Sherry Flashcards
Learn why Sherry tastes the way it does by examining the growing environment, soils, climate, grape varieties, production, and maturation. Key styles of Sherry are covered in this deck.
Regulations for Sherry were set in what year and by what body?
- 1933
- Consejo Regulador
What is significant about Sherry’s Consejo Regulador?
It was Spain’s first wine-related Regulatory Council.
Run through a quick popularity timeline of Sherry starting from the late 19th / early 20th centuries up through the 1980s.
- Late 1800s - early 1900s: Popular
Consejo Regulador established 1933
- World War II (~1939 - 1945): Unpopular
- 1950s - 1970s: Popular (peak popularity)
- 1980s: Unpopular
What role did Rumasa have in regard to the production and decline of Sherry?
- Started as an almacenista;
- Became a conglomerate, owning several sherry houses, hotels and banks;
- Their consolidation drove down prices that were difficult to compete with;
- In 1983 Spanish government seized and split up Rumasa’s holdings due to alleged unpaid taxes;
- Ownership landscape of former Rumasa bodegas was turbulent through the 1990s, especially because they had large stock of low-quality wines in a market that was based on inexpensive brands.
What does the Sherry Consejo Regulador continue to do after the era of Rumasa?
Today the Consejo Regulador continues to rebalance vineyard plantings, stock, and quality to increase profile and perception of Sherry.
Jerez is at a low latitude and low altitude.
Q: What is its latitude and its altitude?
Latitude: 36º
Altitude: 0-90 meters above sea level (has gentle slopes)
What are the two winds that affect Jerez the most?
- Poniente
- Levante
Describe the Poniente – is it beneficial or a hazard?
Beneficial.
A cool, damp wind that blows off the Atlantic Ocean that provides a cooling, humid influence during the summer in Jerez.
Describe the Levante – is it beneficial or a hazard?
What is an effect the Levante can have on the grapes?
A hot, drying southeasterly wind from north Africa, which makes the climate more arid.
Hazard – can be damaging.
This wind can cause grapes to transpire more quickly, concentrating the sugars – and too much sugar in the grapes can make it difficult to ferment the wine to dryness, which is particularly problematic for the development of flor.
What is the climate of Jerez and what factors influence the climate here?
Hot Mediterranean
Influences:
- Atlantic Ocean;
- Its mostly flat land;
- The Levante wind;
- The Poniente wind.
What is the Zona de Producción or Marco de Jerez?
A delimited area of around 7,000 hectares where Sherry grapes must be grown in order to be called Sherry.
Grapes grown in the Zona de Producción or Marco de Jerez can carry what two DOs?
- DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
- DO Manzanilla - Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Even though Pedro Ximénez (PX) grapes can be grown outside the Zona de Producción in ___ ___, it can still be labeled DO ___ ___ ____.
Why?
- Montilla-Moriles;
- DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry;
- It is matured in the Zona de Crianza.
In Jerez, what are pagos?
Smaller delimited areas believed to produce wines with distinct characteristics due to their aspect, location and small variations in the soil.
As of 2021, the Jerez Consejo Regulador allows the naming of a pago on the wine label.
What is the most important soil type in Jerez and what is it a mixture of?
Albariza, made up of limestone, silica and clay
What role does albariza soil play in grape growing in Jerez? (name four factors)
Albariza is porous, so water penetrates deep into the soil from the winter rains.
It effectively retains that rainwater by developing a crust which reduces evaporation from the soil surface (the clay component helps do this). The stored water is steadily released during the growing season.
Albariza is reflective, so it reflects sunlight back up to the grapes, helping the grapes to ripen.
Albariza is also pretty malleable, and the aserpias dug after each harvest help catch and collect winter rains.
Why does Jerez see such high density planting and high yields?
High density planting is abundant because of albariza’s ability to retain water;
High yields are possible because Sherry grapes themselves do not need to have flavor concentration – the majority of flavor of Sherry comes from the maturation process.
What are the two other soil types in Jerez?
- Barros
- Arenas
Barros soil has a higher content of ____ than albariza soil.
Clay
What soil type is arenas?
Sandy
What are the three predominant grape varieties of Jerez?
- Palomino
- Moscatel (Muscat of Alexandria)
- Pedro Ximenez
What two other names does Palomino go by in Jerez?
- Palomino Fino;
- Listán.
Which grape is used for all dry and sweetened styles of Sherry?
Palomino
Palomino accounts for ___% of Sherry’s vineyard area.
97%
Select the correct answer:
Palomino is:
- Early ripening
- Mid to late ripening
- Late ripening
Mid to late ripening
It’s suited for sunny, dry weather.
Select the correct answer:
In the final stages of ripening right before maturity, Palomino’s acidity:
- Drops quickly
- Stays the same
- Increases quickly
Drops quickly
Palomino is a neutral grape variety known for producing what size crop yields – small, medium, or large?
Large yields
The Moscatel grape variety in Jerez is also known as:
Muscat of Alexandria
It is also called Moscatel de Chipiona since a lot of it is grown near and around the coastal town of Chipiona.
Select the correct answer:
Moscatel is:
- A neutral grape variety
- An aromatic grape variety
An aromatic grape variety
Moscatel is an early, mid or late ripener?
Late ripener
Moscatel is predominantly grown on which soil?
What style of wine is Moscatel mostly made into – dry or sweet?
Arenas (sandy) and Sweet
Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez each account for less than __% of Sherry production by volume.
Less than 1%
Select the correct answer:
Pedro Ximénez is:
- A neutral grape variety
- An aromatic grape variety
Neutral grape variety
If Pedro Ximénez is a neutral grape variety, where does the wine get its aromatics and character from?
The drying and maturation processes
In what format are Pedro Ximénez grapes shipped from the Montilla district to the Zona de Producción?
As fresh or raisined grapes, or more likely as young wine, which is then matured in the Zona de Crianza.
Not only are PX and Moscatel made into Sherries on their own, they can also be used as a ______, as seen in Cream Sherry.
Sweetening agent
Jerez is transforming how its vines are trained.
The old Sherry training system was ____, also known as ____.
The new training system increasingly being used in Sherry is ____.
Old training system: replacement cane pruning, also known as ‘vara y pulgar’;
New training system: cordon trained (single or double) and spur pruned (VSP trellising), which is more suitable for mechanization.
Select the correct answer:
VSP trellising is easier for which kind of harvesting?
- Manual
- Mechanized
Mechanized harvesting
VSP allows the canopy to remain open and well-organized, making it easier to machine harvest.
Maximum yields in Sherry are ___hL/ha, but achieving that is rare.
In most years the yields are closer to ____hL/ha.
- Maximum yields: 80 hL/ha;
- Most years yields are 60-70 hL/ha.
What is the aserpia system in Jerez and why is it important?
After each harvest, troughs are dug down each row of vines to catch the winter rains, allowing the water to permeate the soil.
Without catching the water it would just flow downhill or pool in a disorganized way instead of deeply saturating the soil.
What are the three most widely used rootstocks in Jerez?
- 333EM
- 41-B
- 13-5 EVEX
- this one is the most successful: tolerant to drought and high levels of limestone, high yielding.
All are hybrids of V. vinifera and V. berlandieri
Jerez is mostly a dry region, but after any rain what becomes a major threat?
Powdery Mildew, whose greatest threat is in the spring due to warm humid weather after it rains.
How is the threat of mildew reduced in Jerez?
- VSP training promotes air circulation, reducing the threat of fungal disease;
- Use of systemic fungicides when necessary.
Systemic fungicides penetrate the green tissue of the vine and cannot be washed off by rain; must be limited so fungus does not develop resistance.
The pest in Jerez that is managed by using pheromone traps is the ____.
European grapevine moth
In Jerez, where and when does harvest start and end?
Harvest starts inland (around first week of August)
Harvest ends in coastal areas (around mid-September)
Why is harvest so early in Jerez?
To avoid any risk of autumn rain
- Any amount of mildew or rot would be detrimental, especially for biologically aged wines.
Palomino grapes are harvested with:
~___% potential alcohol
~___g/L total acidity
pH between ___ and ___
~12% potential alcohol
Total acidity: ~5 g/L
pH: 3.3-3.5
What happens if Palomino grapes are harvested with less than 5g/L of total acidity?
The must is acidified
Because Moscatel and PX are harvested for sweet wines, they’re usually harvested:
- Before Palomino
- After Palomino
Why?
After Palomino
Because the higher concentration of sugar in the grapes when picked makes the drying process that follows easier and faster.
Select the correct answer:
When are Palomino grapes pressed?
- As soon as they arrive at the winery
- After they’re chilled for 2-3 days
- After primary fermentation
As soon as they arrive at the winery to reduce risk of oxidation and microbial spoilage.
Biologically aged sherries are primarily made from free run juice and the lightest pressings, called _____.
Primera yema
Is skin contact in Sherry desirable or not desirable?
Not desirable because phenolic compounds in the skins can restrict the development of flor.
Explain why Oloroso Sherries tend to be made with later press fractions.
The higher levels of phenolics attained in these later pressings means flor struggles to grow, and since Oloroso is oxidatively aged this helps with the Oloroso maturation process.
What is the maximum permitted juice yield for Sherry?
70 liters / 100 kg
Why is Sherry must always clarified before fermentation and which clarification techniques are typically used?
Albariza soil is very dusty, and soil and other particles that came in on the grapes have to be removed.
The must is clarified by:
- cold settling;
- centrifugation;
- flotation.
Select the correct answer:
Most Sherry producers use:
- Native yeasts
- Cultured yeasts
Cultured yeasts
Cultured yeasts reliably ferment the must to dryness
Select the correct answer:
The first phase of Sherry fermentation is around this temperature:
- 18º - 21ºC
- 22 - 26°C
- 28 - 32°C
Why?
22-26°C (72–79°F)
- This warmer temperature reliably ferments must to dryness, which is what is needed for Sherry;
- It also helps attain neutral aromas and flavors, not retain fruity or floral aromas (which you’d get at cooler fermentation temperatures).
In what vessels does Sherry fermentation generally take place?
Mostly in stainless steel, but some producers use old oak to lend a fuller body.
Give three reasons why malolactic fermentation is avoided in Sherry production and how is MLF avoided?
- Acidity in Palomino is already low, and MLF would decrease acidity further;
- Diacetyl and buttery flavors are undesirable;
- MLF discourages development of flor.
It’s avoided by chilling the must.
In Sherry production, what steps follow primary fermentation?
- The wine has its First Classification (it’s tasted and analyzed), and the winemaker determines whether the wine will be biologically aged or oxidatively aged;
- Fortification with a 95% neutral grape spirit (to 15-15.5% ABV if it’ll be biologically aged or 17% ABV if it’ll be oxidatively aged);
- Once fortified, the wine is in the sobretablas stage where the wine is held for several months in tank or barrel to see how it develops;
- The wine then goes through its Second Classification to make final determination of what style the wine will become (e.g. Amontillado, Cortado)
- Once style is determined, it enters a designated solera system.
In Sherry, it used to be that the maturation of wines labelled DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry had to take place in one of the three municipalities of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, together called the Zona de Crianza.
However, today the rules have changed under new regulations. Today, the maturation of wines labelled DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry can happen ____.
Anywhere in the Production Zone
The Production Zone, or Zona de Producción, is the delimited area of Sherry that’s around 7,000 ha in size. The Production Zone is aka Marco de Jerez.
Wines that carry the DO Manzanilla – Sanlúcar de Barrameda must be matured in which municipality?
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Select the correct answer:
Sherry maturation widely takes place in what kind and size of vessels (also known as butts)?
- Stainless steel tanks that hold 30 hL
- Cement tanks that hold 10 hL
- Old wood that holds 600 L
Old wood that holds 600 L
The old 600 L butts used to mature sherry are mostly American, French or Hungarian oak?
Why aren’t the oak casks new?
American – it’s less expensive than French oak, and there is historical meaning to using American oak (American oak was brought back to Spain during the Spanish conquests in the 1500s).
New oak would contribute oak spice and flavors, which are undesirable in sherry.
Give a quick summary of the physical characteristics of a traditional sherry bodega and how each factors into maturation conditions.
- High ceilings (hot air rises, keeping floor cool);
- High, open windows (allow cool, damp winds from the Atlantic to blow through, helping to lower temperatures and raise humidity);
- Thick walls (keep temperatures consistent);
- Earthen floors (which can be hosed down to maintain high humidity).
In the solera system, the criadera containing the oldest wine is called the _____
Solera
How much sherry can be removed for blending and bottling each calendar year?
Maximum 40%
The rule in Sherry is that any wine that is to be released and bottled for sale must be a minimum of ___ years old.
Two years old
Can wines be removed from the solera system for bottling before they reach the solera?
Yes – this is done for style and cheaper expense, e.g. an inexpensive Fino may be made from relatively young wines from, for example, the 4th and 5th criaderas, perhaps with a small proportion of 1st criadera wine to give some complexity.
What factors does flor need to flourish and survive?
- Wine fortified to maximum of 15.5% ABV;
- No added SO2;
- Plenty of oxygen;
- Consistent bodega temperatures of 16–20°C (61–68°F);
- Humidity levels above 65%;
- Butts left 85-90% full and bungs left loose in bung hole to promote oxygen contact.
In what ways does flor influence wine?
- Protects the wine from oxidation (so it stays Pale Lemon);
- Flor metabolizes alcohol in the wine and releases acetaldehyde (aromas of hay, cut green apple, almonds);
- Flor metabolizes glycerol, giving the wine a lighter body;
- It reduces acetic acid levels.
As the yeast cells of flor die, they descend to the bottom of the vessel.
Q: What happens to these dead yeast cells?
They go through autolysis, which lends savory, nutty characteristics and enhances the texture of the wine.
In the fractional blending solera system of biologically-aged Sherry, why is it important to continually refresh the older criaderas with new wine?
The younger, newer wines are rich in nutrients (alcohol, glycerol and acetic acid) that will feed the flor – adding newer wine to older wine keeps flor alive which protects the wine from oxidation.
Do Finos and Manzanillas improve with bottle aging?
No. This is why Finos and Manzanillas tend to be removed from the solera frequently throughout the year.
Removing and bottling small volumes of wine more frequently ensures the wine will be fresh when it reaches its destination market.
What are some of the effects on Sherry from aging it oxidatively in barrel for an extended period of time?
- Color deepens;
- Alcohol increases;
- Evaporation occurs, concentrating glycerol (rounder body);
- Aroma compounds develop from primary to tertiary;
- Acetaldehyde decreases some;
- Acetic acid and ethyl acetate increase a bit, contributing to volatile acidity.
Why is filtration necessary in biologically aged Sherries?
To remove flor yeast – if it isn’t removed, flor could start to develop after the bottle is opened and the wine is in contact with oxygen.
Dry Sherries, also known as vinos generosos, must have a maximum of ___ g/L of residual sugar, or __g/L if the wine is more than __ years old.
4 g/L of residual sugar, or 9 g/L if the wine is more than 12 years old
Why is it thought that flor is thicker in Sanlúcar de Barrameda than in Jerez de la Frontera and what is the effect the thicker flor has on a wine?
- Its proximity to the Atlantic means that humidity stays relatively high, even throughout the year (some also believe it’s the yeast strain that causes the thicker flor);
- The thicker layer of flor provides greater protection from oxygen, so Sanlúcar de Barrameda Manzanillas often taste lighter and fresher than Jerez Finos.
The term Manzanilla Pasada means the wine was subjected to what?
Biological aging with a minimum average age of 7 years
The flor may be left to die naturally by not refreshing the barrels with new wine for around a year.
A Sherry that has attributes from both biological and oxidative aging is called ______.
Amontillado
The wines will start as Finos, be re-fortified to 17% ABV to kill the flor, and then be matured oxidatively in an Amontillado solera system.
What are some ways to describe a Palo Cortado?
- Less than 5 g/L RS;
- 17–22% ABV;
- Aromas similar to an Amontillado but with a slightly fuller, rounder body than an Amontillado (closer to the palate of an Oloroso).
After fermentation, Olorosos are fortified to ___% ABV to stop ____ from developing.
- 17%;
- Flor.
What’s the best way to describe ‘en rama’ and on what style is it most often seen?
Sherries that have been finished and packaged in a way to best represent the wine like were straight from barrel (e.g. lack of/limited filtration), as if you were tasting it at the winery.
Most often seen on Finos.
En rama Sherries can be filtered, but do not undergo any other stabilisation process. They are not clarified, fined or cold stabilized.
Select the correct answer:
Grapes harvested for naturally sweet Sherries are laid out to dry in the sun for:
- 2-3 weeks
- 4-6 weeks
- 6-8 weeks
2-3 weeks
The very high sugar levels in dried grapes used to make naturally sweet wines causes fermentation to naturally stop around ___%
4–6% ABV
After sweet Sherries naturally stop fermenting, to what % ABV are they fortified?
15-16% ABV
Select the correct answer:
Once sweet Sherries are fortified, they are usually aged:
- Biologically
- Oxidatively
Oxidatively, where evaporation causes sugars and flavors to further concentrate
What is the minimum residual sugar for PX Sherries and what level can they actually reach?
Minimum 212 g/L RS - They can reach 450-500 g/L
What is the minimum residual sugar for Moscatel Sherries and what level can they actually reach?
Minimum 160 g/L RS - they can reach 325-375 g/L
Give two examples of Sherries that have been sweetened by way of the addition of PX or Moscatel.
- Medium;
- Cream.
More often than not PX is used
Pale Cream:
- How sweet are they?
- What are they usually sweetened with?
- What aging process have they undergone?
- Medium-sweet to sweet;
- RCGM;
- A period of biological aging prior to sweetening, so they’ll have a very subtle flor character.
Why are Pale Creams usually sweetened with RCGM?
RCGM doesn’t add color or flavors
In practice, sweetened Sherry made exclusively from biologically aged wines will be labelled ___ ___.
Pale Cream
Historically, Medium Sherries had to show characteristics of ___and ___ aging, whereas Cream Sherries only had to show _____ characteristics.
However, there’s new legislation stating what these styles can be made from. What is that new legislation?
Medium: both biological and oxidative
Cream: only oxidative
Under new legislation, both can now be made from blends of biologically and oxidatively aged wines or exclusively one or the other.
In terms of sweetness level, Medium Sherries can range from ____ to ____, whereas Cream Sherries are almost always ____.
Medium: off-dry to sweet
Cream: almost always sweet
What do the terms VOS and VORS stand for?
VOS - Vinum Optimum Signatum / Very Old Sherry
VORS - Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum / Very Old Rare Sherry
VOS Sherries have an average age of ___ years or more.
VORS Sherries have an average age of ___ years or more.
VOS: 20
VORS: 30
Which of the Sherry classifications are allowed to use VOS, VORS and age indications?
- Amontillado;
- Palo Cortado;
- Oloroso;
- PX.
What are the three different company registers involved in the production of Sherry?
- Bodegas de la Zona de Producción (Production Bodega)
- Bodegas de Crianza y Almacenado (Aging and Storage Bodega)
- Bodegas de Crianza y Expedición (Aging and Shipping Bodega)
Of the three production registers in Sherry, which one is typically like a co-op and what can they do?
Bodegas de la Zona de Producción (Production Bodega)
They press grapes and ferment the must into base wine and will sell the base wine to either of the aging bodegas.
Which type of bodega does NOT need to be located in the Zona de Crianza?
Bodegas de la Zona de Producción (Production Bodega)
Which bodega register is also called a ‘shipper’ and what are they allowed to do?
Bodegas de Crianza y Expedición (Ageing and Shipping Bodega)
Allowed to:
- Export or sell DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry or DO Manzanilla – Sanlúcar de Barrameda Sherries to the market;
- Mature wines, whether they come to them as young or partially matured;
- Blend wines from almacenistas in with their own wines;
- Put only their name on the label even if a wine came to them from an almacenista.
In 1996 the Sherry Consejo Regulador lowered the minimum stockholding for companies to register as a shipper from ____ hL to ____ hL.
Q: What did this do for small bodegas?
12,500 hL to 500 hL
This allowed some almacenistas to become shippers – they can now market their own wines under their own brand name.
