Sherry Flashcards
What is Sherry, and where is it produced?
Sherry is a fortified wine made in the area around the city of Jerez in Andalusia
Since the early days of wine production in Jerez, Sherry was a wine that was widely _____
Traded
When was the period of Moorish rule in Jerez?
From the 8th century till Christian rule in the 13th century
What was one of the benefits of Christian rule for winemakers in Jerez?
Both domestic consumption and exports grew rapidly as English, Irish and Flemish traders began shipping the wines
Was Sherry important to the new world as well?
Yes, after the discovery of the Americas large volumes of sherry were sent across the Atlantic
What was something that hurt the Sherry business in the late 19th and early 20th century?
Due to the popularity of Sherry, other countries began to produce their own, often poor- quality sherries.
What was done to combat the numerous poor quality sherries?
In 1933 Spain’s first Consejo Regulador was form, which set regulations for production, and trading of Sherry Wines
When did Sherry sales peak?
During the 1970s, with shipments reaching 1.5 million hL in 1979 (39,625,808 gallons)
Who was Ruiz Mateos S.A.?
- Ruiz Mateos S.A., also known as Rumasa is a business that started out as an aging and storage facility.
- It started as a aging and storage facility that would become a major supplier to Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry
How did Rumasa contribute to the fall of Sherry?
- After Rumasa acquired wealth by supplying Harveys Bristol Cream, Rumasa began building a business empire
- His empire including taking over Sherry bodegas, hotels and banks.
- In the late 1970s it dominated the Sherry industry, and through the consolidation of production facilities, drove down Sherry prices
- After Spain’s Government nationalized Rumasa in 1983, the bodegas it owned were sold, and a large number of others were closed leading to massive unemployment
How has the Consejo Regulador been working to since the 1980s to bring back the reputation of Sherry?
It has been working hard to bring vineyard plantings, stock levels and sales back into balance. It has also been working to promote the quality of Sherry
What is the climate for Jerez and the surrounding areas?
Hot Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and mild, relatively rainy winters
What is the Poniente?
The Poniente a cool, damp wind providing a cooling, humid influence in the summer that comes in from the Atlantic Ocean
What is the Levante?
The Levante is a hot, drying wind from North Africa that can make the climate more arid.
- This can cause the grapes to traspire at a quicker rate, concentrating sugars. This can be a problem as it may become difficult to ferment to dryness, which is particularly problematic for the development of the Flor
What is another climatic influence that must be taken into consideration in Jerez?
Jerez experiences a high number of cloud-free days, meaning the grapes get more sunlight hours which can help fully ripen the grapes. However this also means that the grapes can easily become sunburnt
True or False,
The grapes for Sherry can come from anywhere in Spain
False, the grapes for Sherry must come from the delimited area known as the Zona de Produccion, or Marco de Jerez, which is around 7,000 ha (16,870 acres)
Grapes from the Marco de Jerez can be used in the production of which two DOs?
- Jerez-Xeres-Sherry DO
- Manzanilla - Sanlucar de Barrameda
- The grapes can also be used for the DO for Sherry Vinegar
What is the one exception to the rule of where Sherry grapes must come from?
Pedro Ximenez can be grown around Montilla (within Andalusia), but matured in the Zona de Crianza and still be labeled DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry
The Zona de Produccion is split into two parts, what are they called?
- Jerez Superior
- Jerez Zona
Which of the two Zona de Produccion is thought to be made up of the better vineyard sites and why?
Jerez Superior is thought to have the better sites as they all are located on albariza soils
- Jerez Superior makes up over 90% of the plantings
What are Pagos?
Pagos are smaller delimited areas within the vineyards of Jerez. Each is thought to produce wines with different characteristics than the others.
Legislation to allow producers to name a pago on their labels is currently under discussion
What is the key soil for Sherry Production?
Albariza, which is a mixture of limestone, silica and clay
What are some of the benefits to having albariza soil?
- The Clay part of Albariza is very effective at retaining and slowly releasing any winter rainfall
- When the soil is dry, it forms a cry which is helpful in reducing evaporation from the soil
- The light color of the soil also means that it reflects light back into the canopy aiding the ripening process
Name the two other soils found in Andalusia
- Barros, which has higher clay content
- Arenas, which is sandier than Albariza
Name the 3 grape varieties used in the production of Sherry
- Palomino
- Moscatel
- Pedro Ximenez
What is the main grape used in the production of both sweet and dry styles of sherry?
Palomino, which accounts for 99% of the plantings
Name some of the pros and cons for Palomino
- Mid to late ripening
- Well suited to the climate
- Capable of producing large yields
- Quickly loses acidity when it nears maturity
- It is a neutral variety and therefore does not tend to add many primary notes to sherry
List some facts about Moscatel from Andalusia
- Accounts for less than one percent of production
- It is also late ripening and adapted to heat and drought.
- It is an aromatic grape
- Generally used to produce sweet fortified wines of the same name
- Sometimes goes by Moscatel de Chipiona after the coastal town of Chipiona where it is mainly grown
What are some of the defining features of Pedro Ximenez?
- Used in the Production of sweet fortified wines called PX or Pedro Ximenez
- Small and thin-skinned
- Accumulates high sugar levels, and are then traditionally dried in the sun to further concentrate that sugar
- Is a neutral grape, so the flavors come from the dry and maturation process
How and where does PX come from to get to the Zona of Produccion?
- It usually comes in from the Montilla district as fresh or raisined grapes, or more likely as young wine.
What changes are currently talking place within Sherry vineyards?
Sherry Vineyards are in the process of being transformed so that they can be mechanized
What are the maximum yields for Sherry
80hL/ha, but most years are between 60-70 hL/ha
What is done every year after harvest in Andalusia?
The soil is worked to create a series of troughs or gullies. This used to be done manually, but now is mainly done mechanically
Why are the troughs and gullies important to Sherry Production?
Without these gullies or troughs, most of the rain water would flow down the vineyards rather than permeating the soil
What is the local name of the system of gullies and troughs in Andalusia?
Aserpia
What types of rootstocks are used in Andalusia, and what are they hybrids of?
- 333EM
- 41-B
- 13-5 EVEX
- V. vinifera and V. berlandieri
What is the most successful rootstock to date for the production of Sherry? Why?
- 13-5 EVEX was developed by the local viticultural research station.
- The reason it has been so successful is because it is tolerant of limestone soils (preventing chlorosis) and drought, while also producing good yields
What is Chlorosis
A condition in which leaves turn yellow and photosynthesis stops, so grape ripening and yields are negatively affected as a result
Do Sherry producers have a tough time with disease in their vineyards?
Not really, due to the dry growing season there is little instance of disease. However during the spring, there can be a mildew problem due to warm humid conditions after any rainfall.
Producers try to mitigate this with VSP training and open canopies to promote air circulation
What vineyard pest do Sherry producers need to be on the lookout for, and how do they manage them?
European grapevine moths are a problem, producers often manage them with pheromone traps
When does harvest usually start in Jerez?
Usually the inland areas are harvested first, startingthe first week of august, and then the cooler coastal areas start by the second week of September
Why would acidification be needed for Palomino grapes?
Because acid levels in Palomino can drop off so quickly, and most producers want to be around 5 g/L of total acidity
Is any skin contact desirable for the production of Sherry?
No, particularly for biologically aged wines as phenolic compounds can restrict the growth of flor yeast
What is the name for the free run juice and the lightest pressings? (Sherry)
Primera Yema
_____ wines tend to be made from the later press fractions that are extracted using greater pressure
Oloroso, this is due to the higher level of phenolics in the later pressings hampers the development of the flor
Why is clarification of Sherry must before fermentation important? What are the different options for clarification
Albariza soil is dusty, so it is important to remove these particles by cold settling, centrifugation or flotation
Are different Sherry vineyard sites combined and fermented all together?
No, they are fermented separately to create many different base wines that can be blended as needed.
Where do the aromas and flavors come from for Palomino based Sherries?
From the maturation process
Is MLC desirable for Sherry?
No, this is because the buttery flavors are not desired and that acid levels are all ready low