermented at higher temps are better for oxidative
house style will also play a role in the decision
During 1st classification the yeast flor starts to form on the surface of the wines
What happens at the fortification and sobretabla stage?
FORTIFICATION/SOBRETABLA
After first classification, wines are fortified with a neutral spirit of 95% abv.
Then wines are set aside a few months prior to being incorporated into the solera system which is known as Sobretabla.
What happens at second classification for biological aging?
What level are biologically aged sherries fortified to?
Biologically aged sherries are fortified to 15-15.5% abv which is ideal for the development of flor.
SECOND CLASSIFICATION
If flor develops correctly the winemaker will then determine whether the wine has the style and character suitable for its respective solera system.
Wines that fail to make the grade will either be sent to oxidative aging or rejected altogether
What happens with wines that are sent to oxidative aging?
Wines that are sent to oxidative aging are fortified to 17% abv.
At this level of alcohol the flor dies. Period of sobretabla not as important because not need to see if flor flavors develop
What is the process for sweet style sherries?
For sweet style sherries, grapes are sun-dried to concentrate their sugar levels, developing flavors of raisin.
Once desired must weight is achieved, grapes are presssed and fermentation si started.
Given teh levels of sugar, yeast struggle to ferment and rarely manage more than a few degrees of alcohol.
Fortification is up to 17% abv .
Where can sherry legally be matured in Jerez DO?
Historically only allowed to mature sherry at bodegas inside the city limits of Jerez de la Frontera or in two smaller seaside towns fo Sanlucar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria.
Legislation introduced to allow for it anywhere in Jerez DO
How must sherry be aged?
Sherry must be aged in 600 liter oak barrel called butts
Butts are very old as flavors of oak are not desirable in these wines.
Oak needed to allow oxygen to reach the wine
Butts are only ever kept 5/6ths full
Winemakers try to keep bodegas as cool as possible during the maturation process. Bodegas are painted white, with high ceilings nad windows pointing towards the poinente. Floors kept damp to maintain correct humidity. Some are airconditioned.
What is the Solera system?
THE SOLERA SYSTEM
This is a system of maturation and replenishment for biological and oxidative aging.
Wine is made of different groups of butts -levels- known as criaderas. The bottom, oldest level is the solera (level). Wines are moved from the above criaderas to replensih the solera and each criadera is replenished by a criadera that is slightly younger than it. Teh youngest criadera is replenished by sobretabla wine.
During each replenishment wine for bottling is taken out of the solera.
Then the 1st criadera, which is above the solera (and slightly younger than the solera) has an equal amount of wine removed from each of the butts in the criadera. The wine from those butts is mixed/blended together, than transferred to the butts in the solera system.
This happens until all wines in the solera system are replenished, including the youngest criadera with sobretabla wine.
What is the main benefit of the solera system?
The main benefit of the solera system is ti allows for consistency to be maintained for bottling and blending, as the wine added, takes on the character of the older wine it is blended with.
However if poor wine is added to the system initially or too much wine is taken out, the consistency will not maintained.
Note criaderas of different systems are often kep in different bodegas to reduce risk of losing an entire solera system
