Port, Sherry, and Fortified Master Flashcards
What is mitad y mitad and what is it used for? Why?
a mixture of Sherry and grape spirit that is added in the gradual and delicate fortification of Sherry.
This gentler mixture prevents the fortification from shocking the young wine
What is a split vintage and why are they not common?
Back to back declared vintages for vintage port.
Not common because the houses don’t want to flood the market with vintage ports as it would devalue the product.
Which two nations focused largely on fortified wines in the early part of the 19th century before redirecting towards dry table wines?
South Africa and Australia
Which of the following styles represents the smallest amount of production in a Sherry bodega? Why?
Fino
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
Oloroso
Palo Cortado
Because it is very difficult to make
What is the primary grape of Sherry production? Other two?
Palomino
Pedro Ximenez (PX) Moscatel
Autonomia of Jerez?
Anadlucía
What is the zone of Rutherglen Muscat?
North East Victoria
What region is Banyuls produced in?
Roussillon
Which style shows more oxidative notes, Tawny or Ruby?
Tawny
What are the two DOs of Sherry production? How are they similar? How do they differ?
Jerez-Xeres-Sherry DO
Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda DO
Geographic limits are the same. Styles produced are different.
What are the 4 main styles of Generoso (dry) Sherry?
Fino
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
Oloroso
What are the two Sherry with Certification of Age designations? Which styles are they exclusive to? What are their specifics regarding aging?
VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum/Very Old Sherry): min. 20 years average age
VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum/Very Old Rare Sherry): min. 30 years average age
What are the two Sherry with Certification of Age designations? What does this age pertain to? Which styles are they exclusive to? What are their specifics regarding aging?
Vinum Optimum Signatum/Very Old Sherry:
min 20 years average age
for every 1 L drawn off 20 L must remain
Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum / Very Old Rare Sherry:
min 30 years average age.
for every 1 L drawn off, 30L must remain
Age pertains the to the average age of the wines in Solera.
Exclusive to Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximenez Vino Dulce Natural
Of the four main generoso styles, which is not eligible for the VOS and VORS designations?
Fino
What are the 3 styles of Manzanilla Vino Generoso? Which is most like amontillado?
Manzanilla Fina
Manzanilla Pasada (Fino-Amontillado)
Manzanilla Olorosa
Dry, Medium, Pale Cream, and Cream are all styles of what?
Vino Generoso de Licor
Which is Vino Generoso (Dry Sherry) blended with either Vino Dulce Natural or concentrated grape must.
What are the 4 styles of Vino Generoso de Licor, RS level ranges, and the most common base generoso sherry that they’re produced from?
Dry:
5-45g/L
Medium:
5-115g/L; most often produced from Amontillado
Pale Cream:
45-115g/L; most often produced from Fino base
Cream:
115-140g/L; most often produced from Oloroso base
What are the 4 styles of Vino Generoso de Licor, RS level ranges, and the most common base generoso sherry that they’re produced from?
Dry:
5-45g/L
Medium:
5-115g/L; most often produced from Amontillado
Pale Cream:
45-115g/L; most often produced from Fino base
Cream:
115-140g/L; most often produced from Oloroso base
What is Vino Dulce Natural? Most common grapes used? What are the 3 styles and min RS levels?
Naturally sweet wine fortified after partial fermentation of “sunned” (soleo) grapes, often bottled varietally as Pedro Ximenez or Moscatel.
Dulce (min 160g/L)
Moscatel (min 160g/L)
Pedro Ximenez (min 212g/L)
What are the two sub-varieties of Palomino? Which is the preferred for Sherry and makes up a majority of Jerez Superior?
Palomino Fino
Palomino de Jerez
As of 2010 Sherry wines must age in a solera for a min of how many years? What was it before 2010?
Min 2 years.
Min 3 years before
What are the 3 principal soil types of Jerez? What are they composed of? Where are they found? Which is the preferred for quality Sherry?
albariza (chalky porous limestone):
Jerez Superior; preferred for quality Sherry
barros (clay):
low-lying valleys
arenas (sand):
coastal areas
Why is albariza preferred for quality Sherry vines?
it retains the water from autumn and winter rains and is porous so the vines can dig deep down in search for nutrients
Jerez Superior is located between what town and what river?
Sanlucar de Barrameda and the Guadalete River
What are the 3 towns of aging for Sherry? Where are most of the pagos located?
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Jerez de la Frontera (most pagos located here)
Puerto de Santa Maria
What are 5 communes of Sherry production?
Sanlucar de Barrameda
Jerez de la Frontera
Puerto de Santa Maria
Chipiona
Chiclana de la Frontera
What are the provinces of production for Sherry?
Cadiz and Seville
What is the max RS for Vino Generoso (dry) Sherries?
max 5g/L
What type of aging does Amontillado Sherry experience?
Both Biological and Oxidative
Can Sherry be vintage?
Yes, but they are very rare because most go through Solera aging.
Vintage Sherry is called Añada
What is the Single Quinta of Calem?
Quinta do Sagrado
What is the Single Quinta of Croft?
Quinta da Roêda
What is the Single Quinta of Dow’s?
Quinta do Bomfim
What is the Single Quinta of Nieeport?
Quinta do Passadouro
What is the Single Quinta of Kopke?
Fonseca?
Quinta do Sao Luiz
Panascal
What’s the in RS level required for port wines?
17.5g/l
Extra-Seco: 17.5 g/l - 40 g/l
Seco: 40 - 65 g/l
Meio Seco: 65 - 85 g/l
Doce: 85 - 130 g/l
What is the Symington Family’s top Single Quinta?
Quinta do Vesuvio
What is Bergqvist’s top Quinta?
Quinta de la Rosa
What is Graham’s top single Quinta?
Quinta dos Malvedos
What is Taylor’s top Single Quinta?
Quinta de Vargellas
What is Warre’s top Single Quinta?
Quinta da Cavadinha
What is Sandeman’s top Quinta?
Quinta do Seixo
What is Fonseca’s top Single Quinta?
Quinta do Panascal
What are the Vin de Liqueurs for the following:
Jura
Gascony
Cognac
Champagne
Jura (Macvin du Jura)
Gascony (Floc de Gascogne)
Cognac (Pineau des Charentes)
Champagne (Ratafia)
Where is Commanderia de St. John produced? What is it? What is its distinction? Appellation?
VDN made in Cyprus from dried grapes Xynisteri (white) and Mavro (red) for a min 10 days.
Wine is fortified and then aged for a min 2 years.
Oldest named wine in the world.
Appellation Commandaria Controllée
What Portuguese DOP is located in the Arrabida Hills and the Palmela Plains? What are the soil types for each? Wine produced?
Setubal DOP
Arrabida Hills (limestone)
Palmela Plains (sand)
Licoroso (Moscatel de Setubal)
What are the 2 aging label designations for Moscatel de Setubal DOP? What is the min aging requirement?
10/20/30/40+ years
Superior: min 5 years
min 18 months aging required
What are the grapes for the main varietal styles of Madeira? What are they from Driest to Sweetest?
Sercial
Verdejo
Bual
Malvasia/Malmsey
What are the point ranges for the grading of Port Vineyards for each grade?
A: 1200 B: 1,001-1200 C: 801-1,000 D:601-800 E:401-600 F:201-400
What are the two main wind currents in Jerez? Which is beneficial and vital for the growth of flor? Where does each come from?
Levante: (comes from Mediterranean)
hot, dry
Poniente: (comes from Atlantic)
cool, moist; vital for flor
What is the highest alcohol content that Flor is able to withstand?
15.5%
What is the min aging required for Frasquera Madeira?
min 20 years
What are the declared vintages for Port in the 2000s?
2000
2003
2007
2011
What is Moscatel in Sherry synonymous with?
Muscat of Alexandria
What is sobretablas? What happens afterwards?
Intermediary step for Biological Aging Sherries only. Happens following the addition of wines to barrel for aging under flor.
6-12 month aging process that culminates in a second sorting process for flor-aged Sherry
After this wines are classified for a second time as either Palma, Palma Cortada, Palo Cortado, Raya, or Dos Rayas
What portion of a Sherry butt is filled with wine to allow for growth of flor?
5/6
What are the 5 classifications of Sherry following Sobretablas? Describe each. What type of Sherry are each destined to become?
Palma:
Fino, as the Flor has flourished
Palma Cortada:
Robust Fino or Amontillado
Palo Cortado:
Richness causes the cellar master to redirect to oxidative aging by fermenting to 17% killing the flor. So Palo Cortado or Oloroso
Raya:
Poor Flor; fortified to 17-18% and will become Oloroso
Dos Rayas:
no flor, rough and coarse, high in volatile acidity. Blended and/or sweetened for cheaper Sherry or will become Sherry vinegar.
Following sobretablas which 2 styles will be fortified to be directed to Oxidative aging? What is the abv strength for each after fortification?
Palo Cortado (17%) Raya (17-18%)
Dos Rayas has no flor so no need for fortification.
Following sobretablas which 2 styles will be fortified to be directed to Oxidative aging? What is the abv strength for each after fortification?
Palo Cortado (17%) Raya (17-18%)
Dos Rayas has no flor so no need for fortification.
What are the 2 designations for the first classification of Sherry? How are they marked on barrel? How will each age? What strength are they fortified to?
Palo (stick on barrel):
fortified to 15-15.5% to allow for biological aging under the development of flor in barrel.
Gordura (O on barrel):
fortified between 17-18% to prevent flor growth and allow for oxidative aging.