Sherry Flashcards
Describe the styles of Fino and Manzanilla Sherry
Pale lemon
Aromas of citrus fruit, almonds and herbs, with bready notes from flor. Flavours can be described as tangy or salty.
Do not improve in bottle: consume as early as possible.
What is the difference between Fino and Manzanilla?
Both wines are made in the same way, but Fino wine is matured in Jerez, while Manzanilla is matured in the coastal town Sanlúcar de Barrameda and qualifies as Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda; a separate DO to Jerez. This town is cooler and more humid than Jerez, meaning flor development is guaranteed throughout the year (normally it grows vigorously in spring and autumn and dies back in winter and summer). Manzanilla is said to produce Sherry with more intensely tangy aromas.
Manzanilla also makes a similar style of wine to Fino called Manzanilla fina.
What does ‘en rama’ mean?
Wines that have undergone minimal fining and filtration.
Describe Oloroso wine style
Brown
Full-bodied
Pronounced oxidative aromas of toffee, leather, spice and walnut.
Very old examples become very concentrated and develop an astringency that is balanced when blending with younger wines in the solera system.
Describe Amontillado wine style
Amber to brown
Less full-bodied than Oloroso
Combine yeast-derived aromas with oxidative aromas. Yeast aromas slowly dissipate over age, but do not disappear off the palate.
Can be matured as long as Oloroso.
Describe Palo Cortado wine style
Aroma character of an Amontillado with the body and richness of Oloroso. Very difficult to distinguish from either. Method of production varies, but are almost always high quality wines.
Describe PX style
Deep brown
Lusciously sweet, often 500g/l rs
Pronounced aromas of dried fruit, coffee, liquorice.
Often used as sweetening component.
Describe Muscat Sherry style
Similar characteristics to PX
Varietal dried citrus peel character
Describe style and method of making Pale Cream Sherry
Typically addition of RCGM to a wine that has undergone a short period of biological ageing.
Similar appearance to Fino (pale lemon), rarely with pronounced flor character.
Describe style and method of making Medium Sherry
Addition of PX (premium example, otherwise RCGM) to a wine that has undergone a period of both biological and oxidative ageing, and will show characteristics from both. Best examples seamlessly balance toffee, leather, walnut flavours of dry wine with dried fruit notes of sweet wine.
Describe style and method of making Cream Sherry
Addition of PX (premium example, otherwise RCGM) to a wine that has undergone a period of oxidative ageing, and will show such characteristics.
Best examples seamlessly balance toffee, leather, walnut flavours of dry wine with dried fruit notes of sweet wine.
Which Sherries qualify for age indication?
Oloroso, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, PX
Describe the levels of age indication for Sherry
Top categories:
VORS (Very Old Rare Sherry/Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum) = average age of blend is at least 30y/o
VOS (Very Old Sherry/Vinum Optimum Signatum) = average age of blend is at least 20y/o
Lesser categories: 15y/o, and 12y/o = apply to whole solera system, so can be used more flexibly.
