Sherry Flashcards
Name some examples of fortified wine from Spain?
Málaga, Montilla-Moriles, and Condado de Huelva; the many fading traditional styles of the Iberian peninsula—Tarragona Clásico, Rueda Dorado
Where is Sherry made?
Andalucía on the southern coast of Spain
What is located within the coastal province of Cádiz?
Jerez, the hottest wine region in Spain and the home of Sherry production
What 3 towns are the center for Sherry production?
Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, and Sanlúcar de Barrameda
What are the 2 DO zones for Sherry?
Jerez-Xérès-Sherry and Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda share similar production guidelines, Manzanilla must be aged at seaside town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Define levante
hot, dry levante wind intensifies heat. Said to drive men mad, the howling levante blows from the east and essentially cooks the grapes on the vine during ripening.
Define poniente
The humid Atlantic poniente wind alternates with the levante, and promotes the growth of flor, a film-forming yeast necessary in the maturation of Sherry.
What are the principal soil types in Jerez?
Albariza - chalky, white, limestone rich
Barros - concentrated on slopes of Jerez Superior
Arenas - most fertile, most difficult, clay based. Sandy arenas common in coastal areas.
Where are the majority of pagos (vineyards) located?
Jerez de la Frontera, including Macharnudo (largest pago), Añina, and Carrascal
What grapes are allowed for Sherry production?
Palomino (Listán), Pedro Ximénez (PX) and Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria)
What grapes are allowed for Manzanilla production?
only Palomino is allowed a neutral grape that usually yields lackluster, low-acid table wines,
What other varieties of Palomino are there?
Two sub-varieties, Palomino Fino (higher yields and disease resistance) and Palomino de Jerez
How are Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez primarly used?
sweetening Sherry; varietal bottlings of either grape are extremely rare in Jerez
What grape does the Consejo Regulador allow to be imported?
Pedro Ximénez in Jerez have diminished, must from the nearby Montilla-Moriles DO
Where is Moscatel mainly cultivated?
in the arenas soils near Chipiona
Define soleo process
1-3 weeks grape bunches are dried in the sun on esparto grass mats prior to pressing. Palomino rarely sunned at all, or more than 24 hrs
In Jerez, how are vines commonly trained?
vara y pulgar, growers prune alternate spurs each year: 1 year’s vara (stick) will be pruned back after harvest to become the following year’s pulgar (thumb)
What are max yields in Jerez?
80 hl/ha in Jerez Superior and 100 hl/ha elsewhere in the region.
How were grapes were traditionally crushed and pressed in Jerez?
under the feet of pisadores (laborers) wearing zapatos de pisar—cowhide boots with angled nails on the soles.
What is the max amount to be pressed?
max 70 liters pressed from 100 kg any additional goes to the production of non-classified wines or distillate.
How is the must (mosto de yema) divided?
3 stages of quality - primera yema (free-run juice, accounting for 60-70%
segunda yema (press wine)
mosto prensa (poorer quality for distillation)
In Sherry production when is the must acidified and sulfured?
Before fermentation, Palomino is pressed quickly after picking as it is prone to rapid oxidation & provides a low-acid must, then allowed to settle.
Traditionally, what was used in clarification for Sherry?
yeso (plaster) to the grapes prior to pressing, combined with cream of tartar—produced tartaric acid.
How do modern day producers clarify Sherry?
add tartaric acid directly and utilize a system of racking (desfangado)
Classically, where did Sherry base wines undergo alcoholic fermentation?
new American oak butts of 600 liters, a seasoning technique that would both impart tannin to the wine and leech oak flavor
How is most Sherry is fermented today?
temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks of 50,000 liter capacity