Sherry Flashcards

1
Q

Etymology of Sherry

A

From Sherish = Arabic for Jerez de la Frontera

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2
Q

Sherry triangle

A

7000ha under vine between 3 communes:
Jerez de la frontera
Sanlucar de Barrameda
El Puerto de Santa Maria

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3
Q

Varieties permitted for Sherry production

A

Pedro Ximenes
Palomino fino
Moscatel fino
+ palomino de Jerez ( not commonly used)

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4
Q

Governing body in Sherry production

A

The consejo regulator , since 1935

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5
Q

What is Sherry?

A

Fortified wine and a blend , no single vintage

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6
Q

Bodegas de crianza y expedition

A

Control the production and the shipment of Sherry

Nowadays also owns large vineyards themselves

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7
Q

Main type of soil in Sherry

A

Albariza

60-80% chalk / white / absorb and jold moisture and reflect sun , preventing the soil from drying out too much

Classified as JEREZ SUPERIOR

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8
Q

Jerez superior

A

Areas with Albariza soils / divided in PAGOS

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9
Q

PAGOS (Sherry)

A

Single vineyards

Approximately 150 registered with the Consejo Regulator in the whole Sherry region

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10
Q

Palomino fino

A

Planted on Albariza soils

Accounts for 98% of the plantings

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11
Q

Pedro Ximenes

A

Used for blending, sweetening and colouring

100% PX also produced: dark brown , very sweet, highly concentrated

Majority grown in DO Montilla-Moriles
(Less humid, less rot)
Dried in the sun (Asoleao)
Matured in SOLERA in Jerez

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12
Q

Moscatel

A

Grown in coastal areas / used for sweet wines and as a sweetening agent

2 types of soil( both inferior to Albariza):
- Arenas: clay + sand + limestone + 10% chalk
- Barros: clay + decomposed matter + 10% chalk (more fertile)

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13
Q

The 2 winds in the Sherry region

A

LEVANTE: hot easterly / dries the grapes during ripening

PONIENTE: cool westerly / allows the growth of FLOR in the Bodegas

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14
Q

Vinification of Sherry steps:

A

Harvest
Pressing
Classification of the must
Fermentation
Fortification
Classifications
Blending (by SOLERA system)

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15
Q

Time of harvest and handling of the grapes for sherry

A

Harvest in late august / September

Palomino grapes are picked and pressed

PX are picked and dried for 1-2weeks on mats until they reach semi-raisin state (SOLEO)

Grapes are de stalked and sieved

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16
Q

Max of Litres of must per kg of grapes (sherry)

A

70L/100kg of grapes

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17
Q

3 sections of pressing (sherry)

A

PRIMERA YEMA: free rum juice
SEGUNDA YEMA
MOSTO PRENSAS: used for unclassified wine or distilled

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18
Q

Fermentation of sherry

A

After 3 days most of the sugar is fermented

The wine is then drawn off into stainless steel to complete fermentation (traditionally Botas = casks)

Vats not filled to the top to allow Flor to grow

By the end of November the wine is dry / 11-12.5% abv

In January wines are classified as either Fino or Oloroso

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19
Q

Fortification of Sherry

A

Wines are fortified according to their classification:

OLOROSO: fortified to 17-18% = no Flor = OXIDATIVE MATURATION (either left dry or sweetened)

FINO/MANZANILLA/AMONTILLADO: fortified to 15-15.5% = Flor = BIOLOGICAL MATURATION

20
Q

Flor

A

Prevents air from getting to the wine an oxidating it

Feeds of nutrients and alcohol in the wine

21
Q

Maturation of sherry under Flor

A

Wines are racked into American/Canadian oak BOTAS (600L)

Only 500L is racked in order to allow Flor to grow

22
Q

Classification of sherry after maturation

A

Wines are left for up to 12 months suiting which they are know as SOBREDABLA and then classified into:
-FINO (uno palma, dos palma, tres palma)
-PALO CORTADO
-OLOROSO

23
Q

FINO SHERRY

A

Wine continue biological aging in 500-600L Botas / used for Fino , Manzanilla, Amontillado

24
Q

PALO CORTADO

A

Evolves from Fino / Fortified to 17-18% that destroys Flor / oxidative style

25
Q

OLOROSO SHERRY

A

Fortified to 17-18% / racked into 500-600L Botas / no air space left = no oxidation

26
Q

Solera system

A

Fractional blending method
Criaderas = scales / min 2 + solera

Min 3 years + 1 day in the solera system

High quality = 5 to 8 years

27
Q

Sweeting of Sherry

A

Done by addition of PX or VINO DULCE

VINO DULCE = fermenting PX or Moscatel to 5% then arresting fermentation by adding grape brandy

28
Q

Darkening of Sherry

A

Addition of Arrope / vino de color to the wine

Boiling mosto from PX grapes to 1/3rd of the volume (SANCOCHO) or 1/5th of the volume (ARROPE)

29
Q

Cabeceo

A

Final sherry blend

30
Q

Venencia

A

Special small cup with long handle used to taste sherry

31
Q

Copita

A

Traditional sherry glass

32
Q

Sherry aging

A

Min 2 years

2/3 matured in Jerez

Sanlucar = Atlantic influence = PONIENTE = good for Flor

33
Q

Manzanilla Sherry

A

Very dry, salty, bitter, yeasty

Same as fino / must be matured in Sanlucar de Barrameda

34
Q

Fino sherry

A

15.5-17% / slightly less dry than Manzanilla

35
Q

Amontillado sherry

A

Amber colour / hazelnut character

Min 2 years aging under Flor
+ min 2 years oxidative maturation after fortification killed Flor

Min 16% / must be dry
If sweetened = must be sold as MEDIUM CREAM / CREAM SHERRY

36
Q

Palo CORTADO sherry

A

Cross between fino and amontillado

Rare / very expensive

Initially matured under Flor

37
Q

Oloroso sherry

A

Rich and complex / slightly baked oxidative flavour / fortified to 17-18% / usually dry

38
Q

Natural sweet wine (sherry)

A

From sun-dried PX or Moscatel grapes

Fermented to
5% abv then fortified to 15-22% with RCGM

PX= brown colour/ highly concentrated / very sweet / dried fig / dried apricot / dried raisin / liquorice

MOSCATEL = less dark / dried fruit , grapey

39
Q

PALE CREAM SHERRY

A

Dry wine under Flor fortified to 15.5% with RCGM

40
Q

MEDIUM CREAM sherry

A

Similar to pale cream but amber in colour

Blended with Natural sweet wine and/or RCGM / fortified to 15.5-22%

41
Q

CREAM sherry

A

Oloroso+ sweetening and colouring (PX)

42
Q

East India sherry

A

Originally sherry used by sailing ships as ballast

Now owned by Bodega Lustau

43
Q

Alamacenista

A

Sherry stockholder / investors

44
Q

VOS sherry

A

Very old Sherry

20+ years in Botas

45
Q

VORS sherry

A

Very old and rare Sherry

30+ years in Botas

46
Q

En Rama sherry

A

Sherry kept for several years without going through solera system