Sherry Flashcards
(118 cards)
1
Q
Sherry Consejo Regulador founded when?
A
1933
In response to poor quality “Sherries” from around the world.
2
Q
Ruiz Mateos SA aka Rumasa
A
Major player in Sherry for a long time Started as almacenista Started to ship its own Sherry 1959 Supplied Harveys Bristol cream Business empire: bodegas, hotels, banks 1970s: dominate industry, drive down prices Negative impact on industry overall Nationalsied 1983
3
Q
Latitude of Jerez?
A
Low latitude
36 degrees
4
Q
Sherry climate
A
Hot Mediterranean
nb it’s on the Atlantic
5
Q
Poniente
A
Cool, damp wind from the Atlantic = humid influence in summer
6
Q
Levante
A
Hot drying wind from Africa
Makes climate arid
Grapes transpire more quickly = concentrating sugars
Too much sugar a problem in fermenting to dryness
7
Q
Sherry has high or low number of sunlight hours
A
High
Lots of cloud-free days
W/o sufficient shading = grapes can sunburn
8
Q
How many hectares under vine for Zona de Produccion de Jerez?
A
7,000ha
9
Q
Zona de Produccion can make grapes for which two DOs?
A
DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry
DO Manzanilla - Sanlucar de Barrameda
10
Q
One exception to Zona de Produccion?
A
PX grown around Montilla, in mountains above Malaga (outside Zona de Produccion but matured in Zona de Crianza) so can use DO Sherry
11
Q
Two parts of Zona de Produccion?
A
Jerez Superior
Jerez Zona
12
Q
Which is better, Jerez Superior or Jerez Zona?
A
Jerez Superior
All on albariza soil
Accounts for 90% of plantings
13
Q
Pagos
A
Smaller delimited areas of Sherrry vineayrds
14
Q
Albariza
A
key soil type in Sherry. mix of limestone, silica and clay
Clay = retain and gradually release water from winter rainfall = vital in such a dry region
15
Q
What does Albariza forming crust do?
A
Helps reduce evaporation from the soil surface
16
Q
Why are higher planting densities possible in Jerez?
A
Albariza soils retain water well
17
Q
Why are high yields possible in Jerez?
A
Sherry grapes don’t need same level of concentration of flavour as grapes for unfortified wines = most flavour comes from maturation
18
Q
Light colour of albariza soil has what advantage?
A
Reflects light back to vine canopy = aids ripening
19
Q
Types of soil other than albariza?
A
Barros (more clay)
Arenas (sandy)
20
Q
Palomino aka
A
Palomino Fino
Listan
21
Q
Palomino characteristics (grape)
A
Mid to late ripen Suits dry, sunny weather Large yields Loses acidity quickly near maturity Netural aromas
22
Q
Moscatel in Sherry is which type?
A
Muscat of Alexandria
23
Q
Where is Moscatel grown?
A
Chipiona
24
Q
Moscatel characteristics (grape)
A
Aromatic (grape, blossom)
Grown on sandy arenas soils
25
Where do PX flavours come from?
Neutral variety
| Flavours from drying and maturing processes
26
Vara y pulgar
This WAS the principal training system (form of replacement cane)
Now more and more cordon trained and spur pruned (better for mechanisation)
27
Why is VSP trellising good in Sherry?
Ensures canopy remains open, easy for machine. BUT some shading is needed to prevent sunburn
28
Max yields in Sherry
80hl/ha
Rare. usually closer to 60-70hl/ha
29
Gradient for slopes in Sherry
Gentle
| 10-15%
30
Aserpia
System of troughs or gullies down each row of vines to catch winter rains
Otherwise rainwater would flow down sloped vineyards (not penetrate soil)
31
Most used rootstocks Sherry
333EM
41-B
13-5 EVEX
(hybrids of v. vinifera and v. berlandieri)
32
13-5 EVEX
```
Rootstock
Hybrid vinifera and berlandieri
Developed by local research station
Most successful so far
Tolerant of limestone (prevent chlorosis)
Tolerant of drought
Good yields
```
33
Diseases a problem in Jerez?
Generally not
Hot dry growing season
Sometimes mildew in spring (warm humid weather after rain)
34
Where mildew occurs in Sherry how is it treated?
Systemic fungicides
| VSP training helps promote air flow
35
What pest in Sherry?
European grapevine moth
| use sexual confusion/pheromones against it
36
When/where does harvest start?
First week of august
| More inland vineyards
37
Where/when does harvest finish?
Second week of september
| Cooler coastal plots
38
Why harvest early in Sherry?
Harvest early as possible to avoid autumn rain
| Rot undersirable, particularly for bio aged wines
39
Grapes picked at what % potential alc?
12%
40
Acidification needed?
Yes, sometimes
Palomino loses acidity quickly
Acidify if levels fall below 5g/L
41
PX and Moscatel harvested later. T/F
True
| Want more sugar in grapes, makes drying process easier and quicker
42
Picking by hand or machine?
Both
| 60% by machine, mostly at night or early morning = temperatures coolest = reduce oxidation and microbial spoilage
43
Skin contact in Sherry?
No, particularly not for bio aged wines. Phenolic compounds can restrict flor
44
Lightest first pressings called what
Primera yema
| Bio aged styles
45
Second pressing called what
Seconda yema
Oloroso
Extracted later with more pressure
Higher phenolics = flor struggles to develop
46
Final press fractions of Sherry used for what?
Other products
| Wine for seasoning abrrels
47
Clarifying the must in Sherry
Before fermentation, either by cold settling, centrifugation or flotation
Albariza is dusty = need to remove particles
48
Cultured or ambient yeast?
Cultured
49
Fermentation temp for Palomino sherry?
22-26C
| Aromas come from maturation so no need to preserve fruit etc
50
MLF in Sherry?
Prevented
| Acidity already low; buttery flavours not wanted
51
How is MLF prevented?
Chill the must
| Don't use SO2 = would impact flor development
52
Fortifiying liquid
95% abv grape spirit, neutral
53
Wine for bio aged sherry fermetned to what %
15-15.5%
| allow flor to develop
54
Wine for oxidative aged sherry fermented to what %
17%
| flor can't develop
55
Sobretablas
Waiting room/holding pen before solera system
56
Three municipalities for Sherry maturation?
Jerez de la Frontera
El Puerto de Santa Maria
Sanlucar de Barrameda
(together: Zona de Crianza)
exception: Moscatel matured in Chipiona and Chiclana de Frontera
57
Maturation for DO Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda must take place in what municipality?
Sanlucar de Barrameda
58
Most widely used maturation vessel for Sherry?
```
600L butt
Old wood
American oak
Historical reasons and cheaper than French
Don't contribute flavours
```
59
What aspects of bodega architecture mean air conditioning not needed?
Thick walls = constant temperature
Tall buildings, high ceilings = warm air rises away from barrels
Small windows near roof = allow coop, damp south weterly winds from Atlantic = lower temp, increase humidity
Window blinds are thin = diffuse sunlight, prevent dust and insects
Floors made of earth = wetted in summer to lower temperatures, raise humidity
60
Why are temperature and humidity important for bodega?
For growth and maintenace of flor
| variation throughout year so flor can't necessarily be maintained throughout the year
61
Define solera system
A method of fractional blending used to maintain consistency and quality yea rafte ryear
62
What are the sections of barrels in a solera system called?
Criadera
63
Name of oldest criadera in a solera system?
The solera
| next oldest is 1st criadera
64
No more than what % of wine from one solera system removed for blending & bottling each calendar year?
max 40%
| solera always maintains most of its wine
65
Any wine released and bottled for sale must be at least how old?
Two years
66
What is flora made of?
Four strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeasts)
Found on skins of grapes from jerez, and in bodega
67
Max % for flor to develop?
15.5%
68
What would adding SO2 to bio-ageing Sherry do to flor?
Inhibit it
69
Why are bio-ageing Sherry butts left 85-90% full with bung loosely inserted?
Keep flor in contact with oxygen
70
What conditions does flor need?
Max 15.5% alcohol
Oxygen
Warehouse temperature 16-20C
Humidity above 65%
71
What influences does flor have on wine?
Protects it from oxidation = stay pale lemon colour
Consumes alcohol and releases acetaldehyde = apple/brused apple, hay, chamomile, bitter
Consumes glycerol = lighter body and drier, more bitter taste
Reduces acetic acid levels
72
Is flor uniform everywhere?
No. Variation of strain prevalence from one bodega to next or one solera to next = different amounts of alcohol consumed, acetaldehyde produced etc
73
Autolysis in bio aged sherry?
Flor yeast reproduce and die. Dead cells fall to bottom; autolysis takes place = savoury, nutty flavours, enhanced texture
74
Benefit to bottling and selling small lots of Sherry throughout the year?
Keep it as fresh as poss at point of sale ie not sitting in a warehouse for long time
75
Oxidative ageing effects
Lemon to gold, amber, then brown
Increase alcohol slightly (evaporation)
Concentrate elements of wine (glycerol gives full round body)
Aromas of caramel and nuts
76
Does evaporation happen in bio ageing as well as oxidative?
Yes but consumption of alcohol by flor is more significant, so alcohol levels decrease rather than increase
77
Why is filtration needed in bio Sherry?
Remove flor yeast = otherwise could develop in bottle
78
Dry Sherry max RS
5g/L
79
Fino and Manzanilla style
```
100% bio aged
Pale lemon
Dry
Light-med body
Lowa cid
Low alc
Acetaldehyde, bread dugh, almonds
```
80
Manzanilla de Sanlucar de Barrameda
Wines matured in municipality of Sanlucar de Barrameda
Coastal town = maritime climate, not such extreme summers and winters
Ideal for flor growth (thicker flor here)
81
Manzanillas taste lighter and fresher than Finos. Why?
Greater protection from oxygen, lower levels of acetaldehyde.
Different strains of flor
82
Manzanilla Pasada
Manzanilla with a short period of oxidative ageing
Flor may be left to die naturally by not refreshing barrels
Then into a Manzanilla Pasada solera
83
Amontillado
Attributes of bio and oxi
| Start as fino, re-fortified to 17% (kill flor), matured oxidatively in Amontillado solera
84
Inexpensive Amontillado made how
Use young bio-aged wines (youngest criaderas in a fino solera) then blended into Amontillado solera for a short time
85
Expensive Amontillado made how
Matured for longer, more complex
86
Palo Cortado
Difficult to define
aromas similar to Amontillado, palate similar to Oloroso
Under 5g/L
17-22%abv
Once these conditions are met, no stipulations on winemaking/maturation
87
Palo Cortado commonly made how
Spend a few years in fino solera
Put into a Palo Cortado solera
Usually picked as Second Classification as less delicate, more complex and less able to support flor
88
Palo Cortado vs Amontillado
PC generally less time bio ageing (acetaldehyde present but less prominent)
PC has higher glycerol, concentration = fuller body
89
Oloroso
Oxdiative
Fermented then fortified to 17% = no flor
Brown colour
Tertiary oxi aromas toffee walnut
90
En Rama
No legal definition
Straight from barrel, generally
No fining or filtration (or light fining/filter for export)
Fino En Rama most common
91
Naturally sweet Sherry made how
Leave grapes out to dry in sun for 2-3 weeks
Water evaporates, concentrating sugar
Raisin aromas develop
Ferment stops naturally around 4-6% (high sugar levels)
Fortified to 15-16%
Matured oxidatively = evaporation causes sugar and flavours to concentrate more
92
Minimum RS for PX
212 g/L
| common to reach 450-550g/L
93
PX style
Full bodied (syrupy)
Lowa cid
Pronounced raisin, molasses, liquorice
94
Single varietal Msocatel
Less common
160g/L min RS
325-375g/L more common
95
Inexpensive sweetened Sherry: at what point are they sweeetened?
Just prior to bottling
| Relatively young vines
96
Pale Cream
Biological ageing period prior to sweetening
RCGM added - no colour or flavour (ie PALE)
Subtle flor character
Medium sweet to sweet
97
Medium and Cream Sherry
Medium: both bio and oxi characteristics
Cream: oxidative characters only
Both blended with PX
98
Sweetness level for Medium and Cream Sherry
Medium: off-dry to sweet
Cream: always sweet
99
VOS
Very Old Sherry
Vinum Optimum Signatum
avg 20 yo
100
VORS
Very Old Rare Sherry
Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum
avg 30yo
101
VOS (20yo) and VORS (30yo) are checked for age how?
Carbon-14 testing in a lab
102
VOS and VORS sometimes sweetened. Why?
Sweeteened by blending a little PX to balance astringency (can't judge the original dry flavours)
103
Which Sherry types can be VOS and VORS?
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
Oloroso
PX
104
Other age designations for SHerry (ie not VOS and VORS)
12- and 15-year-old
105
Land under vine for Sherry Zona de Produccion
6,989ha
106
Average vineyard holdings in Sherry
Small
| 3ha
107
What % of vineyards owned by co-op members?
Over 40%
108
Examples of shippers that own vineyards
Gonzalez Byass
Barbadillo
Estevez Group
109
Three categories of company in Sherry?
Bodegas de la Zona de Produccion (Production Bodega)
Bodegas de Crianza y Almacenado (Ageing and storage bodega)
Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicion (Ageing and shipping)
110
Bodegas de la Zona de Produccion
Usually large co-op
Press grapes, ferment base wine
Must be in production zone but no zona de crianza
Cant label their own wine as Sherry or Manzanilalla DO
111
Bodegas de Crianza y Almacenado
```
Ageing and storage bodegas
almacenista
They mature wines
Located in zona de crianza
Wines must be sold to Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicion
```
112
Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicion
Shippers
Only group permitted to sell DO Jerez or DO Manzanilla
Must be in Zona de Crianza
113
Which shipper has an almacenista range?
Lustau
114
Consejo did what in 1996?
Lowered the minimum stockholing for shippers from 12,500hl to 500hl.
Larger almacenistas became shippers
Could market their own wines i.e. El Maestro Sierra and Bodegas Tradicion
115
General trend for Sherry sales
downward trend
peak in 1970s: 150million litres per year
2016: 34 million litres
116
Sales trend for sweetened Sherry?
Dramatic decline
| Cream was biggest category, but dropped from 12.5m litres in 2006 to 7.4m litres in 2016
117
Biggest market for Sherry
```
Spain
12m litres (1/3 of total sales)
```
118
Largest export market for Sherry
UK (mostly sweetened)
Holland
Germany
USA
