Sherry Styles Flashcards
What must Sherry adhere to in order to be labelled as one of the approved wine styles?
Specific attributes set out by the Consejo Regulador, such as the amount of RS, total alcohol, color, and maturing characteristics
What is the maximum amount of RS permitted in dry Sherry styles?
5 g/L
What are the dry styles of Sherry?
Fino Manzanilla Manzanilla Pasada Amontillado Palo Cortado Oloroso En Rama*
What are the sweet styles of Sherry?
PX Moscatel Pale Cream Medium Cream
Are there styles of Sherry with an indication of age?
Yes.
VOS
VORS
12 Year
15 Year
Is Fino a biological or oxidative style of Sherry?
Bioloical
Is Manzanilla a biological or oxidative style of Sherry?
Biological
Is Manzanilla Pasada a biological or oxidative style of Sherry?
Both. It is a Manzanilla that spends a short amount of time in oxidative aging, wither by letting the Flor die naturally or killing it off.
Is Amontillado a biological or oxidative style of Sherry?
Both. The wines start in a Fino biological system. The flor is killed by increasing ABV to 17%, then matured in an Amontillado oxidative system.
At what criadera are Amontillado wines typically removed from the Fino system?
Inexpensive Amontillado will typically be removed at higher criaderas. More expensive wines will be drawn from lower criaderas, thus improving complexity.
Is Palo Cortado a biological or oxidative style of Sherry?
Both. It spends several years in a Fino system before entering an oxidative Palo Cortado system
Is Oloroso a biological or oxidative style of Sherry?
Oxidative
Is En Rama a biological or oxidative style of Sherry?
It can be any style, but is most often Fino (biological).
Describe the character of Fino and Manzanilla Sherries.
Pale lemon color
Dry
Light to medium bodied
Low acidity
Low alcohol (15-15.5%)
Where do the aromas of Fino and Manzanilla Sherries come from?
Primarily the oxidative aging process with more concentrated and evolved flavors derived from longer aging
What aromas are associated with oxidative aging in Sherry? What chemical produces them?
Bread dough, almonds, olive, apple (bruised or skin)
Acetaldehyde is the chemical
What is the range of quality and pricing of Fino and Manzanilla Sherries?
Good to outstanding
Inexpensive to premium (even super premium)
What qualifies a wine to be labelled Manzanilla San Lúcar de Barrameda?
It must be a Manzanilla aged in the municipality of San Lúcar de Barrameda
What makes the Manzanillas of San Lúcar de Barrameda unique from other Manzanillas?
San Lúcar de Barrameda is a coastal region that sees cooler temperatures and higher humidity than other parts of Jerez. The conditions for Flor are ideal there, making for thicker layers than in Jerez de la Frontera year-round.
Does Manzanilla San Lúcar de Barrameda have more acetaldehyde than Fino or other Manzanilla Sherries? Why or why not?
No. The theory is that San Lúcar de Barrameda possesses strains of Flor that produce less acetaldehyde than other parts of Jerez.
True or False
Fino Sherry is lighter and fresher than Manzanilla San Lúcar de Barrameda.
False. The thicker flor and lower levels of acetaldehyde produced by Flor in San Lúcar de Barrameda make Manzanilla lighter and fresher
True or False
Fino systems require more regular replenishing of young wine to facilitate Flor growth.
False. The Flor layers in Manzanilla systems are thicker, thus requiring more frequent replenishment with young wine
What is Manzanilla Pasada?
A Manzanilla that experiences a short period of time (usually a couple of years) in oxidative aging. The floor is killed off or left to die by not refreshing the barrel with young wine before being moved to a Pasada system.
How is Amontillado Sherry produced?
Wine is started in a Fino system before the flor is killed off with the addition of alcohol to 17% ABV. It is then aged oxidatively in an Amontillado system.
How are inexpensive Amontillados produced compared to higher priced Amontillados?
Young biologically aged wines moved to an Amontillado system are most likely used in less expensive Amontillad Sherries. Higher priced Amontillado has more maturation.
What is the quality and pricing of Amontillado Sherry?
Good to outstanding
Mid-priced to premium
How is Palo Cortado produced?
There is no fixed production method. It is generally made from a less delicate, more complex Fino that was not able to support its Flor and already underwent some oxidation. It is then moved into a Palo Cortado system for oxidative maturation.
How does Palo Cortado compare to Amontillado?
Palo Cortado undergoes less biological aging than Amontillado. Acetaldehyde aromas are less prominent, more concentrated aromas, and a fuller and rounded body.
What are the production requirements for Palo Cortado Sherry?
There is no fixed definition. It must have “aromas similar to those of an Amontillado but a palate more similar to that of an Oloroso.” It must be 17-22% ABV and up to 5 g/l RS. That’s it!
How is Oloroso Sherry produced?
The base wine is fortified to 17% alcohol to inhibit the development of Flor. It is oxidatively aged.
What aromas can be found in Oloroso Sherry?
Tertiary, oxidative characters such as toffee and walnut
What is En Rama Sherry?
A Sherry (typically Fino but it can be any style) that is intended to be the bodega’s best representation of a wine straight from the barrel. It may be unfined or unfiltered, but exported wines have light fining or filtration to capture Flor particles. There is no legal definition
How do En Rama styles of Sherry compare to their more typical counterparts?
En Rama Sherry is more complex and intense. They are also generally more expensive.
Are sweet Sherries biologically or oxidatively aged?
Oxidatively
What is the minimum RS for PX Sherry? What is the typical level?
Min 212 g/L
Usually 450-550 g/L
What is the minimum RS for Moscatel Sherry? What is the typical level?
Min 160 g/L
Usually 325-375 g/L
What makes Pale Cream, Medium, and Cream Sherries different from Moscatel and PX Sherries?
Moscatel and PX Sherries are sweet due to the ripeness of the grapes. Pale Cream, Medium, and Cream Sherries are Palomino-based Sherries that have been fermented dry and then sweetened with one of a range of sweetening agents.
What type of aging does Pale Cream Sherry go through? What type of flavor and color can you expect from it?
A relatively short period of biological aging
The must is treated with RCGM to be between medium-sweet and sweet. RCGM is used so as bot to affect the pale color or impart flavor. Flor notes are subdued by the addition of sugar.
What is the typical quality and pricing of Pale Cream Sherry?
Acceptable to good
Inexpensive
True or False
Medium and Cream Sherries must both show qualities of biological and oxidative maturation.
False. Medium Sherry is aged in biological and oxidative conditions, but Cream is only oxidatively aged.
What is the sweetening agent used in Medium and Cream Sherries?
PX Sherry
What is the sweetness range of Medium and Cream Sherries?
Medium: Off-dry to Sweet
Cream: Sweet (almost always)
What is the difference in winemaking between inexpensive examples of Medium and Cream Sherries and their more premium counterparts?
Inexpensive versions will use younger wines while Amontillado, Oloroso, and PX with longer aging will be used in premium bottlings.
What is the quality and price range of Medium and Cream Sherries?
Acceptable to outstanding
Inexpensive to premium
Is aging indicated in Sherry?
For wines with extensive aging, yes. VOS, VORS, and 12- and 15-year Sherries are four categories available on the market.
What is VOS and VORS Sherry?
VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum / Very Old Sherry) is a Sherry with a minimum 20 years of aging
VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum / Very Old Rare Sherry) is a Sherry with a minimum of 30 years of aging
How is VOS and VORS Sherry assessed by the Conseja Regulador?
Typicity is assessed by a tasting panel to determine if the flavor is appropriate
Age is determined in a laboratory (typically by carbon-14 testing)
This is done on every batch a producer releases
True or False
VOS and VORS Sherry can be blended with PX Sherry
True, but in small amounts only to offset the stringent flavors from extended aging
What types of Sherry are permitted to be labelled VOS and VORS?
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
Oloroso
PX
How much VOS and VORS Sherry is produced? What is the typical quality and pricing of them?
It is produced in very small amounts
Very good to outstanding quality
Premium to super premium pricing
How is 12-year and 15-year Sherry assessed by the Conseja Regulador?
Typicity is assessed by a tasting panel to determine if the flavor is appropriate
Age is determined in a laboratory (typically by carbon-14 testing)
This occurs once a year for the bodega
What types of Sherry are permitted to be labelled VOS and VORS?
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
Oloroso
PX
