Sherry

Question 0

What is the most prized soil of Jerez Superior? Describe it.

Answer 0

albariza soil composed of chalk.

It is generally purposefully compacted to retain moisture beneath a baked surface.

Question 1

What is the pruning system favored for Sherry? Similar to what French system?

Answer 1

Vara y Pulgar- stick and thumb

Guyot

Question 2

What are the two other soils of Jerez?

Answer 2

Barros (clay) and Arenas (sandy towards the coast)

Question 3

What level of alcohol is Oloroso fortified to? Fino?

Answer 3

17-18%

15.5%

Question 4

What are the main grapes of sherry production?

Answer 4

Palomino, Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel

Question 5

What distinguishes Fino and Manzanilla from the other, oxidative styles of sherry?

Answer 5

Flor i.e biological aging

Question 6

Where are Manzanilla sherries made?

Answer 6

Sanlucar de Barrameda

Question 7

What is the size of a sherry cask? What is it called?

Answer 7

600 l. Butt.

Question 8

What are the wines of the current year called?

Answer 8

Añada

Question 9

What are the characteristics of a palo cortado sherry?

Answer 9

It has the rich color and body of an Oloroso and the delicate bouquet of an amontillado

Question 10

What makes an amontillado?

Answer 10

Aged biologically first as a fino until the flor dies and the aged Ina new solera oxidatively. 16-20% alcohol.

Question 11

What is mistela (in sherry production)?

Answer 11

Sunned PX or moscatel grapes

Question 12

What is vino de color? Sancocho? Arrope?

Answer 12

Boiled reduced syrup and must.
Sancocho- reduced by 1/3
Arrope- reduced 1/5

Question 13

What does “sobretablas” indicate?

Answer 13

An intermediary stage in which the sherries are monitored and classified.

Question 14

What is the bottom row of sherry butts called?

Answer 14

Solera.

Question 15

What are the upper rows?

Answer 15

Criaderas 1,2,3,4 etc

Question 16

What is the maximum allowed percentage that can be drawn off Ina given year?

Answer 16

30%

Question 17

Fino, manzanilla and amontillado are best chilled and drunk at the peak of freshness. True or false.

Answer 17

True. Often bottled to order.

Question 18

What do the initials VOS and VORS stand for?

Answer 18

Very old sherry- blends of at least 20 yrs old

Very rare old sherry- blends of at least 30 yrs old

Question 19

What are the three towns for the production of sherry?

Answer 19

Sanlucar de Barrameda
Jerez de la Frontera
Puerto de de Santa María

Question 20

What is the process by which the PX grapes are dried?

Answer 20

Soleo

Question 21

Casks of fino and manzanilla sherry are filled completely after initial fermentation. True or false.

Answer 21

False. Filled 3/4 full.

Question 22

Finos are always slightly sweet. True or false.

Answer 22

False. Always dry.

Question 23

What is an almacenista?

Answer 23

A single solera sherry bottled unblended. Very rare.

Question 24

What is a Venencia?

Answer 24

A rod with a metal hook on one end and a cylindrical container on the other.
The cylindrical shape allows you to extract wine below flor in a barrel.
The skilled user is called a Venenciador.
It is used in Andalusia, Spain.