Sherry

Question 1

What is a Fino sherry?

Answer 1

Biologically aged

Pale lemon, citrus, almonds, herbs, bread.
Dry.
Consumed young.

Question 2

What is an Oloroso sherry?

Answer 2

Oxidatively aged

Brown, fully body, toffee, leather, spice, walnut.
Dry.

Question 3

What is an Amontillado sherry?

Answer 3

Biologically then oxidatively aged

Amber brown, yeast + oxidative aromas.
Dry.

Question 4

What is a Palo Cortado sherry?

Answer 4

Rare and high quality.

Aroma of Amontillado + body/richness of Oloroso.
Dry.

Question 5

What is a PX sherry?

Answer 5

Oxidatively aged

Deep brown, dried fruit, coffee, licorice.
Lusciously sweet.

Question 6

What is a Pale Cream sherry?

Answer 6

Biologically aged before sweetening

Similar to Fino without flor notes.
Sweet.

Question 7

What is a Medium sherry?

Answer 7

Sherry sweetened with PX.

Biological and oxidative notes.

Question 8

What is a Cream sherry?

Answer 8

Sherry sweetened with PX.

Oxidative notes.

Question 9

What labeling terms are used for sherries with indications of age?

Answer 9

VORS (very old rare sherry): blend is 30+ years old
VOS (very old sherry): blend is 20+ years old

Other categories for Solara Systems that are 15+ and 12+ years old
Labels are more flexible than VORS and VOS.
Only apply to Amontillado, Oloroso, and Palo Cortado sherries.

Question 10

What is flor?

Answer 10

Used in biological aging. Gives sherry unique flavor.

Sensitive to temperature and humidity. Location in Solera System affects style.
Constantly consumers alcohol & other nutrients. Regular additions of new wine are required.
Can stay alive indefinitely, but average age is 3-4 years.
After 7 years nutrient levels fall & oxidative aromas start to form (flor starts to fail).

Question 11

What is a Solera System?

Answer 11

System used for sherry maturation.

600 liter old oak barrels (butts) used.
Criaderas: groups of butts divided into levels (to hold wine of different ages).
Wine is moved between criaderas during maturation.
Criaderas are often kept in seperate buildings for risk management.

Question 12

How is sherry wine bottled?

Answer 12

Wine for bottling is taken from final level of criaderas. Equal amount is taken from each butt in the criadera.
Last level is not fully emptied - same volume volume is taken from butts in previous level, mixed together, then used to top off each butt in the last level.
Same process is performed for each level. Each criadera is replenished with younger wine.
Youngest criadera is replinished with wine from Sobretabla

Question 13

What are the 4 steps to make dry sherry?

Answer 13

1. Harvest
   Hot climate so grapes reach press quickly to avoid oxygen exposure
2. Fermentation
   SS, 20-25 degrees to make neutral base wine
3. First classification
   Determines whether wine will be aged biologically or oxidatively.
   Lighter, paler wines w/ finesse = biological aging
   Darker, richer, heavier wines = oxidative aging
4. Sobretabla
   Wines are fortified and set aside for months here before entering Solera.
   Bio wines: fortified to 15-15.5%, flor develops, has second classification. Wines w/ bad flor are refortified, aged oxidatively, or rejected.
   Oxi wines: fortified to 17%, flor dies.

Question 14

Describe the climate and soil of Jerez, Spain.

Answer 14

Hot, sunny, Mediterranean climate
Vineyards near coast cooled by western wind (Poniente)
High rainfall in autumn/winter.

Very chalky soil (Albariza) retains water and has good drainage
Rectangular pits are dug between rows of vines to trap water and reduce runoff in autumn/winter.
Pits are smoothed out in spring, and soil forms hard crust in summer (limits evaporation).

Question 15

What are the 3 steps to make naturally sweet sherry?

Answer 15

1. Harvest
   Grapes are sun dried to concentrate sugar
2. Fermentation
   Yeast struggles to ferment all the sugar
3. Fortification
   Fortified to 17% after fermentation stops

Question 16

What grape varieties are used to make sherry?

Answer 16

Palomino: low acid, lacks obvious varietal aromas

Pedro Ximenez (PX): little varietal flavor, used in sweet sherries.
Thin skin = dries in sun easily
Little is planted in Jerez. Most from Montilla-Moriles.

Muscat of Alexandria: small amounts grown, used in sweet sherries.

Question 17

How are sherries bottled?

Answer 17

Most are blends from several Solera Systems
Old oxidated wines are sometimes blended with younger wine
Most are fined and filtered, but recent trends are to avoid this to keep vibrancy
Sherries with minimal fining and filtration are labelled “en rama”.