Sherry Flashcards
Where does most sherry come from?
Jerez Spain
How would you describe sherry?
A wine that’s been fortified with the addition of extra alcohol
How would you describe sherry’s flavor?
Most sherry’s are dry and the sweetness is indicated by color
What grapes can be used in sherry?
Palomino fino (dry) Moscatel (sweet) Pedro jimenez (sweet)
How do you get dry alcohol?
Allowing fermentation to convert all the sugar to alcohol
How is sweet sherry made?
Fermentation causes dryness so Pedro Ximenez is added in as a finishing touch
What’s flor?
The bacteria that causes fermentation and sits on top of the sherry preventing oxygen from entering
What is oxidation?
It causes sherry and other alcohols to taste like dried fruits i.e. raisins
How does sherry earn it’s terroir?
Through blending and solera aging and not from the soil
Describe biological aging
Produces fino and manzanilla by wine being fortified to 15% which creates a flor
Describe oxidative aging
amontillado, palo cortado, and oloroso are foritifed to 18% which prevents flor development so the wines oxidize to a darker color
What are the different age classifications for sherry from dry to sweet?
Fino manzanilla amontillado palo cortado oloroso
Describe one dry sherry
Los Arcos from Lustau is a dry amontillado sherry that has undergone both biological and oxidative aging to give it a dry yet nutty flavor
Describe one sweet sherry
East India Solera is a sweet oloroso that has undergone signficant oxidative aging to make it taste like liquid raisins
