Sherry Flashcards
When is Sherry fortified
After fermentation
What are the other two names for Sherry
Jerez
Xérés
What part of Spain does Sherry come from
Andalusía
What is the climate of Sherry
Hot, windy, & humid
What factor moderates the hot climate of Sherry
The Atlantic Ocean breezes
What are the three soil types found in Sherry
Albariza (most important)
Barros
Arenas
Describe Albariza soil
Chalky clay that reflects sunlight and has excellent water retention
Describe Barros soil
Brown clay
Describe Arenas soil
Sand
What are the three grapes used for Sherry production
Palomino
Pedro Ximénez
Moscatel
What is the most planted grape varietal in Sherry
Palomino
What are Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez used for in Sherry
Mostly used for blending and sweetness, however some reputable producers will bottle them as single varietals
What are Sherries fortified with
Mixture of mature Sherry and neutral grape spirit
What are the 2 ways to age and develop sherry
Biological Aging
Oxidative Aging
What are the 4 styles of Biological Aged sherries
Manzanilla
Fino
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
What are the 2 styles of Oxidative Aged sherries
Oloroso
Cream
What is Flor
A thing layer of yeast Saccharomyces that devope on the surface of maturing wine in a barrel when barrels are not filled completely, protecting the wine from heavy oxidation and spoilage
What is the Solera System
A fractional blending system which has levels, or ‘scales,’ that hold wines at varying stages of development (some of which are decades old).
The younger wines at the top of the solera are progressivley blended with the older, lower scales of the solera.
The bottom row of the solera system is called solera.
When making Fino style sherry, why is it important to keep adding new wine to the barrels
So that the Flor remains intact as it needs the nutrients from new wine to stay alive
What is the ‘running the scales’ process in sherry
The gradual yet consistent replenishment of wine from younger barrels within a solera.
When Sherry is removed for bottling from the solera (bottom) scale, the solera scale is refilled with an equal amount of wine that has been pulled from the 1st Criadera. To refill the 1st Criadera, another equal amount is removed from the 2nd Criadera to top up the barrels in the 1st Criadera, and so on until the youngest Criadera is topped up with wine from the añada.
The youngest wines provide nutrients for the flor to keep it alive and active.
Why is sherry NV
Because it uses a fractional blended system meaning wines from various vintages are always being blended, though many wines will show the original inception date printed on the label
What is Manzanilla sherry
A type of Fino sherry that must originate from the village of Sanlucar de Barrameda
What is the difference between Manzanilla Sherry and Fino Sherry
Manzanilla is a Fino sherry, however, it must originate in the village of Sanlucar de Barrameda
What is the row of barrels closest to the floor called in the Solera System
Solera
What is the name of the row of barrels with the youngest wines in the Solera System
Añada
What are the barrels between the top and bottom row in the Solera System called
Criaderas
What is the difference between the First Criadera and Second Criadera
First Criadera is the next oldest before the Solera
Second Criadera is the level just older than the Añada younger than the First Criadera
What is the maximum amount of Sherry that can be removed yearly from the bottom of the Solera
No more than 33%
What does VOS stand for in Sherry
Vinum Optimum Signatum
What does VORS stand for in Sherry
Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum
What is the requirement to label a sherry VOS
Must prove an average age of 20 years or older
What is the requirement to label a sherry VORS
Must prove an average age of 30 years or older
How can age be proved in sherry given the blend of multiple vintages
Lab testing: measuring chemical components of the sherry
Solera Quote: Counting back the stock of the volume of sherry
Tasting Assessment: Tasting committee assess the sample
It is impossible to calculate the exact accurate age
What other two VOS/VORS age assessments are officially recognized in sherry but not widely used
12 year
15 year
