Sherry

Question 0

What are the grape varieties for sherry production?

Answer 0

Palomino: accounts for 95% of all platings and is used for majority of all quality sherries in several styles.

Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel: for sweetening blended wines, adding color and varietal sweet wines

Question 1

Where is sherry produced?

Answer 1

Jerez

Question 2

Sherry soil types:

Answer 2

Albariza: chalk- coastal areas, best for palomino/fino wines

Barros: clay- best for PX (Pedro Ximenez) and Moscatel

Arenas: sand- table wines, sweet grapes and wines used for curing barrels

Question 3

How is the vinification process in sherry production?

Answer 3

Harvest in early September
Palomino grapes pressed immediately
PX grapes sun dried (Soleo) for use in sweetening agents

Question 4

What do they use to fortify sherry?

Answer 4

Neutral grape spirit

Finos fortified to 15.5%
Olorosos fortified to 18%

Question 5

Finos are fortified to ____% and olorosos to ____%

Answer 5

Finos 15.5%

Olorosos 18%

Question 6

What is Flor?

Answer 6

Saccharomyces

Grows on the surface of casks with between 14.5-15.5% alcohol

Lives off nutrients and volatile acidity in the wine and helps retain color

Requires specific temperature and moisture conditions to grow

Grows in spring and fall and year round in coastal areas

Question 7

What is Solera System?

Answer 7

A method of fractional blending: old wine is periodically refreshed with younger wine to ensure consistency

Question 8

Solera system: method of fractional blending. _____ wine is periodically refreshed with _____ wine to ensure consistency.

Answer 8

Old wine is periodically refreshed with younger wine to ensure consistency.

Question 9

How is sherry aged under biological conditions?

Answer 9

Biologically aged Sherries are aged under Flor

Question 10

Define Fino Sherry…

Answer 10

Fino: the lightest most delicate style of sherry, fortified to 15.5%

Question 11

Define Manzanilla Sherry…

Answer 11

A delicate style of Fino aged only in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda

Question 12

Define Amontillado Sherry…

Answer 12

A Fino that has been left in cask for additional aging and develops a rich, nutty character.

Usually dry in style, minimum 3 years in Solera System and 3 years in cask.

Question 13

What is the lightest delicate style of Sherry?

Answer 13

Fino.

Fortified to 15.5%

Question 14

What is the delicate style of Fino aged only in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda?

Answer 14

Manzanilla

Question 15

Manzanilla is only aged in the coastal town of _______ __ ________

Answer 15

Sanlucar de Barrameda

Question 16

Amontillado spend minimum ___ years in Solera and ___ years in cask

Answer 16

3 years in Solera and 3 years in cask

Question 17

Define Palo Cortado…

Answer 17

A dry style that has characteristics of both Fino/Amontillado and Oloroso

Palo Cortados develop limited Flor

Question 18

Is there a development of Flor in Oxidative Sherries?

Answer 18

No flor development

Includes Oloroso and Cream Style sherries

Question 19

Define Oloroso sherries:

Answer 19

Oloroso: Rich style fortified to 18% and usually aged very long periods. Olorosos start dry but almost all are sweetened and often sold as Cream Sherries.

Question 20

What is VOS?

Answer 20

Very Old Sherry: aged 20 years (average minimum age)

Question 21

Define VORS…

Answer 21

Very Old Rare Sherry: aged 30 years (average minimum age)

Question 22

What is Añada?

Answer 22

Vintage dated sherries

Question 23

What is Almacenistas?

Answer 23

A single Solera Sherry bottled unblended and produced in small quantities.