Chap 43: Sherry Flashcards
(133 cards)
1
Q
Where is the vineyard area of Sherry?
A
vineyard area surrounding the town of Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain
2
Q
What is the climate of Jerez?
A
It has a hot, sunny mediterranean climate
Coastal vineyards are a little cooler on average and benefit from the cool humid westerly winds of the poniente
on occasion temp may soar from the hot drying levante, which blows from the east –>.can seriously stress vines and damage the grapes
Being coastal region = Higher average rainfall than much of Spain, but low during the growing season
3
Q
What is the poniente?
A
A cooling, humid, westerly wind in southern Spain
4
Q
What is southern Spain’s other wind (besides the poniente)? Describe it and the effect it can have on weather and vines
A
The levante
Easterly, hot and drying
It can send temperatures soaring, stressing the vines and damaging grapes
5
Q
What ensures that vines in Jerez can cope with weather conditions?
A
The chalky albariza soil
6
Q
What properties of albariza soil make it well adapted to Spanish weather conditions?
A
The high chalk content provides good drainage
It’s also very deep and has an excellent water-holding capacity to sustain the vines during hot dry summers
7
Q
How is soil water-retention maximised during autumn and winter in Jerez?
A
Rectangular pits are dug between the rows of vines to trap the water and reduce run-off
8
Q
When are rectangular pits dug in Jerez?
A
After harvest
9
Q
When are the rectangular pits smoothed over in Jerez?
A
In the spring
10
Q
Besides water holding properties, what happens in summer to albariza soils to further their water retention properties?
A
It forms a hard crust that limits evaporation from the soil
11
Q
How many grape varieties are permitted in Jerez? What are they?
A
Three
Palomino
Pedro Ximénez
Muscat of Alexandria
12
Q
Which grape accounts for the vast majority of plantings in Jerez?
A
Palomino
13
Q
Describe wines produced by Palomino (acidity and aromas)
A
Naturally low in acid
Lacking in obvious varietal aromas
14
Q
Why is Palomino ideal for Sherry production?
A
Ideal for sherry Because flavours come from biological or oxidative maturation, not the grapes
15
Q
What is the flavour of PX?
A
It has very little varietal flavour
16
Q
What is PX good for and why?
A
The production of sweet wines
Its thin skin makes it ideal for being sun dried
17
Q
Where is Pedro Ximenez mostly planted?
A
Very little in Jerez - most from the neighbouring region of Montilla-Moriles where it grows more successfully
18
Q
Describe the role of Muscat of Alexandria in Sherry
A
Only very small amounts are grown and like PX it is used to make sweet wine
19
Q
Which grape is used to make the dry wines of Jerez?
A
Palomino
20
Q
Describe harvest of Palomino
A
Given the high temperatures at harvest time, grapes must reach the press as quickly as possible to avoid oxidation
21
Q
Describe fermentation of dry styles of Sherry
A
Takes place in large stainless steel tanks at temperatures ranging from 20-25C (72-79 F)
22
Q
What is unique about the fermentation temperatures of dry Sherry?
A
They are high for a white wine
23
Q
Why is it acceptable for the fermentation temperature to be high for a white wine when it comes to Sherry?
A
Producers are aiming to produce a neutral base wine
24
Q
What are the key characteristics of a base wine for dry Sherry?
A
It’s dry with approximately 11-12% abv
25
How and why are wines of Jerez classified in Autumn?
They are classified into wines that will either be sent for biological or oxidative ageing
26
How is it decided which base wines of Jerez will be used for which purpose?
It will be based on flavour characteristics
Paler wines with more finesse will be used for biological ageing
Darker, richer, heavier wines are selected for oxidative ageing
27
At which stage will flor have started to grow on the surface of the base wines of Jerez?
At the point of classification for ageing
28
The exact criteria for classification of Jerez base wines will vary according to...
The house style of the producer
29
Besides house style, what else influences a producer's choice of certain base wines for certain styles in Jerez?
Producers need certain volumes of new wines in particular styles to meet sales demands and classify wines with this in mind
30
Which grapes are respectively more likely to be suitable for biological and oxidative ageing?
Biological ageing: Grapes from cooler coastal vineyards and/or fermented at cooler temperatures
Oxidative ageing: Grapes grown from warmer vineyards inland and/or fermented at higher temperatures
31
What is 'sobretabla' in Sherry making?
A stage wherein base wines are fortified using a 95% abv neutral spirit and the wines are set aside for a period of a few months before they are incorporated into a solera system
32
To what ABV are wines fortified for biological ageing in Jerez? Why?
To between 15% and 15.5% abv
| This is the ideal strength for the development of flor
33
Why is the sobretabla stage so important for wines for biological ageing?
The producer needs to wait and see whether flor develops correctly on these wines
34
What is the second classification for in Jerez?
For determining after sobretabla, whether a wine has a style and character suitable for its respective solera system
35
What happens to wines that fail to make the grade during the second classification?
They are either refortified and sent for oxidative ageing or rejected altogether
36
To what strength are wines fortified for oxidative ageing? Why?
17% abv - at this strength the flor dies
37
Why is sobretabla less important for wines for oxidative ageing?
Because it's not necessary to see if flor develops
38
What happens immediately after harvest to grapes for naturally sweet styles of Sherry?
They are sun-dried to concentrate the sugar levels
39
What flavour does sun-drying develop in Sherry?
Raisin
40
What happens in Sherry once the desired must weight has been achieved for naturally sweet wines?
The grapes are pressed and fermentation starts
41
Describe fermentation of naturally sweet wines in Sherry
The juice is so concentrated that the yeast struggle to ferment the sugars and rarely manage more than a few degrees of alcohol
42
What happens to naturally sweet Sherry once fermentation is stopped?
The must is fortified to 17% abv
43
In what must Sherry be aged?
600 litre oak barrels called butts
44
How are the oak butts of Sherry prevented from giving oak flavours to Sherry?
They are often used to age unfortified wines before they are used for Sherry
45
What is the main requirement of Sherry's oak butts?
To allow oxygen to reach the wine
46
What is the secondary way in which oxygen is allowed to reach the wines of Jerez?
By only ever filling the butts five sixths full
47
What is a particular challenge when it comes to maturation in Jerez?
Keeping the maturation enviornment cool
48
What steps are taken in traditional bodegas to keep the environment cool?
Thick, whitewashed walls, high ceilings and windows that point toward the cooling poniente winds
49
How are correct humidity levels maintained in bodegas of Jerez?
By keeping the earth floors damp to maintain the correct level of humidity
50
What is the main method of keeping modern bodegas cool enough in Jerez?
Air conditioning
51
For wines with the DO of Jerez, where must they be matured?
Traditionally at bodegas in the city limits of Jerez de la Frontera or in the two smaller seaside towns of Sanlucar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria. Proposal in legislation that will permit the wines of DO Jerez to be matured at bodegas anywhere within the DO boundaries (with the exception of Fino wines, which cannot be matured in Sanlucar de Barrameda)
52
What is the main system of maturation called in Sherry?
Solera system - a versatile system that can be used to sustain biological and oxidative ageing.
53
Briefly describe the solera system
Made up of a number of groups of butts (referred to as criaderas/levels) which hold wines of different ages
Maturation involves moving wine between them over time to achieve a blend of younger and older wines
54
What does solera traditionally refer to?
The final criadera that holds wines of the oldest average age
55
List and briefly describe the stages of the solera system
* Wine for bottling is taken from the solera. An equal amount of wine is taken from each butt of this level
* The solera is not fully emptied and the butts are replenished with the same volume of wine taken from the butts in the next level that contain wine of a slightly younger average age called the first criadera
*Three steps involved in the replenishment: An equal vol of wine is taken from each butt the first criadera & then all mixed together. This blended wine is used to top up each butt in the Solera*
* The first criadera is the replenished in the same way as the solera and so on for following criaderas
* The final criadera is replenished with sobretabla wine
56
How many criaderas are there in the solera system?
The number can vary
57
What is the difficulty regarding labelling Sherry with an average age?
Due to the blending which occurs in the solera system, it is only possible to talk about the average age of wines which are being used for blending/bottling
58
What is the main advantage of the complex solera system?
Wine taken from it for bottling/blending is the same every time
59
How may Sherry consistency be interrupted?
By introducing wines of a lower/different quality into the solera system or too much wine is taken out each year
60
How is the risk of losing an entire solera system in one catastrophic event reduced?
The different criaderas are often kept in different warehouses/buildings
61
What does biological ageing of Sherry require?
The presence of flor
62
What constitutes flor?
A number of yeast strains
63
Where is flor found?
As a thick layer on the surface of the wine
64
What are the inputs and outputs of flor in the biological ageing of Sherry?
They feed off of Alcohol/other nutrients in the wine and oxygen in the atmosphere to produce CO₂ and Acetylaldehyde
65
What gives biologically aged Sherry its unique flavour?
Acetylaldehyde
66
What does flor need to thrive?
Precise levels of alcohol, temperature and humidity
67
What can influence the style of a maturing biological Sherry?
Temperature, humidity and even a butt's position within the bodega
68
At what alcohol level can flor no longer thrive?
15.5% abv
69
What ambient conditions do flor favour?
Cool to moderate temperatures and high levels of humidity
70
When during the year does flor grow more vigorously?
Spring and autumn
71
What happens to flor in summer and winter?
It dies back
72
Why are butts only partly filled in the solera system for biological maturing of Sherry?
So that flor has easy access to oxygen
73
Besides imparting flavours, what is the secondary benefit of flor for Sherry?
It protects the wine from oxidation
74
What is constantly needed to keep flor thriving? Why? How is it done?
Regular additions of new wine are needed as flor is constantly consuming alcohol and other nutrients, so it needs new supply to continue ---> Wine is drawn off the solera at frequent regular periods during the year.
75
When should biologically aged Sherry be consumed?
Those such as Finos quickly lose their freshness and should be consumed as soon as possible after bottling
76
What is the average age of wine taken from solera systems (for biological ageing)?
Rarely greater than three to four years
77
What can happen as wines move to their oldest criadera (for biological ageing)?
As the average age increases, overall levels of nutrients decrease as and by time average age reaches 7 years, the levels are sufficiently low that flor can start to fail, with oxidative characters can develop
78
Which Sherries are aged oxidatively, without the presence of flor?
Oloroso, PX and some Muscat Sherries
79
How is Amontillado aged?
Oxidatively after a period of biological ageing
80
What heavily influences the impact of oxygen on the oxidatively aged Sherries?
The air present in the partly filled butts
81
What is the positive impact of using the solera system for oxidative aged Sherry?
The introduction of young wines helps to preserve the base character of the Sherries
82
For how long may Sherries be aged oxidatively?
Upwards of 30 years, though very few wines make it to this age
83
What happens to Sherries alcohol content as they age oxidatively?
Alcohol levels rise to 22% abv as the water content evaporates
84
What is the advantage of the solera system?
It produces wines of consistent style and quality
85
How are the solera systems used in creating final Sherry products?
Most Sherries, including many of the very best, are blends of wines from several solera systems
86
How is the blending of several solera systems beneficial in the case of Oloroso Sherries?
This blending can bring together the intense flavours of very old wines which would be unbalanced on their own, with the freshness of younger wines
87
What options do Sherry's larger producers have available to them?
They have many different solera systems, giving them wines of different ages and styles that they can use to make up their various blends
88
What may happen with Sherry just prior to bottling?
Most Sherry will undergo fining and filtration
89
What has been the trend in Sherry pre-bottling?
There has been a growing trend towards keeping pre-bottling interventions to a minimum, particularly with biologically aged Sherries, as the vibrancy of their flavours can be dulled by high levels of intervention
90
List the dry styles of Sherry
Fino and Manzanilla
Oloroso
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
91
How are Fino and Manzanilla Sherries made?
Only biologically
92
What is the profile of Fino and Manzanilla Sherry? (color and aromas/flavors, age potential)
Pale lemon
Aromas of citrus fruit, almonds and herbs
Bready notes from the action of flor
Do not improve in bottle and should be consumed as fresh as possible
93
What are the flavours of Fino and Manzanilla Sherry sometimes referred to as?
Tangy or salty
94
Describe ageing for Fino and Manzanilla Sherries
They do not improve in bottle and should be consumed as fresh as possible
95
How does a Sherry become a Manzanilla?
It is matured in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, qualifying it as Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda (a separate DO to that of Jerez)
96
How does the winemaking of Manzanillas differ for the winemaking for Fino?
It's identical
97
What is the difference, other than location, between Fino and Manzanilla?
The cooler more humid conditions in Sanlúcar guarantee a thick layer of flor throughout the year
98
What is the effect on flavour of the thicker flor of Manzanilla?
They have a more intensely tangy aroma
99
For what is Manzanilla most famous?
The fino-style wine that is called Manzanilla fina
100
What in Sherry does 'en rama' mean?
Wines (Manzanilla) that have not undergone fining or stabilization, but they can be filtered
101
Describe the ageing of Oloroso wines
Oxidative ageing only
102
Describe Oloroso wines (color, body, aromas)
Brown
Full bodied
Dominated by oxidative aromas such as toffee, leather, spice and walnut
103
Describe very old Oloroso wines
Very concentrated and develop an astringency that is balanced when blended with younger wines in the solera system
104
Describe ageing of Amontillado wines
They have undergone a period of biological ageing followed by a period of oxidative ageing
105
What happens in the bodega once Amontillado wines have completed their biological ageing?
They are refortified to 17% abv to kill the flor and fed into an Amontillado solera system
106
Describe Amontillado wines (color, body, aromas)
They are amber or brown in colour
Less full-bodied than Olorosos
Combine yeast derived aromas with oxidative aromas
107
What happens to Amontillado aromas over time?
Yeast aromas slowly fade as the wine ages, though they remain recognisable
108
Describe how long Amontillados can be matured
As long as Olorosos
109
What is the rarest style of Sherry?
Palo Cortado
110
Describe the aroma & body of a Palo Cortado?
Aromas = Similar to Amontillado
Body & Richness = same as Oloroso
111
Some producers identify ... at the second classification, though this is not always the case
Palo Cortado
112
How are Palo Cortado wines made?
Using a variety of different methods
113
With which wines are Palo Cortados similar and difficult to tell apart from?
Amontillado and Oloroso Sherries
114
What is the general quality of Palo Cortado Sherries?
Generally very high
115
What kind of ageing is common to Sherry's naturally sweet styles?
Oxidative
116
How easy is to find naturally sweet styles of sherry and why?
they are rare and more regularly used as a componenent in sweetened sherries
117
Describe Pedro Ximenez Sherries (color, Sweetness, flavors)
Deep brown and lusciously sweet
| Pronounced aromas of dried fruit, coffee and liquorice
118
What sugar levels do Pedro Ximenez sweet Sherries often reach?
500 g/l residual sugar
119
Describe naturally sweet Sherries made from Muscat
They take on similar characteristics to PX wines although they retain a varietal dried citrus peel character
120
How are Pale Cream Sherries made?
They must have undergone a period of biological ageing prior to sweetening
121
With what are Pale Cream Sherries typically sweetened?
Rectified Concentrated Grape Must (RCGM)
122
Describe the appearance of Pale Cream Sherries
Similar to Fino
123
How does Pale Cream and Fino Sherries compare with one another?
Aside from the difference in sweetness levels, Pale Cream is similar in appearance to Fino, but Pale Cream rarely has any pronounced flor character that Fino has
124
What is the price of Medium and Cream Sherries?
It ranges from inexpensive to super premium
125
Describe the characteristics of a Medium Sherry vs. Cream sherry?
Traditionally:
* Med Sherry - must show characteristics from both biological and oxidative ageing
* Cream Sherry - must be purely oxidative
New legislation that will give greater level of freedom to choose which degree of oxidative ageing and biological ageing they want when making both of these styles.
They will continue to be differentiated by their ris. sugar levels, with Cream being sweeter than Medium.
126
How are Medium and Cream Sherries sweetened?
With PX wine
127
Describe flavours of the best Medium/Cream Sherries
They seamlessly balance the toffee, leather and walnut flavours of the dry wine with the dried fruit notes of the sweet wine
128
Describe inexpensive versions of Cream Sherries
They can taste cloying and lack complexity
129
What are the recent law changes regarding the use of Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado?
They can now only be used for dry styles of wine
130
What historically, was 'Oloroso dulce'?
A sweet Oloroso/PX blend (this can no longer be the case)
131
What are the four categories of age-indicated Sherries?
VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum/Very old rare Sherry)
VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum/Very old Sherry)
12 years old
15 years old
132
What do the top two categories of age-indicated Sherry signify?
That the average age of the blend is at least 30 years old and 20 years old respectively and each batch must be tested to see whether it complies
133
To what do the lesser categories of aged Sherry apply?
12 year old and 15 year old apply to the whole solera system, so can be used more flexibly
