SHERRY Flashcards
(46 cards)
What is the early history of Sherry? (ie. pre-1900s) 7 facts.
1500-300BC: Winemaking dates back to Phenician rule
700-1299: Moorish rule, banned consumption but production continued
1300:
* Christian rule began and allowed domestic consumption
* English, Irish and Flemish exports began
* Free trade agreeements with France & England established
* Columbus discovered America, and exports there began
Following Centuries: Peninsular wars & Phyolloxera devastated industry
What was the middle History of Sherry? (1800-1980) 6 facts.
1800 & 1900s: Sherry extremely popular, some rip-offs were being created
1933: Consejo Regulador established in response
1939: World War II: Sales fell
1950-1983: Rumasa scandal
1979: Peak sales at 150 million L, leading to production increase
1980-onwards: Demand declined leading to oversupply
What is the recent history Jerez, ie. Rumasa? 5 facts.
Rumasa, aka Ruiz Mateos S.A.
1950: Started as an almacenista, eventually an exporter
late 1970s: Supplied Harveys of Bristol with wine, making a lot of money.
Began buying up bodegas, hotels, banks etc., and drove down prices with consolidation.
1983: Gov nationalized company due to owed taxes; bodegas were sold and unrest ensued with unemployment/business turnover
Consejo continues to try and regain balance
Describe the location for Sherry and how is it broken down (3 ways)?
Zona de Producción aka Marco de Jerez, a delimited area of 7,000ha
“Pagos” are smaller delimited areas said to have dif characteristics
Contains the “sherry triangle” aka the cities of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María
Describe the climate, weather, and topography for Sherry.
- Hot Mediterranean climate
- Dry summers, mild rainy winters
- Poniente (Cool/damp, Atlantic) & Levante (Hot/dry, N. Africa) wind influence
- Low latitude @ 36 degrees
- Low altitude @ 0-90m
- 10-15% gentle slopes
What are the 3 soil types for Sherry and what are their characteristics?
- Albariza: the predominant soil type; a blend of Limestone, silica and clay.
- Clay retains some moisture when it rains
- When it dries, it forms a crust, preventing evaporation
- Light colour reflects light and aids ripening
- Moisture retentive qualities allows for high yields
- Barros - more clay content
- Arenas - more sand content
What are the 3 main grape varieties used in Sherry?
- Palomino (Fino)
- Moscatel aka Muscat of Alexandria
- Pedro Ximénez
What are the characteristics of the most common grape variety for Sherry? (6 points)
- Mid to Late Ripening
- High yielding
- Suited to dry, sunny weather
- Neutral character
- Loses acidity quickly at maturity
- Accounts of 97% of plantings
What are the characteristics of Moscatel (3) and where is it mainly grown?
aka Muscat of Alexandria
Mainly grown around coastal town of Chipiona on Arenas soils
- Late ripening
- Heat & drought resistant
Aromatic - Mainly used for “Moscatel” Sherry
What are the characteristics of PX (3), where is it grown and how much is grown in the delimited area?
- Small, thin-skinned
- Accummulates high sugar
- Neutral character, but achieves flavour via drying/maceration
1% of plantings in delimited area, but it can also be grown outside in Montilla and shipped to the Zona as grapes/raisins or young wines.
Describe the Training and Trellising system and spacing commonly used for Sherry and the purpose it serves.
- “Vara y Pulgar” - aka replacement cane; increasingly replaced by single- or double cordon w/spur pruning (to allow for mechanization)
- VSP, with shading to prevent sunburn, and airflow to prevent disease. (Suited to mechanization)
- Spacing: Tight within-row at 1m (for high yields); between row just wide enough for tractor (mechanization)
What are the max. and average yields for Sherry?
80hL/ha max. (rare to reach);
60-70hL/ha average
What is used for irrigation in Sherry?
Irrigation is not permitted, but Aserpia - troughs gullies down each row - are used to catch winter rain, allowing it to permeate the soil
What rootstocks are used for Sherry and what are their characteristics (4)?
Vinifera and V. Berlandieri hybrids that are limestone and drought tolerant; Chlorosis deterrent; and high-yielding.
What hazards exist in growing for Sherry, and what is the degree, and the treatment?
- Sunburn - canopy mgmt
- Mildew in Spring with warm humidity after rains - canopy mgmt and fungicides
- Euro Grapevine Moth - pheromone traps
- Overall relatively low disease pressure due to dryness
When is harvest for Sherry timed, what is the criteria and the method?
Early August to mid September, from inland to coast, to avoid rain/rot (flor sensitive) ; PX & Moscatel slightly later
Picking on 12% potential alc, TA of 5g/L and pH of 3.3-3.5
60% by machine
Describe the winemaking process for Sherry up until the maturation/Solera phase (9 steps).
- Grapes are pressed immediately to avoid skin contact
- Free run & lightest pressings, the Primera Yema, are separated for biological wines (some Oloroso)
- Juice is clarified via cold settling, centrifugation or flotation
- Wine is fermented using cultured yeasts at 22-26 degrees for reliability/neutrality in Stainless (sometimes barrel) for approx. 3 weeks
- Wine is chilled or SO2 is added to prevent MLF, maintaining acidity/avoiding butter
- First Classification occurs: wines are tasted/analyzed to designate for biological (lighter, delicate) vs oxidative ageing (fuller, intense -Oloroso)
- Wines are fortified to 15-15.5% (biological) or 17% (oxidative) using 95% neutral grape spirit
- Wines are stored in the Sobretablas in tank or barrel for several months
- Second Classification occurs: biological wines are tasted/analyzed and inspected for freshness/flor and are marked as potential for Fino/Manzanilla (lightest), Amontillado (more intense) or Palo Cortado (most intense) (the former two still enter the Solera as Finos to start with)
What are the maturation location regulations for Sherry?
Previously, maturation of wines labelled DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry had to take place in the “Zona de Crianza”: in either Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Now, they
can be aged anywhere in the Production Zone. (BUT The maturation process for DO Manzanilla – Sanlúcar de Barrameda must take place in the municipality of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.)
What is the common vessel and locations for the maturation Sherry? (3 points)
600L old American oak “Butts” (historical/cheaper)
In “Bodegas” with thick walls, high ceilings, earth floors, small windows with thin blinds, no AC.
Previously, maturation of wines labelled DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry had to be in the “Zona de Crianza”: Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Now, they can be aged anywhere in the Production Zone. (BUT The maturation process for DO Manzanilla – Sanlúcar de Barrameda must take place in the municipality of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.)
What is a Solera System, what is its purpose, and what is it made up of?
A method of fractional blending that maintains consistency and quality.
Young wines added provide “nutrients” (alc, glycerol, acetic acid) for the flor to consume and for biological ageing to continue.
It is made up of Criadera, or sections of barrels, each stacked in the same area.
ex.
The Solera - oldest wine
1st Criadera - next oldest
2nd Criadera - younger than 1st
3rd Criadera - younger than 2nd
What is the simplified Solera process vs. the realistic process?
- Max 40% of the wine is taken from each barrel in the Solera (oldest) Criadera
- Same proportion taken from the 1st Criadera barrels (2nd oldest), is blended then used to top up the Solera Criadera barrels
- Process is repeated until the youngest Criadera is topped up from the Sobretablas.
In reality, wines can be removed early for blending purposes, and/or they could blend wines from different systems.
What are the 2 rules of the Solera system?
- Max. 40% of a wine in a system can be removed for blending or bottling each year.
- All wine bottled and sold must be min. 2 years old.
What 5 conditions are required for Flor to survive?
- 4 Strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, found on grape skins in Jerez and in bodegas
- Max. 15.5% alcohol
- Oxygen, ie. ullage with butts at 85-90% full
- Storage temp of 16-20C
- Humidity > 65%
What are the 5 effects of Flor?
- Retains pale yellow colour by protecting from oxygen
- Consumes alcohol and releases acetyldehyde and its characteristics
- Consumers glycerol, lowering body/increasing dryness
- Reduces acetic acid (volatile)
- Dead yeast cells at bottom of barrel cause autolysis (notes and texture)