Sherry and Port Flashcards
1
Q
Starting point for Sherry
A
- Neutral, dry, low-acid white wine
- Palomino
2
Q
Sherry fermentation
A
- stainless steel tanks
3
Q
Sherry maturation
A
- old casks (butts)
- do not give oak flavours
- uses solera system
4
Q
Solera system
A
Blends younger and older wines together continually.
Ensures consistent style of mature wine.
Flor is yeast that floats on surface.
5
Q
Styles of Sherry
A
- Fino
- Amontillado
- Oloroso
- PX (Pedro Ximénez)
6
Q
About Fino Sherry
A
- Fino and Manzanilla
- Pale, dry, medium-bodied, ~15% abv
- Refreshing citrus zest, almond flavours, bready notes
- Chilled an consumed quickly
- Pale Cream Sherries = young Finos sweetened with concentrated grape juice
7
Q
What is flor?
A
Yeast that grows on top of Sherry in solera system.
- Can only grow if abv around 15%
- Bready notes
- protects wine from air
8
Q
About Amontillado Sherry
A
- Fino or Manzanilla with added alcohol to kill off flor
- wine oxidizes
- Amber colour, nutty flavours
- Dry (usually)
- If Medium, sweetened before bottling
9
Q
About Oloroso Sherry
A
- fortified after fermentation to 18% abv
- Oxidized
- Intense kernel and animal (roasted nuts, coffee, meat)
- Deep brown, full-bodied, high alcohol
- Dry (usually)
- Cream Sherry = sweetened Oloroso
10
Q
About PX (Pedro Ximénez)
A
- intensely sweet Sherries
- sun-dried Pedro Ximénez graps
- almost black, intense dried fruit (fig, prune, raisin, sultana)
- full-bodied, syrupy
- used as sweetening component of finest sweetened Sherries
11
Q
Port production
A
- blend of black grape varieties
- rapidly extract colour and tannins from skin
- grape-derived spirit added to partly fermented grape juice (must)
- yeast killed
- aged in oak vessels (period determines style)
- blending and bottling
12
Q
About Ruby Style Port
A
- deeply coloured, fruity
- short period aged
- ready to drink
3 main styles:
- Ruby Port
- Reserve Ruby Port
- Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port
13
Q
Ruby Port
A
- A Ruby Style Port
- Non-vintage (< 3 years ageing)
- Sweet, simple, fruity.
14
Q
Reserve Ruby Port
A
- A Ruby Style Port
- More intense, complex fruit
- Longer ageing (up to 5 year)
- Softer/more integrated alcohol.
15
Q
Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port
A
- A Ruby Style Port
- Similar to Reserve, but come from single year’s harvest
- Most do not need decanting
- If do, “unfiltered” on label
- Ready to drink
- Intense red and black fruit (cherry, plum, blackberry)
- Hint of sweet spice (clove, pepper)
- Sweet, high alcohol, medium tannins, medium/low acidity
