Sherry at what stage the sugar is added. Jerez - Andalusian legend of Spain
I would like to continue the topic of Spanish wines and talk about another world famous wine. This wine got its name from the city of Jerez de la Frontera (Jerez de la Frontera, located in southwestern Spain. Perhaps someone closer to its English name Sherry (Sherry). In accordance with the approved classification of wines in Spain , Jerez has a DO category - Denominacion de Origen) - wine with a name controlled according to its origin. Accordingly, Jerez can only be called a wine produced in Spain, in the triangle between Jerez de la Frontera - Sanlúcar de Barrameda - El Puerto de Santa Maria. (This is valid, at least within the borders of the European Union).
Sherry
So, Spanish sherry wine.
Production region
Winemaking in this region dates back to the Phoenicians, who began cultivating the vine around a thousand years BC. BC, but in its modern, fortified form, Jerez has been known for about five centuries. Apparently, the history of its creation is similar to the story of Madeira - so that the wine does not turn sour, brandy was added to it and the degree was raised. (You can read about Madeira) In those days, the local dry wine was not outstanding, inexpressive, but strong. It then received the recognition of ardent fans of strong drinks - the British. It can be said that the region owes its development to them - until now, England buys most of their products. But the main and unique distinctive features of sherry are its production technology and the unique natural conditions of the region.
Usually, three main white grapes are used for wine production - these are Palomino bianco (Palomino), Pedro-Ximenez (Pedro-Ximenez) and Moscatel (Moscatel). Vineyards grow on clayey, highly calcareous soils. Spring moisture stays long under the limestone crust and feeds the vine during the hot summer.
Wine can be either dry or sweet. To obtain sweet varieties, to increase the sugar content, the grapes are dried after harvesting on straw mats for several days. Further, the grape must is obtained by pressing - this is a common stage in winemaking, but here a distinctive feature is the addition of gypsum (the so-called “grape soil”) directly into the loading hopper of the grape press. This gives a specific salinity to the wine, regulates acidity, and also prevents the wort from lactic acid fermentation. The wort is fermented in 500 liter barrels or in more modern stainless steel tanks with the addition of sherry yeast culture.
When fermentation comes to an end, the wine, so to speak, comes to the key "intersection" - on its surface either begins to form, or there is no special film, consisting of yeast culture. It is called “fleur” (can be translated from Spanish as “flower”). If the flair has begun to form, the wine is fortified up to 15% vol. maximum. At this concentration of alcohol, the yeast culture does not die. And if there is no flair, then Jerez is fixed to a higher degree - 17% vol. and more.
Then proceed to the aging stage. Sometimes, the wine can be given a little rest for several months, and then they start a very interesting and specific aging using the Solera technology. Literally this word can be translated as "the oldest barrel". Wine barrels are placed in horizontal rows, like a pyramid. There can be a different number of rows in a solera, but usually 5-7. The filling of the "pyramid" with wine starts from the top row and in the process of aging and aging it is gradually passed into the barrels lying below. The loss of volume is compensated by pouring young wine into the upper barrels. When the wine reaches the bottom row, it is bottled. At the same time, the main point is the contact of the wine with air - the barrels are filled by about three quarters. Thus, wines of different yields are averaged out and approximately the same products are obtained in terms of taste and stability of characteristics. This procedure usually takes at least three years. After aging "under the flavor", the wine is sometimes additionally fortified and aged without the flavor.
There are enough subtleties in technology, and depending on the raw material and the chosen direction, various sherry varieties are obtained. There are a lot of them, at first it is easy to get confused in them, it is better to give a small diagram and everything will be more or less clear.
Variety of varieties
To put it simply, we can distinguish three main types of wine - dry, obtained by aging under the "flavor"; dry, seasoned without "flair"; sweet, obtained from withered (raisin) grapes.
Jerez Fino (Fino) Is always dry Jerez, obtained from Palomino grapes grown in chalky soils. Withstands under the "flair" for at least three years. The color is very light, yellowish, transparent. Its strength, after re-fastening, is usually 17% vol., But it can be less. The sugar content is 0-5 g / l. Jerez Pale Cream - A pale Jerez with a mild flavor, it is a sweet variety derived from Fino. Sugar is taken in wine not because the original must was sweet, but due to the addition of dessert wine at the final stage of production.
Jerez Fino
Back label
Jerez Manzanilla (Manzanilla)- similar to Fino, but it is believed to be more aromatic and sophisticated. (manzanilla - Spanish for chamomile) It is made in the city of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It is believed that the grapes there are more sour. This is most likely due to the fact that harvesting there begins earlier. Another feature of the production of this wine is the exceptional local microclimate - the flair on the surface of the wine can develop almost all year round. There is a variety of Manzanilla Pasada - stronger, up to 20% vol., With a longer exposure.
Jerez Amontillado- these are more rare Jerez, with a mixed type of aging. They first undergo exposure under the "flair", then without it, when the yeast culture dies due to reattachment or by itself, when the concentration of alcohol reaches a critical level for the vital activity of bacteria. The color of these wines is more intense and the taste is more contrasting.
Jerez Palo Cortado- a rare and expensive variety of sherry. At first, it develops like an ordinary Fino, but then, for some unknown reason, the flair dies and the further development of the wine takes place without it upon contact with air. Its name can be translated as - "broken stick", probably because of such a non-standard way of development. To prevent damage during prolonged contact with air, it is also additionally attached after the disappearance of the fleur. Exposure of this variety can be several decades, the color is golden, rich and very pleasant. The taste is complex, with many hints of spices, nuts and wood.
Jerez Oloroso (Oloroso)- literally translated as “aromatic”, these are wines that, in contrast to Fino, developed upon contact with air without flavor. As mentioned above, Oloroso is fixed to a higher degree, to stabilize and to suppress the development of "defective" flora. The color of the wine is richer and the taste is strong with powerful nutty tones and a long aftertaste. In terms of sugar content, the wine is dry, like Fino - 0-5 g / l. There are many sub-varieties of Oloroso: there are wines with a long aging, of a higher category - Old Oloroso; there are blended ones - mixed with sweet varieties of sherry.
Jerez Pedro Ximénez- sweet Jerez, obtained from dried grapes of the same name. Such wines can have a significant aging. Their taste is amazing - very soft and balanced with notes of raisins, figs and nuts. In the aftertaste, notes of oak are well traced, acquired by long aging.
Pedro Jimenez
How and with what to drink Jerez is a separate and long conversation. Each variety has its own gastronomic accompaniment and its own serving temperature. In general, such wines are considered to be good as aperitifs, but this is more true for Fino and Manzanilla.
Due to their powerful taste, they are also good for eating during meals. No fatty or smoked food can overpower the taste of wine. Sweet wines are great for dessert.
In Spain, sherries are widely used in the preparation of various dishes - sweet varieties are a good addition to baked goods; some fino is a great addition to soups; amontillado - as a component of various sauces.
The serving temperature of the different varieties also varies greatly. Wines aged under the "flavor" should be consumed strongly chilled, up to 5 - 7 degrees. Warm, they are not at all attractive and harsh. For Amontillada and Oloroso, the temperature should be higher, about 12-15 ° C. Sweet Pedro Jimenez is also perfectly drunk at 15 degrees. The rule, as for most other wines, is that the longer the aging and the more refined the bouquet (you can read - the more expensive the wine), the higher the serving temperature.
On the one hand, a real jerez - maybe only Spanish, but on the other hand, it would be a big omission not to mention similar wines produced in other countries. Many European countries produce similar wines using similar technologies - France, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Hungary, Ukraine and others. Similar wine is also produced in the New World.
The Spaniards kept the secret of production secret for a long time, only at the beginning of the twentieth century it was lost and similar wines began to be produced abroad. One of the first in this business was Russia (now Ukraine, Crimea). The first samples of local sherry were produced in Crimea even before the revolution. By the middle of the 20th century, wines were industrially produced not only in the Crimea, but also in the Krasnodar Territory, Moldova and Armenia.
Now in the Crimea, jerez is produced in several farms, but, probably, many people know the Crimean, produced by "Massandra". It is made from Spanish grape varieties - Albillo, Verdello and Sersial, however, without using the Solera method. Therefore, on the bottles of such wine, you can see the harvest year. Usually, it is semi-dry, but quite strong, about 20% vol.
I still have a bottle of such a collection wine from 1955, it has been lying for 8 years, somehow there is no reason to drink 🙂
Massandra 1955
In Soviet times, local winemakers experimented a lot and found unconventional solutions - the result is obvious, Crimean jerez are very good!
At the end of our story, we should definitely mention the storage of sherries. Sometimes you can hear that - these are some of the longest lived wines. This is true, but only half. It's all about the type of wine. Those obtained by aging under the "flair" - Fino and Manzanilla are very thin and delicate - they will not lie down for storage, it is better to drink them immediately after bottling. After 4-6 months, they begin to lose their taste and aroma. An open bottle is also not stored. But the Oloroso type can be stored under the right conditions for many years. Sweet varieties can also persist for a long period. (You can read our article about wine storage). For those who do not really want to go into details, you can remember a simple rule of thumb - all strong and / or sweet wine is stored much better than dry and not fortified.
You don't have to go to Spain to enjoy the taste of the amazing sherry wine. Various types of wines can be easily found in wine boutiques and shops, and more simply, in supermarkets.
Sherry) is a fortified wine produced in Spain from white grapes, in the triangle between the cities of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria, located in the southern autonomous community of Andalusia. The alcohol content is from 15% to 22%, depending on the type of sherry. The sugar content for different varieties varies very widely - from 0-5 to 400 grams of sugar per liter of wine [ ] .A distinctive feature in the production of sherry varieties such as Fino and Manzanilla, is the fermentation of grape must under a film of a special type of sherry yeast (the so-called flor). In some types of sherry, this film remains on the surface of incomplete barrels during the entire maturation period of the wine, preventing its oxidation. For sherry varieties such as Oloroso and Amontillado, the so-called oxidative aging is characteristic, when the wine is aged in a barrel, in contact with air (without flora).
Wine brand
Nowadays the word "sherry" is a trademark of wine controlled by origin.
Vineyards and grape varieties
Vineyard with soil "albariza" in the province of Sanlúcar de Barrameda
The soil of the vineyards that bear fruit for the production of sherry is chalky, clayey and sandy. The best wines come from chalky soils called "albariza" (Albariza - "white" in Spanish). It is a soft, porous soil with a high chalk content that easily absorbs water and retains it well in depth. Accordingly, vineyards are divided into two categories by soil type: Jerez Superior(located in areas with soil Albariza) and Zona(located in areas with clay and sandy soils).
The most common grape varieties are:
- Palomino bianco, which ripens earlier than anyone else and produces first-class wines; two types of Mantuo, from which good wine is made and which grow well on sandy soils with a calcareous or chalky subsoil;
- Two types of Mollar, Albillo and Perruno, from which dry wines are made, especially appreciated for their flavor;
- Pedro-Ximenez, Moscatel and Tintilla-de-Rota produce the highest quality sweet wines.
Sherry production
The wine is made from grapes that are quite ripe, for which they resort to a partial, repeated collection. In the production of sweet sherry varieties, most often grapes are laid out on straw mats before crushing or pressing, sometimes exposed to the sun for up to two weeks. After that, the grapes, sprinkled with a small amount of gypsum, are squeezed out. Juice (grape must) is fermented in 40-50 bucket barrels or food grade stainless steel tanks. If initially it is not planned to obtain oxidatively aged sherry - during the fermentation process, a culture of sherry yeast is added to the wort, which form a yeast layer on the surface of the wort - the so-called flor (from Spanish flor- flower), preventing the contact of wine with air.
Jerese warehouse
Coated or not covered with flora, the wine is pre-aged in a barrel for about a year. After that, the young wine is tested and the chief winemaker determines whether the resulting wine will go for the varieties Fino and Manzanilla(which are aged under a layer of flora) or for oxidatively aged sherry - Oloroso- which is aged without flora, contacting with air and oxidizing).
Then the future sherry is fortified, for which they use neutral grape alcohol with a strength of 96% (usually local production, although spirits from neighboring regions can also be used). In order not to shock the young wine with pure alcohol, the fixing process is carried out in stages: first, the required volume of alcohol is diluted with an equal amount of wine in a 50/50 ratio, and then the operation is repeated. Thus, a solution with a strength of 24% is obtained and the bulk of the wine is already fortified with it.
The wine that was selected to obtain the "Fino" sherries ( Fino) or "Manzanilla" ( Manzanilla), is attached to no more than 15.5%, which is the limiting flora for survival. Into the wine that was selected for Oloroso ( Oloroso) or "Amontillado" ( Amontillado), alcohol is added to a strength of 17% or more, and even if there was flor in the barrel, it dies and further aging of the wine occurs in open contact of the wine with air.
The aging of sherries is usually made in incomplete barrels using the Solera y criaderas technology. Before entering the aging system, the wine rests in incomplete barrels from six months to a year. This stage is called sobretablas.
Solera technology is the simultaneous storage and aging of wines from different years of harvest. In the pyramid of barrels, the barrels of the lower row are called directly "Solera" (from Spanish. suelo, "Floor"), the rest of the barrels are called "kriadera". Sherry is bottled strictly from the bottom row, for which a small part of the wine is selected (no more than one third). This part of the wine is topped up from the barrels of the overlying layer of the pyramid. And so on until the very top row, into which young wine is poured. The total number of levels of a solera is usually 3-5.
This aging method leads to the production of sherries that are stable and practically identical in composition and taste for many years.
Sherry varieties
There are the following main types of sherry: Fino, Manzanilla, Pale Cream, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximenes.
Conventionally, all of them can be divided into two large groups: sherries of the type Fino and sherries like Oloroso... The main difference between these two types of wine is the length of time the wine stays under the flora. Fino, manzanilla, amontillado remain under the flora for a period of at least 3 years. Wines of the Oloroso type either do not form a layer of sherry yeast at all on the surface, or spend a fairly short time under it.
Fino- Made from Palomino grapes (isp. Palomino) grown on chalk soil. After careful selection of the raw material, the most promising samples are fixed to 15% and placed in a solera. The whole aging process takes place under flora. This sherry is always dry. Its strength reaches 18%.
Manzanilla is a type of fino produced exclusively in the city of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Thanks to the microclimate, the flora actively reproduces in Sanlúcar all year round, and not eight months a year, as in other regions. This makes it possible to add more young wine to the Solera. In addition, grapes for manzanilla are harvested a little earlier, when they are less sugary and more sour, which also gives this wine a special taste.
Pale cream- classic fino, to which a part of the dessert wine is added for sweetness, usually from Pedro Jimenez or Moscatel grapes.
Amontillado- fino aged after the flor died. This can happen both due to harmful external conditions, and due to the addition of additional alcohol (more often). As a rule, the strength of amontillado is from 16.5 to 18%.
Palo cortado- a rare type of sherry, transitional type. Palo Cortado begins its development as a classic fino and spends considerable time under the flora. However, sometimes in the middle of the wine maturation process, the flora disappears from the surface, and the further process proceeds according to the oloroso technology.
Oloroso- sherry, which, due to the peculiarities of the must and the addition of a certain amount of alcohol, did not form flora (its strength is 16% and higher). Oloroso means "fragrant" in Spanish. Oloroso can be not only dry, but also semi-dry and sweet, depending on the cooking technology and the moment when fermentation stops.
Pedro ximenez is the sweetest kind of sherry. It is made from the grapes of the same name, harvested in the phase of maximum sugar content and additionally withered. Aged in Solera for very long periods (up to 30 years or more). It has a dark, almost black color, an extremely thick consistency, and a strong aroma.
Sherry based cocktails
Jerez has found wide application in the preparation of cocktails-aperitifs. When preparing mixed drinks, it goes best with
Sherry Is a fortified Spanish wine. It is characterized by a strength of about 20 degrees and a sugar content of 2-3%.
More about sherry
Only wines made from white grape varieties grown in the triangle between the cities of Jerez de la Frontera, Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda, which are located in Spanish Andalusia, can bear the official name "sherry".
For dry wines, they use the Palomino variety, for sweet ones - Pedro Jimenez and Moscatel.
The drink has a persistent aroma and tart aftertaste, in which you can distinguish different notes. It all depends on the type of sherry, grapes and the conditions in which it was grown.
In order to get sherry, the grapes are harvested at the end of September. Then it is placed in special oak barrels, where it is stored for several months with the aim of further fermentation. After such a procedure, tasters start working, who need to determine how ripe the semi-finished product is, and what type of wine can be made from it.
Sherry types
Dry: Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo cortado.
Blended sweet: Medium, Pale cream, Cream.
Natural sweet: Pedro Ximenez, Moscate.
Fino and Manzanilla
They are yellowish fortified wines. They have a fruity bouquet and a nutty flavor and are well suited as an aperitif.
Before serving, such sherries must be cooled, the optimum temperature is 5–10 ° C.
When drinking wine, the glass should be held so that its contents do not heat up.
Preference for appetizers should be given to soft cheeses, red or white fish and other seafood.
Amontillado
It is an amber sherry with hints of almonds.
Before serving, the drink must be cooled to 10 ° C.
A distinctive feature of the wine is the ability to eat it with soups, as well as hard cheeses, white meat and blue fish.
A good option for an aperitif.
Palo cortado
A rare "aristocratic" type of sherry that combines the qualities of Oloroso and Amontillado.
It should be cooled to 16 ° C before serving.
They drink wine in small sips, snacking on marinated and smoked fish, various stews, fried and minced meat.
Some connoisseurs prefer to substitute a good cigar for their food.
Sherry, distinguished by a bright, memorable taste of medium dryness, in which pronounced oak notes are caught in combination with aromas of walnut, caramel and fig.
Before drinking, the wine is cooled to 10 ° C.
For an appetizer, pâté or smoked meat is served with it, fresh fruits are also well suited: apple, pineapple, pear, melon.
This sherry is perfect as an aperitif or a digestif with the addition of an orange slice.
The wine is golden in color with predominant notes of walnut. Produced from Palomino Fino grapes.
An appetizer in the form of red meat will be optimal for such sherry; matured cheeses, meat stews, dishes from game, tuna, beef, rooster are also offered.
The best serving temperature is 16 ° C. Can be used as an aperitif.
Sweet wine, dark in color with aromas of spices, nuts, raisins, resin, bird cherry and chamomile.
The taste is sweet with a pleasant sourness.
It belongs to the dessert type drinks, therefore it is served along with sweet cookies or other pastries, as well as ice cream.
Due to the high sugar content, meat or fish appetizers will not work with the drink.
This sherry is cooled down to 13 ° C before consumption.
If you wish, you can throw a few ice cubes into the glass, and if you serve wine with an orange slice, you will get a wonderful aperitif.
Pale cream
Delicate transparent wine with slipping notes of durian and a pleasant aftertaste.
It is made from Palomino grapes with the addition of grape juice concentrate, which gives it sweetness.
Served at 7 ° C.
An excellent snack will be poultry liver or fresh fruit.
Pedro ximenez
Some of the best dessert sherries. It is a velvety sweet mahogany wine that captures the delicate aromas of raisins.
The grapes used in the production are Pedro Jimenez.
Before drinking, the drink should be cooled to a temperature of 13 ° C.
When choosing a snack, you should give preference to blue cheeses, cookies or other desserts.
The wine has a natural sweetness, so only such a snack will help to fully reveal its taste.
Popular brands of Spanish sherry
When choosing sherry, many buyers start off not only from the taste of the drink, but also from its manufacturer. Therefore, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main brands:
It should be noted that this is not a complete list of sherry brands. Each of the producers strives to create a unique drink that will suit the taste of the consumer. Therefore, try, study the flavors and decide on exactly your sherry!
Error or something to add?
Jerez is a fortified wine native to Spain. Sherry is a unique drink that goes well with meat dishes, so it is often consumed at the festive table.
The history of sherry
The history of the emergence of this variety of wine is rooted in the past. In the thousandth year BC. the territory of modern Spain was conquered by the Phoenicians, who were famous at that time as skilled winemakers. On the lands of Spain, thanks to the favorable climatic conditions, beautiful juicy grapes grow, from which, as a result of fermentation, sherry wine is obtained.
During the Middle Ages, Spain supplied sherry to England and Ireland. There this drink was named Sherri. It should be clarified that there is a similar sounding, but different in the spelling of Sherry - a drink made from cherry syrup, but they are not the same thing.
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Currently, only two factories are engaged in the production of sherry according to the original recipe. One of them is located in the Spanish province of Andalusia, and the second is the famous Crimean plant "Massandra". This is due to the optimal combination of weather conditions with production technologies, which contributes to the growth of a special grape variety.
Many people ask themselves the question: "Heres, what is this?" In simple terms, sherry is a wine that is quite strong, with a low sugar content, and has a specific bitter taste in combination with a vanilla bouquet.
Such a peculiar taste, built on contradictory combinations, ensured world popularity of sherry among other varieties of wines.
Useful properties of sherry
Among scientists from different parts of the world, there is an opinion that real sherry has useful properties, due to which it has a beneficial effect on the human body. Of course, if you do not abuse this drink. The composition of the wine is proof of this. Among other ingredients, sherry contains strong substances that neutralize free radicals polyphenols. Thanks to this component, the biological structure and molecules of our DNA are protected from the penetration of those very free radicals, which have a negative health phenomenon that manifests itself in old age. It is scientifically proven that if you provide the body with enough polyphenols, it will avoid diabetes mellitus, disorders of the immune system, hypertension, arthritis, and even cancer.
Therefore, sherry can be used as a remedy. The main thing is to know when to stop. If possible, it is best to consult a doctor to rule out complications.
How sherry is made
In order to competently answer the question of what sherry is, one should understand the technology by which this drink is produced. The main distinguishing feature of sherry from other wines is a special fermentation method. It consists in the following. The grape must is placed in a wooden barrel, as a result, a film should form on the surface - sherry yeast, flair. This film prevents oxidation of future wine.
The full ripening of sherry takes from one and a half to four years. After that, the grape must will be laid out to dry on straw mats. After a little drying, the grapes are squeezed and placed in stainless steel tanks for further fermentation. The sherry obtained using this technology is distinguished by its extraordinary taste among other wines.
Sherry varieties
After the fermentation process, the sherry can be divided into two types: Fino, the strength of which is 20%, and Oloroso, a sherry of a longer aging, with the addition of alcohol.
The main types of sherry:
Manzanilla,
Amontilliado,
Pale Cream,
Palo Cortado
· Pedro Ximenes.
Each of these types has its own strength, different in sugar content and aging.
Fino is the most popular type of sherry, has a dry strong taste.
The rarest sherry is Palo Cordato. It takes the longest time to prepare it. it stays under the film of sherry yeast for the longest time.
Everyone chooses a variety of sherry for themselves, based on their own preferences.
Crimean sherry what is it, what are its features
The climate of Crimea is similar to that of Spain. Thanks to this, in the Crimea at the plant "Massandra" since 1994, sherry has been produced using the technology identical to the Spanish one. Connoisseurs of this drink claim that the Crimean sherry is in no way inferior to the Spanish drink. Sherry "Massandra" conquers with subtle notes of toasted nuts combined with a bouquet of vanilla and bitter almonds. It is best to consume this drink with light snacks. As a remedy, it is used for hypothermia and to strengthen the body.
Sherry is downright an ideal drink for our latitudes: it warms up and knows how to catch up with soulfulness. Only here with us, few know what it is all about and what is good about it. And sherry is a white fortified wine. Now let's figure out where he came from, how it is done and why we urgently need to love him.
Chapter 1. History, well, where without it
I just have juice here
Somewhere in 1100 BC, Phoenicians came in large numbers on the coast of Spain, brought olives, alphabet and grapes, lived and learned how to make wine - by the way, it turned out well, it even went for export. In the 8th century, already AD, the Arabs came to the Spanish land, and with them Islam, the drinking of wine does not approve. All mortal sins were attributed to wine, it was considered a particularly dangerous product - also because it was used in the rituals of enemy religions. On the other hand, who invented alcohol? Arabs. And in the Qur'an, it is wine that is positioned as a source of evil, there is no talk about alcohol. And winemakers are switching to fortified - they say, this is not wine, this is juice with alcohol, if anything. It is in such a lie and in an effort to circumvent the law that sherry is born.
The woman is guilty as always
In 966 the sherry shop was almost closed. The then ruler of Spain, Caliph Al-Hakam II, was about to cut down the vines - his favorite converted to Islam and feared grapes as a potential source of wine. Citizens defended their grapes, they say, ruler, what are you - if there are no grapes, no raisins, and the soldiers of Islam need it, support forces during campaigns against the infidels. Well, then in general the Christians seized power, and they themselves drank wine and watered their horses, the horse is braver from wine.
Passions and conflicts
By the 12th century, sherry began to be transported to Foggy Albion - at first slowly, then more and more actively, the English king Henry I, a glutton and a hooligan, contributed. The Spanish ruler approved of the British passion for sherry: he ordered to take care of the vineyards, to remove the apiaries away from them, otherwise the evil bees would fly in and damage the delicate skin of the grapes .
By the middle of the 15th century, sherry conflicts began in Europe: merchants fought among themselves, everyone wanted to grab more sherry for their homeland. To stop this outrage, the city council of Jerez de la Frontera (the sherry capital, so to speak) compiled a document: they covered everything - from the rules for handling grapes destined to go for sherry to the rules for exporting ready-made sherry to a foreign land.
Little English weaknesses
In short, everything became more comfortable, even in small things - for example, for sherry doomed to leave the country, special port warehouses were erected to be kept closer to the sea, along which it would be taken to suffering Europeans. Yeah, closer to the sea - and closer to the pirates. The pirates became familiar with sherry and made a habit of regularly attacking warehouses. They took their contents to their homeland, and there - no, they did not drink, they sold. The famous pirate Francis Drake once stole 300 barrels of sherry and sold them very successfully at home in England. There they had a weakness for this drink before, but after a pirate promotion, sherry (aka sherry) has become almost a national symbol.
Show documentaries
By the 20th century, the Spaniards realized that everything was serious with sherry, they should attend to quality issues in an adult way. Because the whole world buys regularly, there should be no shame about the product. And that's why - so that the sherry turns out to be worthy not from time to time, but from year to year - a sophisticated system of its aging was invented - it is called criadera and solera, or a dynamic system. Now let's get to that, because it's time to tell how sherry is made.
Chapter 2. How sherry is made
Where?
Real sherry is produced only in the "golden sherry triangle" in the very south of Spain - between the cities (now there will be credits for the Mexican series) Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria.
Of what?
Grapes of 3 white varieties are used: dry sherries are made from Palomino, sweet ones - from Pedro Jimenez and Moscatel.
There are 3 types of sherries:
- Dry, in ascending order of saturation:
fino, manzanilla, amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado - Blended sweet, in ascending order of saturation:
medium, pale cream, cream - Natural sweet:
pedro ximenez, moscatel
1. Dry sherries are made like this:
The grapes were harvested, brought to the winery, pressed in 3 passes. From the first spin they will create fino and manzanilla, the lightest sherries, from the second - amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado, heavier comrades, from the third - sherry vinegar (this is already the joy of culinary specialists). Then some manipulations are performed with the wrung out (ph-correction, etc.) and sent to steel vats, to ferment. In a few weeks we have a dry white wine. Then it is defended, realizes itself as a person, and at this time a flora is formed on the surface of the wine - a film of yeast. Of particular such, they are more resistant to alcohol than other yeast cousins. They will help the wine to become sherry.
Fino and Manzanilla, lighter comrades: The blanks for these sherries are fixed with grape distillate (aka alcohol) up to 15.5 degrees, sent to barrels, to wander under the flora, this very yeast. And they are gluttonous - they suck sugar, oxygen, alcohol from wine. Languishing in a barrel with 500 liters of wine, flor "drinks" 6 liters of alcohol a year. Taking everything they could, the yeast dies off and precipitates. The removal of sugar and alcohol makes sherry more difficult, thanks to oxygen starvation, it retains an exquisite paleness. And the sediment from the dead yeast saturates the sherry with all sorts of important substances (then you can drink and say that it is prevention). At the exit - a light sherry with a harsh apple-sea flavor, as if you are standing on the seashore, gnawing a green apple, and sea spray in your face.
Amontillado, oloroso and palo cortado, richer comrades: The raw materials for these sherries are fortified up to 17-18 degrees, but persistent yeast cannot cope with such problems, they die immediately, and fall into the sediment. And the raw material is sent in barrels to be aged on this sediment. Nobody eats oxygen there, so it darkens over time - at the exit we have sherries with a color from reddish to dark brown, about the density of red wine, the taste is nutty-dried fruit-herbaceous-sea. Now, on the same seashore, you eat dried fruits, nuts, sip herbal infusion.
2. Sweet sherries are made like this:
The grapes were harvested, laid out on straw mats, and dried. It loses moisture, accumulates sweetness and meaning. Then the bunches are pressed, it turns out a viscous, sweet and capricious wort, it cannot ferment, that is, it can process sugar into alcohol. But winemakers give it some time to at least something to come up with, and before that they reinforce it with distillate so that it doesn't turn sour in the process. Then they add more, up to 17-18 degrees - in principle, almost all alcohol in sweet sherry comes from outside. And then they are sent for endurance. And two years later it is no longer "it", but a natural sweet sherry.
Blended sweet sherries are made by crossing dry and natural sweet sherries. Well, not just merge into one container, but at a certain point in production.
The taste is sweet sherry, dried fruit-nutty, noticeably sweetish, but the sea note does not allow to slip into sugary, in texture they are similar to liqueur.
3. About the sophisticated aging of sherries:
This is the very endurance to which the sherries are directed - this is not stupid vegetation locked up, getting old in the bowels of the barrel until they come for you. No, sherry is haunted. Several times a year, older sherry barrels (such barrels are called Solera) are poured into bottles for sale, and the void is filled with sherry from younger sherry barrels (barrels with young animals are called criaderes). This transfusion system is the famous Criadera and Solera. Now you can throw in terms.
At first glance, it seems - well, the hot Spaniards cannot sit still, so sherry is poured back and forth. In fact, this is what: the constant infusion of fresh blood, that is, young sherry, activates the processes in the life of the grandpa sherry, without outside help everything stagnates there, he stops moving towards the truth. And it should be, until you come to the truth - they will not pour you into bottles. And one more thing: from year to year, the grapes grow different (either overripe or greenish), but the sherry is always needed the same. Due to mixing, it is possible to keep a clear, stable taste from year to year. For the sake of stability, this criadera with Solera was invented.
Chapter 3. What sherry to take and what to do with it
1. Dry: Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado
Once again about the taste: In Fino, complete minimalism reigns - apples, the sea. In Manzanilla, apples grow bolder, the sea grows timid, and herbs emerge. The rest of the sherries - amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado go into the nutty-dried fruit and herbaceous theme (the further along the list, the further they go).
When to drink: When you want a subtle philosophy, contemplate the waves and look for the meaning of life, but somehow without the help of Facebook. Or when you need to crank up the general cleaning and tone up before or during.
t: Refrigerate to very cool temperature, you can drink with ice, like a strong one.
How much is stored: A month and a half, maybe longer, just the taste will not be so piercingly bright.
2. Blended sweets: medium, pale cream, cream
Once again about the taste: These sherries taste intriguingly ambiguous. It seems like there are nuts with dried fruits in caramel and a call to decompose in a chair. At the same time, iodine, cough syrups and strict medicinal motives. At the same time, whiskey and a call to adventure.
When to drink: When you need prevention from colds, insomnia, melancholy. Or over YouTube, Facebook, a movie, a book, instead of tea. Or when you want to use the pens, with ice cream, sweet sherry can be used as such an adult syrup.
t: Chill to a slightly cool temperature, and if you are too sweet, then you can harder or throw in ice.
How much is stored: For several months, the taste will change slightly over time, new facets and the like.
3. Natural sweets: pedro jimenes, mosquito
Once again about the taste: Natural sweet tastes like blended, only without intrigue. Confident bias towards dessert and armchair-fireplace mood. So that's great.
When to drink: When it is necessary to beautifully morally decay. When a chair, a cat / dog, an imaginary fireplace. And when you want something sweet, but the cake is for weaklings.
t: Cool not much, just below room temperature, our Russian.
How much is stored: Six months, a year. The main thing is to shut it up well and store it not by the battery or by the window, into which the sun is shining aggressively.
