Sherry, the other great fortified wine, is produced in southwestern Spain
in Andalusia. The primary grape in the creation of fine fino is from Palamino.
Most Sherries are 100% Palamino, though they may be sweetned for cream sherries
with Pedro Ximenez (PX) or even less common, the third and only other authorized
grape, Moscatel fino.
Although sherry and port have a great deal in common, the end results are
quite different. What sets sherry apart from port is the point at which
the winemaker adds the neutral brandy. Added to port during fermentation,
the extra alcohol kills the yeast and stops the fermentation, which is why
port is a relatively sweet wine. For sherry, however, the brandy is added
after fermentation.
The unique processes that characterize sherry are controlled oxyidation
and fractional blending. Normally, a winemaker guards against letting air
into the wine during the winemaking process. But that is exactly what makes
sherry - air oxydizing the wine. But a slower oxidizing wine will be lighter
and finer, and is thus more desirable.
Wine is placed in barrels and stored in above-ground cellars called "Bodegas"
(also the term for a Spanish winery). They fill the barrels approximately
two-thirds full and leave the bung loosely in the barrel to let air in.
Here a grey-white film, which is a strain of yeast called the flor,
develops over the wine to a greater or lesser degree protecting the wine
from oxidation. The effect of the flor on Sherry is to absorb remaining
traces of sugar, slow oxidation and lower acidity. The amount of flor to
develop in each vat, determines the classification and its next treatment.
A highly developed flor will classify that vat as a fino or amontillado
and will be fortified to 15.5%. A lesser developed flor will expose a sherry
wine to more oxidation creating a coarser, higher in acid wine and will
be classified a Oloroso and fortified up to 18%. In futher classification
of the wines developing a good flor, the light and delicate wines will be
classified as fino, the richer and fuller, are classified as fino-amontillado
or an amontillado.
The fractional blending is accomplished through the Solera system.
The solera system is an aging and maturing process that takes place through
the continuous blending of several vintages of sherry that are stored in
still rows of barrels (as many as seven and up to 14 in a Manzanilla). Wine
is drawn out of these barrels - never more than one third the contents of
the barrel. The purpose of this type of blending is to maintain the "house"
style of sherry by using the "mother" or oldest wine as a base
and refreshing it with a portion of the younger wines. Thus, there are no
vintage sherries. The date on a bottle of sherry denotes the year in which
the Bodega was established.
There are five basic types of sherry: Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso,
and Cream.
To make Fino sherry, the winemaker adds neutral grape brandy after
fermentation is completed, bringing the alcoholic content to 15 1/2%. The
next and most important step is dictated by nature. With the proper alcohol
content and temperature, a "flor" develops on the sherry. Flor
is a living layer of yeast that forms on the wine and continues to grow
every spring and fall. This flor is responsible for the unique taste of
a fino-styled sherry. Sometimes this flor does not continue or maintain
itself. Then it gradually dies off, the wine takes on a deeper, fuller taste,
and is reclassified as Amontillado.
There is another type of fino called Manzanilla. This wine is made
by the same process as Fino, except for the fact that grapes are grown and
the wine is made in Sanlucar, which is located on the coast. Between the
salt air and the humidity, the flor layer formed on Manzanilla is much denser,
giving the wine a slightly briny taste.
Oloroso sherries are made from sun-dried Palomuno grapes. Like Fino
sherries, the neutral grape brandy is added after fermentation to bring
the alcoholic content up to 15 1/2%. If no flor has developed after 18-24
months, brandy is added again to this coarser more acidic wine, raising
the alcoholic content to 18%.
Cream sherries are a blend of Pedro Xirnenez and Oloroso. Pedro Xirnenez
sherries are made from Pedro Ximenez grapes that have been sun-dried for
10-21 days, the Seleo system. The raisinated grapes have very high residual
sugars and the Pedro Ximenez wines are very dark, thick, syrupy, viscous
and sweet.
Labeling: To add to the confusion in identifying sherry, many
sherry houses name their types of sherries with proprietary names, instead
of simplly Fino or Oloroso. Such as Gonzalez Byass' famed fino, Tio Pepe.
Tio Pepe is their proprietary name for their fino.