Sherry

Around which town is Sherry produced?

Jerez de la Frontera

South West of Spain

What is the climate in the Sherry region?

Hot mediterranean

High level of rainfall throughout the year

Low level of rainfall through the growing season

Two winds

• Levante → from east - warm and dry → can stress the vines

• Poniente → from west - cool and rain-bearing = moderating influence

What is the type of soil in the Sherry region?

It’s a soil with a high level of white chalk

It’s deep = can store enough water

During summer it forms a layer of hard crust that helps prevent water evaporation

During winter and autumn rectangualrn pits are dug and filled with water to prevent trap water into the soil

Grapes used to produce Sherry

Pedro Ximenes → thin skin = perfect fro sun dried grapes

Palomino → lack of varietal fruit flavour

Muscat of Alexandria → very little plantings

Different types of Sherry

Fino

Manzanilla

Amontillado

Oloroso

Palo Cortado

Pale Cream

Medium

Cream

Pedro Ximenes

Muscat

VORS

VOS

Fino Sherry

Biological ageing

Pale lemon

Fresh fruit flavour (citrus) + herbs + toast, bread, sourdough

Manzanilla

It’s a type of Fino

Biological ageing

The difference is that it’s aged in a specific town = Sanlucar de Barrameda

It’s a coastal town, cooler and more humid →the flor layer is thick and present all year round

Amontillado

Biological ageing + oxidative ageing

Amber

Medium to full body

Yeast flavours are present but fade with time +coffee, toffee, caramel

Oloroso

Oxidative ageing

Brown

Full body

A lot of oxydative flavours: toffee, coffee,caramel, chocolate, leather

Pale Cream

A sweet fino

Short biological ageing

Gold

Sweetened with RGCM

Some bread + fruit flavours

Cream

Oxidative ageing

Amber

Sweetened with Pedro Ximenes wine - sweeter than medium

Dried fruit flavours

Medium

Biological + oxidative ageing

Sweetened with Pedron Ximenez wines

Medium sweet

Dried friut flavours

Palo Cortado

Very rare Sherry

Very high quality

Very elegant

Nose and character of a Fino

Body and richness of a Oloroso

Pedro Ximenez wines and Muscat

Naturally sweet wines

Made from sun dried grapes

Fortified after fermentation to 17%

Muscat is more delicat and floral

VORS and VOS

VORS = Very Old Rare Sherry

The average age of the wine in the bottle is at least 30 yo

VOS = Very Old Sherry

The average age of the wine in the bottle is at least 20 yo

Describe the Biological ageing

First Classification - the wines with more finesse are sent to the biological ageing

The wine is fortified to 15% and put into a cask called Cobretabla and set aside for some months.

The flor develops

Second Classification - the wines are tasted and sent to the respective Solera System

The wine can be

• Fino/Manzanilla

• Oloroso

• Pale Cream

What is Flor

Is made of a number of different yeast strains

It forms a thick layer on top of the wine inside the Butt, protecting the wine from oxygen

It feeds on alcohol and other nutrients (found in the wine) and oxygen

And transform them into CO2 and Acetaldehyde = flavour compound that gives that particular flavour

What are the conditions for the flor to develop?

1. Cool to moderate temperatures

2. High level of humidity

3. Maximum level of alcohol of 15.5% abv

Describe the oxidative ageing

First Classification - the wines with more finesse are sent to the oxidative ageing

Usually is the wine with more richness, heavier

The wine is fortified to 17% abv and put into the Sobretabla for some months

Can become:

• Oloroso

• Cream

Describe the Solera system