Sherry

Question 0

Three towns at center of Sherry production?

Answer 0

Jerez de la Frontera
El Puerto de Santa Maria
Sanlucar de Barameda

DO regulations require Sherry to be matured in and shipped from one of these three municipalities.

Question 1

Name of river in northwest of Sherry region?

Answer 1

Guadalquivir

Question 2

What town marks the southeastern border of Sherry production?

Answer 2

Chiclana de la Frontera

Question 3

Two DO zones of Sherry production?

Answer 3

Jerez-Xeres-Sherry

Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda

Question 4

From what direction does the Levant wind blow and what are its effects?

Answer 4

The hot, dry levant wind blows from the east and cooks the grapes on the vine during ripening.

Question 5

What is the poniente wind?

Answer 5

The humid, Atlantic poniente wind blowing from the west, alternates with the levant promoting the growth of flor, a film-forming yeast necessary in the maturation of Sherry.

Question 6

What are the 3 main soil types of Sherry?

Answer 6

Albariza, barros, arenas

Question 7

What is albariza and where is it predominantly found?

Answer 7

Albariza is a chalky, porous, limestone rich soil of brilliant white color. It is moisture retentive albariza retains water from winter rains, and friable soil structure allows roots to penetrate deeply in search for water trapped beneath its baked impenetrable surface during the arid growing season.

Question 8

Where are the albariza soils of Sherry concentrated?

Answer 8

Albariza soils are concentrated on the gentle slopes of Jerez Superior, a subregion between Sanlucar de Barrameda and the Guadalete River which flows into the Bay of Cadiz.

Question 9

What percentage of grapevines are located in Jerez Superior?

Answer 9

80%

Question 10

What are the famous pagos (vineyards) of Jerez de la Frontera?

Answer 10

Macharnudo, Anina, Carrascal

Question 11

What is the largest Pago in Jerez de la Frontera?

Answer 11

Marcharnudo at over 2000 HA

Question 12

What kind of soil is Barros?

Answer 12

Barros soils have a higher proportion of clay and are prominent in low lying valleys.

Question 13

What kind of soils are arenas soils?

Answer 13

Sandy soils found in coastal areas?

Question 14

What are the grapes authorized for Sherry production?

Answer 14

Palomino (Listan), Pedro Ximenez (PX), Moscatel (Muscat)

Question 15

What is the soleo process and what grapes are predominantly used for this?

Answer 15

The soleo process is when grape bunches are dried in the sun for a period of one to three weeks on esparto grass mats prior to pressing. Mostly for PX and Moscatel grapes.

Palomino may be sunned but rarely for longer than 24 hours.

Question 16

What is traditional vine training method for Sherry?

Answer 16

Vara y Pulgar, in which growers prune alternate spurs each year; one year’s vara (stick) will be pruned back after harvest to become the following years Pulgar (thumb).

Question 17

What are the max yields for Sherry?

Answer 17

80 hl/ha Jerez Superior

100 hl/ha everywhere else

Question 18

What are the official levels of Sherry in the press house?

Answer 18

Max 72.5 L from 100 KG grapes

Question 19

The Mosta de Yema (must) is divided into 3 stages of quality. What are these?

Answer 19

Primera Yema- Free run juice; 60-70% of Mosta de Yema

Segunda Yema- Press Wine

Mosta Prensa- Poorer quality; sent for distillation

Question 20

Traditionally, what did Sherry producers do to the must prior to fermentation?

Answer 20

Adhered yeso (plaster) to the grapes prior to pressing (which added clarification combining with cream of tartar, producing tartaric. Then fermentation would commence in new American Butts of 600 L, imparting tannins and leech oak flavor into the wine.

Question 21

How is Sherry fermented today?

Answer 21

In stainless steel, temperature controlled tanks 50,000 L capacity.

Question 22

How is Sherry fermented and how long does it take?

Answer 22

Sherry fermentation is divided into two stages: the tumultuous ferm, a hot and vigorous initial lasting up to a week; and the Lenta, or slow ferm in which high temps subside and any remaining sugar in wine is converted to alcohol over a period of weeks.

Question 23

What is the base wine level of Sherry after fermentation?

Answer 23

11-12.5%

Question 24

What are the 2 divergent paths of aging for Sherry?

Answer 24

Biological and oxidative aging.

Question 25

There are 2 divergent paths of Biological and oxidative aging for Sherry. At the conclusion of fermentation, each wine tank is either classified as —- and —-?

Answer 25

Palo and Gordura

Question 26

Palo is signified by? Is fortified to what abv? Is destined to become? What kind of aging does ‘palo’ succumb to?

Answer 26

Palo is signified by a vertical slash; is fortified to 15-15.5% abv; is destined to become a Fino or Manzanilla Sherry and is an example of biological aging with the formation of the flor yeast.

Question 27

Gordura is signified by? Is fortified to? And will become what type of Sherry?

Answer 27

Gordura, signified by a circle, is fortified to 17-18%, a high level if alcohol that will not permit the growth of flor yeast. It will become an Oloroso–oxidative aging.

Question 28

What is Mitad y Mitad?

Answer 28

Mitad y Mitad is a gentle mixture if grape spirit and mature Sherry used to fortify the base wines. This is used rather than pure spirit to avoid shocking the wine.

Question 29

What are the prerequisites for the development of flor?

Answer 29

Humid air by poniente wind;
Mod temp between 60-70degrees;
An absence of fermentable sugars;
Alcoholic strength bet 15-15.5%

Question 30

Wines developing under biological flor development enter an intermediary stage of development. What is this called?

Answer 30

The wines enter Sobretablas for a period of 6 months to a year during which the course of the wines evolution may be redirected.

Question 31

After the initial classifications of ‘palo’ and ‘gordura’ and the following intermediary stage of ‘sobretablas’, the wines are then classified for a second time. What are these classifications?

Answer 31

Palma
Palma Cortada
Palo Cortado
Raya
Dos Rayas

Question 32

What is Palma classification?

Answer 32

Fine, delicate Sherry in which the flor has flourished, protecting wine from oxidation–developing as Fino styles.

Question 33

What is Palma Cortada?

Answer 33

A more robust Fino, which may emerge as an Amontillado.

Question 34

What is Palo Cortado?

Answer 34

A rarity. Although flor still present, wine’s richness leads the cellar master to redirect wine to oxidative path. Wine is fortified to between 17 -18%, destroying the veil of flor that protects it from oxygen.

Question 35

What is Raya?

Answer 35

Despite initial promise, flor growth is anemic, or the protective yeast had died completely. Wine’s robust character reinforced by further fortification to 17-18%, and wine emerges from Sobretablas to an Oloroso.

Question 36

What is Dos Rayas?

Answer 36

Flor disappeared, but character is rough and course. Characterized by high volatile acidity, wines either blended and sweetened for lower quality Sherry or Sherry vinegar.

Question 37

What are the sweetening agents of Sherry?

Answer 37

Dulce Pasa, dulce de almibar, mistela

Question 38

Sherry aging: VOS, VORS what do the initials stand for and how long is the aging regimen firceach category?

Answer 38

VOS-Very Old Sherry; applied to solera wines with an average of 20 years–for every liter of Sherry drawn from solders, 20 liters must remain.

VORS-Very Old Rare Sherry; applied to solera wines with average age over 30 years–30 liters must remain in solera for every liter drawn…

Tasting panel for both; only Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado, and Pedro Ximenez wines are authorized for these classifications.