Sherry Flashcards
What is an almacenista?
Essentially a stockepper. One who makes wine/sherry to sell to larger houses.
What are the regions of the Sherry Triangle?
Jerez del Frontera
El Puerto Santa Maria
Sanlucar de Barrameda
What is the Zona de Produccion?
The coastal and inland areas around the Sherry Triangle where the vineyards used to produce sherry are located.
Areas of the Zona de Produccion
Chiclana de la Frontera
Chipiona
Puerto Real
Rata
Trebujena
Lebrija
Crianza y Expedicion
Crianza y Almacenado
Crianza y Expedicion: A winery that sells their wine under a protected DO.
Crianza Almancenado: They do not sell or market their wines. They sell in bulk or to exporters.
What are the prominent wind patterns in Sherry?
Poniente: Comes from the west, off the Atlantic, and is cool and humid. Cools the region but can boost humidity.
Levante: Comes from the east. Originates in the Sahara. Hot and dry.
What are the soil types found in Sherry?
Albariza: Chalky limestone.
Barros: Clay (riverbeds and lower elevations areas)
Arenas: Sand, clay, and limestone (coastal areas- best for Moscatel.
What are the main grapes of Sherry?
Palomino Fino
Pedro Ximenz
Moscatel
What is asoleo?
Drying grapes on mats to raisinate them.
What are paseras?
Sites used to dry grapes (asoleo)
What is the most common vine training method in Sherry?
Vara y Pulgar- “Stick and Thumb”
What other vine training method is used?
Double cordon.
What is castra y recasta?
Green pruning.
Sherry pressing procedures
Mosto/Yema: First pressing. This is a gentle pressing from the weight of the grapes or a light pressing. Used for Fino, Manzanilla, and Amontillado.
Segundo/Pie: Second pressing which is less gentle. Used for Oloroso.
Prensas: Third pressing used for distillation or vinegar.
What is mitad y mitad
Fortification with half wine and half alcohol.
Which regions are permitted to age Sherry?
Only the regions in the Sherry Triangle.
Sobretablas
This is the aging period between fortification and aging under flor.
Six months to a year.
This period is biological aging. The wines are protected by flor during this period.
Winemakers will determine if the wine is a Palo Cortado or Palma.
Which wines undergo Biological aging?
Which wines undergo oxidative aging?
Manzanilla and Fino
Oloroso
What is Palo Cortado
Wines that have lost their flor either because yeast nutrients have been eliminated or the alcohol level has been increased.
When this happens, the winemaker may decide the wine isn’t suitable for fino or manzanilla and may raise the alcohol level to 17%. This is Palo Cortado.
Essentially- wines that have lost their flor and are not suitable (for whatever reason) for fino or manzanilla that are then fortified to 17%.
Medium or Cream Sherry
Often these are dry wines with concentrated must of PX or Moscatel added.
Pedro Ximenez
Sherry made from overripe Pedro Ximenez grapes.
They typically reach 16° Baume.
After pressing the wine is partially fermented then fortified up to 10% before being aged in American oak.
Moscatel
Made from Moscatel de Alejandria.
Ripeness is high at harvest, not necessarily overripe, and typically undergoes asoleo to raisinate the grapes.
Vinification can sometimes be the same as PX but is often a late-harvest wine.
What is rocio?
Replenishing the wine from the above criaderas.
What is saca?
Extraction from the solera for bottling.
