Quiz 02 - Sherry

Question 1

Describe the climate and weather of Jerez

Answer 1

Jerez is located in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. The climate is hot mediterranean.

Summers are generally dry, and there can be issues with rain in winter.

There is a cool, damp south-westerly wind called the Poniente, which can make the summers quite humid. Conversely, the Levante is a hot, south-easterly wind that makes the climate more arid.

Sunlight levels are usually high as the area experiences high levels of cloud-free days.

This means there is a risk of sunburn to the grapes, although they do ripen well.

The area is located at 36° latitude and with a low altitude of between 0 and 90 metres above sea level.

Question 2

What is the alternative name for the Zona de Producción, the 7,000 hectare area where grapes used in the production of Sherry must come from (apart from Pedro Ximénez)?

Answer 2

Marco de Jerez

Grapes grown in this zone can either be used for DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry or DO Manzanilla - Sanlúcar de Barrameda (or the denomination of origin for Sherry vinegar).

Question 3

Despite not falling within the Zona de Producción, Pedro Ximénez grapes are permitted to be grown in which the district and still labelled as Sherry?

Answer 3

District of Montilla

(south of Cordoba)

Question 4

True or false?

The Zona de Producción is split into two sections, and Jerez Zona is generally thought to be the better area for production as all vineyard sites are located on albariza soil.

Answer 4

False

Jerez Superior is generally thought to be the better area as the soils are made up of albariza.

Question 5

Which of following grape characteristics may have a negative impact on biologically aged sherries?

• Very thick skins
• Medium acidity
• Very high sugar levels

Answer 5

Very high sugar levels

This can make it hard to ferment the wine to dryness, which can have an impact on the development of flor.

Question 6

True or false?

The vineyard area in Jerez is divided down into smaller, delimited areas called pagos.

Answer 6

True

Although it has still not been decided whether producers can legally display the pago on their wine label.

Question 7

Explain how albariza soils are beneficial for the growing of grapes in Jerez.

Answer 7

• This soil is made up of limestone, silica and clay. The clay content retains water from winter rainfall, making it available to the vine in the drier months of spring and early summer.
• This soil type crusts when dry, which helps reduce water evaporation from the soil. This supports higher density planting and higher yields in an area that has relatively low annual rainfall.
• This soil type is light in colour which reflects light back into the canopy, which in turn aids the ripening of a larger yield.

Question 8

Describe how the vineyards of Jerez are often planted and cultivated.

Answer 8

• The vineyards are generally planted on gentle (10-15 per cent) slopes.
• Vineyards are often located in areas rich with albariza soil.
• After harvest each year, to catch winter rain, the soil is crafted into troughs and gullies between the rows of vines. This system is called Aserpia.
• Aserpia works by catching rainfall and increasing the surface area of the soil, so more water can be absorbed.
• This system is now generally mechanised.
• Winter pruning and harvesting are generally mechanised so vineyards are designed to accommodate mechanisation.

Question 9

Listed below are three alternative names for the three principal grape varieties used in Sherry. What are the more commonly used, full names for these grape varieties?

PX

Muscat of Alexandria

Listán

Answer 9

PX = Pedro Ximénez

Muscat of Alexandria = Moscatel

Listán = Palomino

Question 10

Which principal Sherry grape variety is desribed as follows?

A small, thin-skinned grape, which is often dried to concentrate the accumulated sugars. The flavours tend to come from the drying process as the grape is neutral.

Answer 10

Pedro Ximénez

Question 11

Which principal Sherry grape variety is desribed as follows?

The principal variety, used in all dry and sweetened styles of Sherry. A neutral, mid-late ripening variety, which produces high yields.

Answer 11

Palomino

Question 12

Which principal Sherry grape variety is desribed as follows?

Late ripening, aromatic grape variety typically used to make sweet styles of Sherry.

Answer 12

Moscatel

Question 13

Describe the harvest of grapes intended for Sherry.

Answer 13

The grapes used for Sherry production are usually picked at 12 % potential alcohol. The total acidity of these grapes will be about 5 g/L and the pH will be between 3.3 and 3.5 pH.

Harvest usually begins in the first week of August and is finished by the second week of September.

Harvesting begins in the inland areas and moves out toward the coastal regions as they’re cooler so the grapes ripen slower.

The Palomino grapes tend to be harvested earlier so they don’t lose acidity, and because there’s no need for sugar concentration.

Question 14

True or false?

Phenolic extraction from skin contact is often practised for biologically aged wines.

Answer 14

False

Phenolic compounds can hinder the growth of flor yeast, so it’s often avoided. Therefore, wines that undergo biological ageing are often made from the first pressings.

Question 15

True or false?

Most Oloroso wines tend to be made from free run juice.

Answer 15

False

Oloroso wines do not undergo biological ageing.

Higher levels of phenolics in later press fractions means flor struggles to develop. This is not relevant for oxidised ageing.

However, some producers that focus on Oloroso wines do use free run/early pressing juice to avoid waste.

Question 16

True or false?

The must for Sherry production will be clarified by cold settling, centrifugation or flotation.

Answer 16

True

The albariza soil is dusty, and therefore clarification is important to remove these particles from the must.

Question 17

Compare the fermentation process for biologically aged and oxidatively aged Sherries.

Answer 17

For both styles, grapes are pressed on arrival and skin contact avoided.

For must destined for biological aging, phenolics should be low so free-run juice of the lightest pressings are used. High levels of phenolics can impact on the growth of the flor.

For oxidative styles of Sherry, the later press fractions can be used, as high levels of phenolics are not an issue in this wine style.

Both styles clarify the must prior to fermentation. Inoculation is usually by the addition of cultured yeast and fermentation is carried out between 22-26ºC in stainless steel tanks. Wines are fermented to dryness and malolactic conversion is avoided due to the naturally low acidity already present and the need to produce a neutral style of wine.

Post-fermentation, wines are tasted and analysed to determine if they will be destined for biological ageing (lighter body with light flavour intensity) or oxidative ageing (fuller body and more intense flavours).

Biological destined wines will be fortified to 15% ABV and oxidative destined wines will be fortified to 17% ABV which inhibits the formation of flor yeast.

Question 18

In which municipality must DO Manzanilla Sherry be matured in?

Answer 18

Sanlúcar de Barrameda

All DO Manzanilla must be matured in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The other two municipalities are Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa María

Moscatel can also be matured in the municipalities of Chipiona and Chiclana de Frontera.

Question 19

Describe Sherry maturation.

Answer 19

Sherry is usually matured in American oak barrels called butts. Although they come in different sizes, the traditional one holds 600 litres. These barrels are usually old so they do not contribute oak flavours.

The buildings that Sherry is matured in are designed specifically for this purpose. These buildings are called Bodegas. These traditional buildings have thick walls to keep them cool, and do not make use of modern air-conditioning systems. They have high ceilings and earthen floors, which are often kept damp to increase humidity.

It is important to keep the temperature and humidity constant whilst maturing Sherry intended for biological ageing, as the flor depends on optimum conditions.

Question 20

Describe the Solera system

Answer 20

Sherry is made by blending to ensure consistency, which means most Sherries are non-vintage dated.

One set of barrels which are grouped together and all contain the same age wine are called criadera. The grouping of barrels containing the oldest wine in the system is called the solera.

No more than 40% of the wine from each level of Sherry butts can be removed each year for blending/bottling.

When wine is released for sale it must be at least 2 years old.

The same proportion of wine is taken from every level, blended in separate tanks, and used to top up the subsequent level. The youngest level in the system is topped up with wine from the sobretablas.

Wines do not have to be made up from every level of the system. For example, an inexpensive Sherry may be made from the first few levels only.

Question 21

Briefly describe the ideal conditions that flor requires to develop.

Answer 21

The ideal conditions that flor requires to develop are as follows:

• The wine needs to be a maximum of 15.5% abv but not above 16% abv.
• The use of SO2 prior to biological ageing should be kept to a minimum, flor is made up of various yeast strains.
• Oxygen needs to be present, so butts are filled to approximately 85-90%.
• Temperature control in the bodegas should be maintained between 16-20ºC and humidity levels above 65%.

Question 22

Describe the effects of flor.

Answer 22

• Ageing wines under flor maintains the colour of the wine.
• Flor releases acetaldehyde which increases aromas of apple skin, hay etc.
• Ageing under flor decreases levels of glycerol, which in turns decreases the body of the wine.
• Flor often decreases the sweetness of a wine and it also decreases the levels of acetic acid.
• The level of alcohol also decreases when using flor in the maturation process. Maturing the wine under flor decreases the chance of oxidation.
• In comparison to oxidatively aged wine, the winemaker often increases the frequency they blend the wines. This helps replenish the nutrients/alcohol the flor uses up.

Question 23

Describe the oxidative ageing of Sherry.

Answer 23

• Ageing oxidatively increases the colour pigment in the wine as it changes over time from lemon to brown.
• Evaporation from the butts increases the level of alcohol in the wine.
• Oxidative ageing increases the levels of glycerol in the wine, which increases the body of the wine.
• The complexity of aroma compounds increases as they change from primary to tertiary.
• The level of acetaldehyde decreases whilst the level of acetic acid and ethyl acetate increases.

Question 24

What is the name of the Sherry style with the following characteristics?

Must be biologically aged in municipality of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Dry and pale lemon in colour, with light to medium body, low acidity and low alcohol of 15-15.5% abv.

Answer 24

Manzanilla

Question 25

What is the name of the Sherry style with the following characteristics?

Must be biologically aged. Dry and pale lemon in colour, with light to medium body, low acidity and low alcohol of 15-15.5% abv.

Answer 25

Fino

Question 26

What is the name of the Sherry style with the following characteristics?

Must be biologically aged in municipality of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Must also be subjected to a short period of oxidative ageing.

Answer 26

Manzanilla Pasada

Question 27

What is the name of the Sherry style with the following characteristics?

Must be biologically and oxidatively aged. Removed from the Fino solera system and refortified to 17% abv, before being introduced to an oxidative system.

Answer 27

Amontillado

Question 28

What is the name of the Sherry style with the following characteristics?

These wines have attributes from oxidative ageing. After fermentation, they are fortified to 17% abv to stop flor developing. They are brown in colour and are dominated by tertiary, oxidative aromas of toffee and walnut.

Answer 28

Oloroso

Question 29

What is the name of the Sherry style with the following characteristics?

These wines must have aromas similar to an Amontillado but a palate more similar to an Oloroso. Must also have a sugar level of under 5 g/L and alcohol between 17-22% abv.

Answer 29

Palo Cortado

Question 30

The following description describes which style of sweetened Sherry?

It must have undergone a period of biological ageing prior to sweetening. RCGM is usually used as the sweetening component.

Answer 30

Pale Cream

Question 31

Briefly describe the process of making naturally sweet Sherries.

Answer 31

The process of making naturally sweet Sherries is as follows:

• Grapes are left on the vine longer to concentrate the sugars.
• After harvest they are dried in the sun for 2-3 weeks which results in the evaporation of water content from the grapes, concentrating the sugars further and aromas of dried fruit (raisin) developing.
• Fermentation will stop naturally at about 4-6% abv.
• Wines are fortified to 15-16% abv.
• Wines are generally matured oxidatively in a solera system which again concentrates the sugars and aromas.

Question 32

What is the minimum average time VOS and VORS Sherries must be aged for?

Answer 32

VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum / Very Old Sherry):
20 years or more

VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum / Very Old Rare Sherry):
30 years or more

Question 33

There are three different registers a Sherry production company can belong to (they may belong to one of these registers or multiple). What is the name of the register described as folllows:

These bodegas, also called ‘shippers’, are the only register permitted to export or sell DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry or DO Manzanilla - Sanlúcar de Barrameda wines to the market. As well as selling the final wine, they are also permitted to mature the wines.

Answer 33

Bodegas de Crianza y Expedición

Question 34

There are three different registers a Sherry production company can belong to (they may belong to one of these registers or multiple). What is the name of the register described as folllows:

The bodegas mature wines, but cannot sell the wines to the market. They tend to be relatively small in the amount of wine they mature.

Answer 34

Bodegas de Crianza y Almacenado

Question 35

There are three different registers a Sherry production company can belong to (they may belong to one of these registers or multiple). What is the name of the register described as folllows:

These bodegas, which are usually large cooperatives, press grapes and ferment the must into base wine. They must be located in the Sherry production zone. They may sell their own wines, but these cannot qualify for DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry or DO Manzanilla - Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Answer 35

Bodegas de la Zona de Producción

Question 36

Describe the roles and responsibilities of the Consejo Regulador.

Answer 36

• The Consejo Regulador is responsible for maintaining all the vineyard registers.
• It sets parameters for maximum yields and minimum alcohol levels for base wines.
• It oversees the rotation of stock and verifies the authenticity of age-dated Sherries in the bodegas.
• It sets the regulations and legislation for labelling terms permitted for each style of Sherry. Each style of Sherry must conform to certain attributes, including levels of residual sugar, alcohol level, colour and any characteristics associated with how the wine is made and aged.
• Another key role is the promotion of Sherry through international and national events. It also runs educational courses which aids in the promotion of Sherry.

Question 37

Compare and contrast the different effects of biological vs oxidative maturation.

Answer 37