Sherry Flashcards
Where in Spain is Sherry found
Southern Spain
Andalucia
Jerez (hottest wine region in Spain) Sanlucar de Barrameda which are located in the coastal province of Cadiz
These two bodies of water have a moderating effect on Sanlucar de Barrameda DO
Guadalquivir River
Atlantic Ocean
20 degrees higher in Jerez
These two winds have major effects on sherry, one is hot and dry and the other is humid.
Levante: Hot and dry, keeps disease pressure low
Poniente: Humid (alternates with Levante) and promotes flor
Soils of Sherry
Albariza Chalk & Limestone best soil in Jerez
Barros - Clay, shitty wines
Arenas- Sandy soils best for Moscatel
Varieties of Sherry
Palomino AKA Listan- top varietal used, prone to oxidation, low acidity
Palomino Fino, Palomino de Jerez
Pedro Ximenez- used for sweet wines
Moscatel (muscat of alex, only allowed for varietal Moscatel wines)
Three towns of Sherry production that make up the triangle
Jerez de la Frontera (most inland)
El Puerto de Santa Maria (most southern)
Sanlúcar de Barrameda (most northern and coastal)
Sherry must be aged and shipped from where?
Aging for Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO must be carried out in Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, or El Puerto de Santa María
Aging for Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO must be carried out in Sanlúcar de Barrameda
two DOs of Sherry
Jerez-Xeres-Sherry DO
Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO
The DOs share the same production zone but M-SdB must be aged in SdB to receive DO
Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO and Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda DO Communes of production
Jerez de la Frontera Sanlúcar de Barrameda El Puerto de Santa María Chipiona Rota Trebujena Puerto Real Chiclana de la Frontera Lebrija (Seville)
Max Yields for DO sherry?
Jerez Superior: 80 hl/ha
Other Vineyards: 100 hl/ha
Sub Region of Jerez-Xeres DO and location
Jerez Superiore between SdB & Guadalquivir river
Three Sherry Pagos
Macharnudo (largest)
Anina
Carrascal
The Pedro Ximenez grape can be imported in from this nearby DO
Montilla-Moriles DO
Explain Soleo process for Sherry
Grapes are dried in the sun on esparto maps for 1-3 weeks prior to press
This is only for PX and Moscatel
Palomin does not do this for more that 24 hours
vine training used for sherry
Vara y Pulgar (Thumb)
grower prunes alternate spurs each year
When is sherry generally harvested?
How is it generally harvested?
August harvest via machine
max yields for sherry
100 hl/ha
80 hl/ha for Jerez Superior
what does Flor mean?
Flower
Terms: Pisadores Zapatos de Pisar Yeso Desfangado
Labors
Cowhide boats with angled nails on soles
Producers adhere plaster to grapes prior to press for clarification
Racking
Describe what is used for the fortification of sherry
Gentle mixture of grape must and matured sherry called Mitad y Mitad
Sherry begins by being divided after fermentation into two major categories
Explain
After fermentation wines are divided into
Palo (becomes Fino or Manzanilla) fortified to 15-15.5% alc
Gordura (wines become Oloroso) fortified 17-18%
The major difference is high alcohol does not allow the growth of flor thus no flor for Gordura/Oloroso
what climactic condition is needed for the development of flor?
Humidity
after fermentation the barrels are marked with a / (slash) or a O (circle) which barrel gets what
Palo /
Gordura O
Making Sherry: Max______ L of juice pressed from 100kg of grapes
72.5 L
Making Sherry: Term for Must
Mosto de Yema
Making Sherry: Like Champagne, after harvest the grapes are brought in and the juice is separated in three quality stages with the first being the free run juice. Breakdown.
Primera Yema (free run) 60-70% of total must Segunda Yema (Pressed wine) Mosto Presna (third press) used for distillation
Primera and Segunda are fermented separately
Making Sherry: Is sherry acidified (generally)
yes
Making Sherry: Most sherry is fermented in _______.
Fermentation uses a two step process, explain.
temp controlled, stainless
First stage the fermentation is hot a vigorous and last one week
second stage is Lenta (slow fermentation) and temp controlled.
Making Sherry:
Sherry is normally aged in what type of oak?
American
Making Sherry:
After the first stage when the wine is placed in ____ L barrels flor develops (in the wines not fortified for Oloroso). Each barrel is then tested for quality of flor and wine. This is called?
how long does the flor last?
600L American Oak
Sobretablas
6-12 months
Making Sherry: 2nd classification
after wine is put into barrel and develops flor for 6-12 months (Sobretablas) each barrel is then checked and divided into five quality levels. Explain
Palma: Fine, delicate sherry with little to no oxidation
Palma Cortada: More robust, fino amontillado
Palo Cortado: Rare, although flor is present, richness emerges and wine is redirected to an oxidative path with the wine being fortified to 17%, killing the flor.
Raya: shitty flor and the wine is redirected to oloroso
DOS Rayas: Extra shitty wine. no flor and has VA. Wine is used for sweet sherry and vinegar
Making sherry: Name of the barreles within the solera system?
Criadera
Making Sherry: a new vintage entering a solera system is called?
Ananda
Making Sherry:
in a solera system, when removing wine from the criadera, for every __L of wine drawn, __L must remain and then the first criadera is refreshed from the second.
for every 1L drawn, 2L must remain
Making Sherry: the movement of wine is called?
Trasiegio
Making Sherry: Generoso Sherry Styles
Breakdown
Generoso wines are all dry
Fino: light, delicate, almond-toned style characterized by a salty tang, and a final abv 15-18%
As Fino matures, the flor may finally disappear, making wines richer and becoming
Amontillado: flavor, strength and color deepen. The final abv must be between 16% and 22%.
Oloroso: meaning “fragrant” w/spicy, walnut tones and smooth. Oloroso must range from 17% to 22% abv.
Palo Cortado:combines the rich body and color of an Oloroso with the penetrating yet delicate bouquet of an Amontillado, and is greatly prized by Sherry aficionados.
Sanlúcar de Barrameda has its own classifications for generoso wines:
Manzanilla Fina: Manzanilla Fina is similar in style to Fino, although the harvest occurs about a week earlier, and the resulting wines are lower in alcohol and fortified to a lower degree.
Manzanilla Pasada: like Fino-Amontillado wines, lose the protection of flor and begin to show some oxidative characteristics.
Manzanilla Oloroso:
At bottling sherry wines may be labeled dry but are often _______. What is this process called?
sweetened and blended
Cabeceo
Sweetening agent used for sherry
Dulce Pasa
made from sundried palomino grapes
Wines produced solely from PX and Moscatel are sold as? Sugar content?
Vino Dulce Natural
180-500 g/l
in 2000 the Consejo Regulador created two new categories for sherry wine of certified age
VOS (Very Old Sherry)= Vinum Optimum Signatum
Average age over 20yr, every 1L of sherry drawn 20L must retain
VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry)
Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum
30 yrs min 1L drwn 30 must remain
Tasting panel, only Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado, PX
Approval applies only to individual lot, not entire soldera
Jerez has received dispensation to import PX must from this DO
DO, Montilla-Moriles
Name two DO that reside outside of the sherry region who produce wines in the style of sherry along with a still wine DO
DO Málaga
DO, Montilla-Moriles
DO.Sierras de Málaga (still, dry)
Venencia:
The traditional tool for tasting Sherry from the barrel. It looks like a cane with a small cup on the end.
Copita:
traditional cup used for tasting sherry
