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Home , Flor, Solera

history denominations ageing diversity enjoy

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

3,000 years of history

1 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Ancient times . The mythical land of Tartessos. • The Phoenicians introduced the cultivation of vines in the region (Cádiz 1,000 B.C., Xera 700 B.C.). • -related activity continued by all cultures ever since: Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans...

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy The “Vinum Ceretiense”

. Columela, the first great Agricultural Engineer (“De Re Rustica”) had a farm in “Ceret” (Roman for Jerez). . Wine has been exported from Jerez since ancient times. . Great popularity of the “Vinum Ceretiense” in Rome.

2 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy The land of “sherish” . Year 711 – Battle of Guadalete. . Over 500 years of Islamic culture (800 years in other parts of Spain). . A flourishing period in our history. . Sherish, the Jerez of the moorish.

ŠeriŠ

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy The land of “sherish” . Cultivation of continued, for: - production of raisins. - medicinal use of wine. - obtaining alcohol. . Wine consumption allowed in elite circles. al-cohol

ŠeriŠ

3 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Same town, different names

VI C. (B.C.) II C. (B.C.) VIII C. XIII C. XVI C. today

Jerez Xerez Sherish Xeres de la Frontera Ceret Sherrish Xera Sherry = Jerez

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

XVth to XVIIth C. – trade with Northern Europe

. The profitable business of the “holandas” . Increasing popularity of the “Sherry Sack” in England. . 1587: Francis Drake attacked Cádiz.

“If I had a thousand sons the first human principle that I would teach them would be to foreswear all thin potations and addict themselves to Sherry Sack.” Henry IV, part II

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Sherry Viticulture

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Southern-most Wine Region in Continental Europe

5 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Southern-most Wine Region in Continental Europe

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy 7,000 has. of vineyards, in 9 municipalities

•• ROTA

6 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Main climatic factors

Average 300• days of sunshine per year. ROTA Mild winters (4ºC) and very hot summers (40ºC). 620 litres per m2 average annual rainfall. Two predominant winds: poniente (west), fresh and humid; and levante (east), warm and dry.

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

The “albariza” soil . White soil (alba=white), made from the sedimentation of marine diatoms. . Very chalky: high content of calcium carbonate, with 50% to 70% limestone. . Poor in both organic material (1.3% to 1.5%) and nitrogen. . Highly porous – helps retain moisture.

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Authorised grape varieties pedro ximénez moscatel

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

Layout of a new

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Vinification

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

Wine-making: from grapes into wine

1. of the grapes 2. classification of the musts base wine (mosto) 3. alcoholic fermentation

Dry wine-making Sweet wine-making

Fresh grapes Late-harvested or (palomino) sun-dried grapes (PX and Moscatel)

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The base wine . End of November - “deslío”. . Dry . . 11º to 12,5º alcohol. . Spontaneous development of the “flor”.

 flor

 clean wine

 lees

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

Flor – the key to Sherry

. Film of natural (local) yeasts – different strains of saccharomyces. . Protects the wine from oxidation. . Continuous interation with the wine: - consumption of alcohol, dissolved oxygen, remaining sugars, glycerine, acetic acid... - production of acetaldehydes, carbon dioxide...

10 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

Flor – live inside the

. Flor yeasts require precise living conditions:

 temperature (approx. 20ºC)  humidity (> 65%)  aeration...  … and alcoholic content (<16º)

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

Fortification

First classification (january) . pale and light wines: / . heavier, darker wines: O

Fortification (“encabezado”) – addition of pure grape spirit Objetive: increase the wine´s alcoholic strength

/ fino is fortified up to 15º O oloroso is fortified up to 17º

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The different levels of alcohol determines the future ageing of sherry inside the casks

at 15º alc. at 17º alc. the wine keeps the flor the wine loses the flor

biological ageing traditional ageing the flor protects the wine without the flor, the wine is from oxidation exposed to oxidation

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

The “Crianza” (ageing)

12 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

The key factors of Sherry ageing

. Use of casks (“botas”), heavily wine-seasoned. . Dynamic method of “criaderas y solera”. . Different ageing periods for each style.

 american oak casks  600 litres capacity  only filled up to 500 litres (biological ageing)

history denominations viticulture vinificaciónwinemaking crianzaageing diversidaddiversity disfruteenjoy

The “bota”

CH3-CH20H

H20

. Exchange of elements through the layers of the wood (osmosis).  Annual (evaporation) of 3 to 4% of total volume.  Most of the loss is water concentration.

13 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

The system of “criaderas y solera”

. A “dynamic” method of ageing wines. . Based on fractional blendings of different . . Different ageing systems for every style of wine. . Guarantees a consistent quality and personality for the wines, year after year.

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy How does the solera work?

Vintage

nd 2 criadera “rocío”

1st criadera a n d a n a n a d n a solera “saca”

14 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

How old is this wine? What determines the average age of the wine? 1. number of scales

2. percentage of the “saca” nd 3. frequency of the “saca”

2 criadera

The combination of these three 1st criadera factors (different for each wine) determines the rotation (R) of the total stock of wine in the system

a n d a n a n a d n a and consequently, the average age of the wine released: solera Total stock in the system = R Volume of “sacas” in a year

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

The making of Sherry

15 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy The diversity of Sherry dry E.U. Regulations • Vinos Generosos dry

Liqueur wines pale dark • Vinos Dulces Naturales sweet

Natural sweet wines blended • Vinos Generosos de Licor sweet Sweet liqueur wines

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Production scheme for dry

Vinification Vintage Crianza (ageing)

palomino / Fino Complete fermentation

flor Ao 17% _/ fortification 15% O/

17% Oloroso

16 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Production scheme for sweet sherries Vinification Crianza (ageing) moscatel partial fermentation pedro ximénez (over ripe) Moscatel

15%  Pedro Ximénez

“Cabeceos” (blends) – vinos generoso de licor

Fino Pale Cream Manzanilla MCR Amontillado Medium PX Palo Cortado Oloroso Cream

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

Ageing levels

2 4 12 15 20+ 30+

technical Special minimum limitations categories legal ageing

industry Sherry age-reference is always average related to average ageing

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Sherry with certified age: V.O.S. & V.O.R.S. . Certification system based on “sacas” of exceptionally old and rare (sacristía) wines. . Mainly applicable to Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado and Pedro Ximénez. . Three-tier qualification procedure: 1. Blind tasting. 2. Analytical parameters. 3. Shipping quota.

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Evolution of analytical parameters in biological ageing

Average Alcohol Total Acid. Volatile Acid. Achyde Eth. Glycerine PH Dry Colour Gallic ageing in % Vol Tartaric Acid. Acetic acid. mg/L Acte. mg/L Extract 470nm Acid years g/L g/L mg/L g/L mg/L

Base Young Wine 12,0 5,0 0,40 50 75 7,3 3,30 23 0,120 3,1

Sobretabla 1 15,5 4,8 0,30 125 72 3,5 3,23 20 0,112 5,3

3rd Criadera 2 15,3 4,2 0,25 210 70 1,5 3,20 17 0,120 6,8

2nd Criadera 3 15,2 4,0 0,20 275 47 0,7 3,18 15 0,121 8,2

1st Criadera 4 15,0 3,9 0,15 345 44 0,5 3,15 13 0,122 9,6

Solera 5 14,9 3,8 0,10 400 30 0,2 3,13 12 0,125 11,0

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Fino and Manzanilla . Aged only through biological ageing (evolution under flor). . Pale, straw-yellow colour. . Pungent nose, with hints of yeasts (fresh dough) and dry fruits (almonds). . Very dry, light, delicate taste.

 Alcohol content between 15 and 17% vol.  Less than 1 gram of sugar per litre  Total acidity (tartaric) <4 grams / litre  Volatile acidity (acetic) <0.2 grams / litre  Very low level of glycerine (<2 gram / litre)

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

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Enjoying Sherry

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

Remember... Sherry is a wine It should, therefore, be consumed within a reasonable period after purchase.

type of Sherry sealed bottle open bottle . fino / manzanilla up to a year one week (*) . Other sherries (traditionally aged up to 3 years 2 months and blends)

. VOS / VORS undetermined 3 meses

(*) kept in the fridge, properly closed.

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How should I store the bottles? As with any other quality wine, find a quiet place, with a stable temperature, away from strong light and vibrations. . Keep the bottles standing up, so that the surface in contact with the air inside the bottle is reduced to a minimum. . Once unsealed, keep the bottles properly closed, and if there is not much left in the bottle...... find a good excuse to finish it!

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy

What kind of glasses are best for Sherry? . The traditional big “catavinos” is the ideal glass for drinking Sherry. . An all purpose white with a proper bowl (in order to allow the wine to breathe) and a stem (to avoid warming up) would also allow us to enjoy Sherry. . NEVER use a small glass, so that it can be filled up one third with a decent quantity (forget about the “copita”).

Approx. 200 ml. 1/3

21 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Serving temperatures Except for fino and manzanilla (which should always be well-chilled), there are no strict rules for serving Sherry, but these are our… recommended temperatures

. fino y manzanilla – always very cold, between 5 and 7 º C. . pale cream at approximately 7 to 9º C. . other sherries (traditionally aged and blends) between 12 and 14º C. . VOS and VORS, at about 15º C.

history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Sherry and Food recommendations ino anzanilla all kinds of “tapas” salads vinaigrettes and marinades seafood and smoked salmon asparagus artichokes and mild cheese. Amontillado soups and consomm s blue

fish (tuna) and white meats cured cheeses

loroso poultry game and heavy meat dishes (o -tail) mushrooms.

edium pat s and quiches.

ale Cream foie-gras and fresh fruit. Cream (chilled) puddings fruit salads apple tarts cheese. edro imenez bitter chocolate blue cheese ice-cream.

22 history denominations viticulture winemaking ageing diversity enjoy Sherry and cocktails Another “angle” for a most versatile wine. . The organoleptic power of Sherry has always been a source of inspiration for all kinds of cocktails: apperitif, long / refreshing drinks, exotic, sophisticated... . The local versions: - Fino/Manzanilla & lime (7up / Sprite). - Cream on the rocks & orange peel. . An endless collection of cocktails from around the world.

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