WSG Sherry Vocabulary Flashcards
Sherry Vocabulary
Albariza
White soil w/ high chalk content (up to 80%), whose characteristics make it the best type for growing grapes for use in sherry-making
Almacenista
According to the regulations, a firm registered as an aging and storing winery of the DO. A winery that keep inventories of wine undergoing the aging process but whose sacas (extractions of wine) are used exclusively for supplementing stocks of aging wines in other wineries and not destined directly for consumption
Amontillado
Type of sherry wine in the fortified category which, having undergone a phase of biological aging followed by an oxidative phase, develops complex characteristics: amber to mahogany color, slightly pungent hazelnut aromas and typically full flavor
Añada
Vintage. Wine derived entirely from grapes from one single harvest
Andana
Arrangement of a row of butts placed contiguously, one-deep, and with their long axis horizontal, with other superimposed rows whose butts rest in the angles between the butts in the layer below
Arena
Type of sandy soil with low lime content in which vines are planted, common to coastal parts of the Jerez region
Arroba
Measure of wine volume, in Jerez equivalent to 16.66L
Arrumbador
Winery workman who carries out the operations of moving and storing butts, as well as drawing off wine and other procedures involved in crianza
Barro
Type of soil in which vines are planted, with a lower chalk content than albariza (max 30%), generally alluvial and therefore contains more organic material, darker-colored and more fertile
Bota
Butt. Wooden container in which sherry wine is aged, of various capacities and known by different names according
Cabecear (cabeceo)
To blend (blending). The operation of blending musts or wines, or of blending these w/ grape alcohol
Cabezuelas
Lees in musts
Capataz
Winery or vineyard foreman in charge of other workers. Known by different names according to his duties
Castra (castrar)
Pruning (to prune) green growth to get rid of superfluous knobs and rectify previous pruning if necessary
Corrida de escalas
Running the scales. Operation of decanting wine from each sequence of butts containing similar wine of the same age to another older one
Criadera
Nursery. Each of the scales in a criadera and solara system, made up of a collection of butts containing wine of a homogeneous level of maturation
Deslío
Racking. Operation of separating must from lees
En Rama
Sherry wines that have been bottled w/ a subtle, light filtration
Encabezado
Fortification, or addition of wine alcohol, to young wine (up to this point still referred to as must in the sherry region) with the aim of modifying its alcoholic content
Escala
Scale. Each sequence of butts, containing similar wine of the same age, that forms part of a criadera and solar system
Fino
Sherry wine aged under a layer of flor yeast
Levante
One of the 2 prevailing winds of the region. It comes from the SE and is hot and dry (w/ humidity levels of around 30%)
Manzanilla
Wine obtained through biological aging in wineries located in Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Manzanilla Pasada
Wine obtained through biological aging in wineries located in Sanlúcar de Barrameda for an extended time
Moscatel
One of the varieties permitted by the Denomination of Origin’s Regulations, commonly used for making sweet wine of the same name
Oloroso
Powerfully aromatic, mahogany colored sherry wine in the fortified category, aged to an alcoholic strength that arrests the development of flor
Pago
A generally large area of cultivated ground encompassing a few vines which share same soil and microclimatic characteristics
Palo Cortado
One of the fortified groups of Sherry wines, aged without a film of “Flor”, but which along w/ characteristics typical of Olorosos (deep palate and intense color) develops a typical aroma so that it resembles an Amontillado
Palomino
The main grape variety of those authorized for making Sherry
Pata de Gallina
A type of Oloroso, especially smooth and glycerin on the palate
Pedro Ximénez
One of the grape varieties permitted by the Denomination of Origin’s regulations, commonly used for making the sweet wine of the same name
Poniente
One of the 2 prevailing winds of the region. It comes from the W and is cool and humid (humidity levels can reach 95%
Raya
Symbol used to ID 1st class base wines that will be eventually aged as biological wine (under a layer of flor yeasts)
Rocío
Refreshing. An essential operation of the crianza process: a portion of wine of the same type, but younger than that which they contain, is added to a criadera or solara. //Acad. A brief shower of rain
Sacas
Quantities of wine extracted from each of the escalas (levels) within the same solera system.
Serpia (aserpia)
Digging holes and/or banking up soil between the rows of vines to form “reservoirs” to catch and retain rainwater
Sobretables
Term applied to must that has just been fortified for various purposes, and which from then on is referred to as wine
Soleo
Sunning. Exposing grapes to the sun so that they become raisined
Solera
First, floor-level, scale in a criadera and solera system, from which wine ready for consumption is extracted
Yema
Must of the best quality, obtained by treading
