Sherry vermouth. All about sherry

21.03.2023 Egg dishes

I want 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 is 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) - a wine with a controlled appellation according to its origin. Accordingly, Jerez can only be called 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 the cultivation of 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, they began to add brandy to it and increase the degree. (You can read about Madeira) In those days, the local dry wine was unremarkable, 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 - so far England buys most of their products. But the main and unique distinguishing features of sherry are its production technology and the unique natural conditions of the region.

Usually, three main varieties of white grapes are used for the production of wine - these are Palomino bianco (Palomino), Pedro-Ximenez (Pedro Ximenoz) and Moscatel (Moscatel). Vineyards grow on clayey, heavily calcareous soils. Spring moisture is stored for a long time under the limestone crust and nourishes the vine throughout the hot summer.

Wine can be both dry and sweet. To obtain sweet varieties, to increase the sugar content, the grapes after harvest are dried on straw mats for several days. Next, grape must is obtained by pressing - this is a common stage in winemaking, but here the distinguishing feature is the addition of gypsum (the so-called "grape soil") directly into the hopper of the grape crusher. This gives a specific saltiness to the wine, regulates acidity, and also prevents the must from lactic acid fermentation. The must is fermented in 500 liter barrels or in more modern stainless steel tanks with the addition of sherry yeast culture.

When the fermentation comes to an end, the wine, so to speak, approaches the key “crossroads” - on its surface either a special film consisting of a yeast culture begins to form or not. It is called “fleur” (it 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 fleur, then Jerez is fixed to a higher degree - 17% vol. and more.

Then proceed to the stage of exposure. Sometimes, the wine can be allowed to rest a little for several months, and then they proceed to a very interesting and specific aging using the Solera technology (Solera). Literally, this word can be translated as “the oldest barrel”. Barrels of wine are placed in horizontal rows, like a pyramid. There can be a different number of rows in the 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 transferred to the lower barrels. 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 wine with air - the barrels are filled by about three quarters. Thus, wines of different vintages are averaged and approximately the same product is obtained in terms of taste and stability of characteristics. This process usually takes at least three years. After aging “under the flair”, the wine is sometimes additionally fortified and aged without the flair.

There are enough subtleties in technology, and depending on the raw materials and the chosen direction, different varieties of sherry are obtained. There are quite 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 "fleur"; dry, aged without fleur; sweet, obtained from dried (raisined) grapes.

Jerez Fino (Fino) is always dry Jerez, obtained from Palomino grapes grown on chalky soils. Aged under the "fleur" for at least three years. In color - very light, yellowish, transparent. Its strength, after re-fastening, is usually 17% vol., but may be less. The sugar content is 0-5 g/l. Jerez Pale Cream - Pale Jerez with a mild flavor, this is a sweet variety that is obtained 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.

Sherry Fino

Label on the back

Jerez Manzanilla (Manzanilla)- similar to Fino, but considered to be more aromatic and refined. (manzanilla - Spanish for "chamomile") They make it in the city of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It is believed that the grapes there are more acidic. This is most likely due to the fact that the harvest there begins earlier. Another feature of the production of this wine is the exceptional local microclimate - the fleur on the surface of the wine can develop almost all year round. There is a variety of Manzanilla Pasada - stronger, up to 20% by volume, with a longer exposure.

Jerez Amontillado (Amontillado)- These are rarer Jerez, with a mixed type of exposure. They first undergo exposure under the “fleur”, then without it, when the yeast culture dies due to repeated fixation or on its own, when the alcohol concentration reaches a critical level for the life of bacteria. The color of these wines is more intense, and the taste is more contrasting.

Jerez Palo Cortado (Palo Cortado)- a rare and expensive variety of sherry. At first, it develops like a regular Fino, but then, for unknown reasons, the fleur dies and the further development of the wine occurs without it in contact with air. Its name can be translated as “a broken stick”, probably because of such a non-standard development path. To prevent damage during prolonged contact with air, it is also additionally fixed after the disappearance of the fleur. The exposure of this variety can be several decades, the color is golden, rich and very pleasant. The taste is complex, with many shades of spices, nuts and wood.

Jerez Oloroso (Oloroso)- literally translated as "aromatic", these are wines that, in contrast to Fino, developed in contact with air without fleur. As I said above, Oloroso is fixed to a greater degree, to stabilize and to prevent the development of “inferior” fleur. The color of the wine is more intense, and the taste is strong with powerful nutty tones and a long finish. According to the sugar content, the wine is dry, like Fino - 0-5 g / l. There are many sub-varieties of Oloroso: there are wines with long aging, of a higher category - Old Oloroso; there are blended - mixed with sweet varieties of sherry.

Jerez Pedro Ximenez- sweet Jerez, obtained from dried grapes of the same name. These wines can have significant aging. Their taste is amazing - very soft and balanced with hints of raisins, figs and nuts. In the aftertaste, notes of oak, acquired by long exposure, are well traced.

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, it is considered that such wines are good as aperitifs, but this is more true for Fino and Manzanilla.

Due to their powerful taste, they are also good to use during a meal. No fatty or smoky food can kill 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 pastries; a little fino is a great addition to soups; amontillado - as a component of various sauces.

The serving temperature of different varieties also varies greatly. Wines aged under the “fleur” should be consumed very cold, up to 5-7 degrees. Warm they are not at all attractive and harsh. For Amontillado and Oloroso, the temperature should be higher, in the order of 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, real jerez can only be Spanish, but on the other hand, it would be a great omission not to mention similar wines produced in other countries. Many European countries produce similar wines using similar technology - France, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Hungary, Ukraine, etc. Similar wines are also produced in the New World.

The Spaniards kept the secret of production a 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 examples of local sherry were produced in the 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 one, 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 year of harvest. Usually, it is semi-dry, but strong enough, 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 is very good!

At the end of our story, we should definitely mention the storage of sherries. Sometimes you can hear that - this is one of the longest-lived wines. This is true, but only half. It's all about the type of wine. Those that are obtained by aging under the “fleur” - 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 type "Oloroso" can be stored under the right conditions for many years. Sweet varieties can also be stored for a long period. (You can read our article about wine storage). For those who don't 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 unfortified.

To enjoy the taste of amazing sherry wine, it is not necessary to travel to Spain. Various types of wines can be easily found in wine boutiques and shops, and what is simpler - in supermarkets.

Real sherry is produced exclusively in Spain. This is what the ubiquitous advertising has been telling us for many years, and now, finally, this statement has become true. Since 1996, no other wine has the right to be called sherry (at least in the European Community). This means that English sherry, Cypriot sherry and South African sherry, if they are sold in the EU, should henceforth be called something else - and it's long overdue.

Authentic sherry (in English - sherry) comes from the city with the same or almost the same name: "sherry" is an anglicization of the name Jerez, which is pronounced by the Spaniards as "heret". But more likely, it comes from "sherez" - as the slightly tipsy sailors could pronounce this word, who for centuries, since the trade began, transported tart-coarse full wine to Northern Europe. The full name of the city, the center of the area where sherry is produced, is Jerez de la Frontera (it reflects its location - for almost a full hundred years it was on the border, frontier, between Christian and Moorish Spain), and it is located approximately 16 km from the Gulf of Cadiz, on the southwestern tip of Spain.

As with port and Madeira in the south of Europe and champagne in the north, the main wine was not very good: inexpressive and sluggish. True, it was strong, with a high alcohol content and found significant demand in the cold north. As with Port and Madeira, much of the sherry trade was created by Irish and English merchants who set up companies in and around Jerez, and as the tastes of buyers developed and became more refined, sellers learned how to local wines create wonderful specimens.

Both the recent crisis in the sherry trade and the one that forced the region to reduce sherry production were the result of a round of price declines in the 1970s. A company called Rumasa bought up most of the old family businesses; in 1983, Rumasa was nationalized and eventually divided into parts, which were later re-privatized. Trade continued to fall as quality slowly recovered and many vineyards were uprooted.

But the good news was that the quality continued to rise and that the old, traditional varieties of dry, aged sherries began to find new markets. Today it is much easier to get sherry of excellent quality than in the days of Rumasa, when cheapness ruled the ball.

A wonderful bouquet of sherry is given, firstly, by a strip of calcareous soil, or albariza. which crosses the central region of cultivated vineyards. On calcareous soils wines are always produced especially light, with a fresh taste. This means that with modern technology it is possible to produce wines of considerable finesse, even in a hot area like this one. And secondly, a unique phenomenon - a yeast film "fleur".

After fermentation, the wines are fortified to approximately 15 percent and placed in special barrels with a capacity of 500 liters, called "butt". Moreover, these barrels remain four-fifths full. On the surface of the most delicate, lightest wines, a slimy velvety film quickly grows. It's called "fleur" and is actually a protective layer of yeast that sits on the surface of the wine, giving it a rather spicy herbal flavor and stopping it from oxidizing. The wine that develops this yeasty film will become dry fino sherry.

If the film does not grow, then the wine is further fortified by the addition of brandy, thereby stopping the accidental growth of "fleur" (yeast film does not like wine with both excessive and too low alcohol content), and it is poured into a barrel so that it can slowly mature and oxidize. Thus, it is at this moment in the life of young sherry that the final division into light Fino wines and darker, richer Oloroso wines takes place. A good fino is amazing, but a good oloroso can reach even greater heights over time.

The main grape variety is Palomino Fino. And while dry fino will in all likelihood be 100 percent palomino, the sweetest varieties can be sweetened with pedro ximénez, in which the sugar content can be increased by drying the grapes on mats in the sun (a traditional method, now rarely used) or in plastic pipes. Alternative ways to sweeten wine include the addition of various varieties of grape concentrate or concentrated must (grape must). The sugar content of Palomino grapes, as well as Pedro Ximénez, can be increased in the same way - in fact, so little Pedro Ximénez is now grown in Jerez that it has to be purchased from nearby Montilla Moriles. .

There are two main varieties of sherry - fino and oloroso, and each style is divided into different directions. Fino is light and dry, with a distinctly reduced astringency. It should be drunk chilled and young. Manzanilla is a type of fino aged by the sea in Sanlú car de Barrameda, one of the three cities of sherry. It can be almost spicy-dry and have a certain note of sea salt - if you're lucky enough to catch the manzanilla young enough.

The most common sherry is amontillado. Usually it simply means a soft, slightly sweetened drink of no particular direction and of no interest. However, the term is more correctly applied only to aged fino, in which the yeast film "fleur" has died, allowing the wine in the cask to intensify and darken, acquiring an exhilarating nutty dryness. The slowly growing popularity of these original wines is one of the most inspiring trends in recent years. The corresponding amontillado should be completely dry.

Oloroso sherries in their natural state - deep, dark, with sharp aromas of roasted almonds - and yet completely dry. They are among the most amazing wines produced in Jerez, and thanks to the renaissance of fine sherry, we are seeing more of them than ever before. But do not reject the sweetened varieties. Yes, oloroso sweetened for profitability is a rather boring, viscous drink, but true dessert olorosos belong to a certain direction. Try not to confuse them when buying. Sherry with the names Milk, Cream, Amoroso, Brown, in all likelihood, are just commercial brands. Interestingly, Pale Creams are not aporoso sherries but sweetened finos.

Palo cortado is a "semi-aged" sherry that has mixed characteristics of both fino and oloroso. It's dry and gorgeous, with a sharp acidic edge, but rare. Finally, there is also Pedro Jimenez. Aged for some time alone in a solera and bottled as a dessert wine, it can be very good, although this wine sometimes doesn't develop the complex pungency of an oloroso and instead has a rich, almost overpowering, deep grape flavor.

CLASSIFICATION

According to the type of soil, the vineyards of Jerez are divided into three groups. "Albarisa" - white, calcareous soils, with a little clay and sand, produce the best, most refined wines. The reduction in vineyard area has affected mainly the less good soils "barros rojos" - richer in alumina, producing heavier wines, and "arenas" - sandy soils more suitable for growing tomatoes and cereals.

SOLERA SYSTEM

All sherries are a blend of wines from different vintages. The goal in making sherry is not to detect differences in harvest years (which are not really that big here), but to achieve consistency from year to year and produce a wine that has a balance of maturity and freshness. Each bottle of sherry therefore contains some very old wine and some very young wine. This is achieved through the Solera system. Imagine rows of barrels. You pour wine into bottles from the barrels of the bottom row and refill it from the barrels of the previous row. Top up the barrels of this row in turn from those that are higher, and so on. The barrels of the topmost row you top up with new wine. In essence, this is the solera system: mature wine is strained from the bottom row, and new wine is added to the top one. Strictly speaking, only the bottom row is called "solera", and all the previous ones are called "criadera". Hundreds of barrels are involved in real "soleras" at each stage. Some "soleras" were started about a century ago, and there are "soleras" for each individual variety of sherry.

ORGANIZATION

In many ways, the dominant feature of Sherry life is the vendors who process the wine. Many of them also own large vineyards. Still, there are a large number of small farms that usually contract with suppliers. Top producers: Barbadillo, Domecq, Don Zoilo, Garvey, Gonzalez Byass, Hidalgo, Lustau (especially almacenista dry sherry, from small private producers), Osborne, Valdespino, Williams & Humbert.

READING THE LABEL

The label indicates the main style of the wine. Qualifying terms such as Viejo (old), Seco (dry), Dulce (sweet) can also be added, and this is a good sign if you want to buy real traditional sherry. Manzanilla Pasada is a manzanilla with extra solera aging and is likely to be very good. Also look out for sherries like almacenista - unblended wines from small private estates that can be great.

ABOUT TASTE

Good sherry, whether dry or sweet, is characterized by sharpness. After all, it's quite high in alcohol: a lightly fortified fino is around 15.5 percent ABV, while a strong oloroso can be over 20 percent ABV. And even the youngest fino will have three to four years of aging, and all this time the wine will gain aroma. Old sherries have an undeniably painful intensity of aroma, which simultaneously mixes sweetness with bitterness, richness with dryness. However, most commercial wine brands are aimed at mass consumption and are bland and forgettable. This is a separate issue in the medium sweet sector, which includes many well-known brand names.

GOOD YEARS

Undoubtedly, in some years the fees are better than in others, but the solera system is just designed to smooth out this phenomenon. Sometimes solera is named after the initial year, but don't pay too much attention to this: the amount of wine that has survived from those early years is scanty.

HOW TO DRINK IT?

Fino or manzanilla, fresh and chilled, is an excellent drink for any time of the day, strong enough to please you and sharp enough to lift you up. As a drink to stimulate the appetite before dinner, they are hard to beat. Fino and manzanilla should be consumed as soon as possible after bottling, although modern bottling technology suggests that most of the major brands will tolerate the long journey from Jerez well and be able to keep in bottles for several months. And don't even think about decanting them - you'll only acidify them. Dry amontllado and oloroso make an excellent aperitif in winter, or they can be served with nuts after dinner. Dessert sherries are also best served after dinner. Sweet, rich Pedro Ximénez goes great with vanilla ice cream.

BUYER INFORMATION

WHAT AM I PAYING FOR?

Commercial sherries have to pay for a massive advertising campaign - and too often advertising is much more attractive than the wine itself. But worthy dry fino and other destinations are an above-average acquisition. Perhaps sherry is the only wine in existence that increases in value as quality and prices go up. Naturally, the finest, rarest old sherries will be quite expensive, but they are also of outstanding quality. Buying such a wine is among the best to date,

AVAILABILITY

Commercial brands will not be difficult to acquire. At present, it is not so difficult to find more refined sherries.

USEFUL INFO

Valdespino Inocente Fino quality 8*, price 7*, value 8*

Good Years: There is no harvest year for sherry as such. In essence, all sherries are a mixture of wines from several years.

Taste notes: Commercially available sherry varieties range from cheap, forgettable, medium-sweet blends to sophisticated, hand-crafted wines with inimitable strong character.

Attention, only TODAY!

In the triangle between the cities of Jerez de la Frontera, San Lucar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria, located in the southern autonomous region - Andalusia. Alcohol content up to 20%, sugar about 3%.

A distinctive feature in the production of sherry is the fermentation of grape must under a film of a special type of sherry yeast (the so-called fleur). In some types of sherry, this film remains on the surface of incomplete barrels for the entire period of wine maturation, preventing its oxidation. All types of sherry are distinguished by excellent taste and delicate aroma.

Wine brand

Currently, the word "sherry" is a brand name for wine controlled by origin.

Vineyards and grape varieties

The soil of the vineyards that produce fruit for the production of sherry is calcareous, clay and sandy. The best wines come from chalky soils; they are called Albariza. The most common grape varieties are:

Palomino bianco, which matures the earliest and produces first-rate wines; two kinds of Mantuo, which make good wine and grow well in sandy soils with calcareous or chalky subsoil;
Two types of Mollar, Albillo and Perruno, from which dry wines are made, especially appreciated due to their bouquet;
Pedro-Ximenez, Moscatel and Tintilla-de-Rota produce top quality sweet wines.

Sherry production

sherry warehouse

Wine is made from grapes that are fully ripe, for which they resort to a partial, repeatedly repeated collection. Most often, before crushing or pressing, grapes are laid out on straw mats, exposed to the sun, sometimes up to two weeks (for sweet wines). After that, the grapes, sprinkled with a small amount of gypsum, are squeezed out. Juice (must) is fermented in 40-50 bucket barrels or food grade stainless steel tanks. During the fermentation process, sherry yeast culture is added to the must.

The resulting wine is tested and divided into two types: fino or oloroso, depending on whether the flor (flower) has begun to form on the surface of the wine. The wine that will be sherry "fino" (fino) is fortified to a value of 15%, which is the limit for the survival of the fleur. In the wine that becomes "oloroso" (oloroso), alcohol is added to a fortress of 17% or more, and further aging takes place in open contact of the wine with air.

Sherries are usually aged 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.

The Solera technology consists in the simultaneous storage and aging of wines of different vintages. In the pyramid of barrels, the barrels of the bottom row are called "solera" directly, the rest of the barrels are called "criadera". Sherries are bottled strictly from the bottom row of barrels, for which a small part of the wine is taken from them (no more than one third). This part of the wine is added from the barrels of the overlying layer of the pyramid. And so on to the very top row, into which young wine is poured. The total number of solera levels is usually 7.

This method of aging leads to the production of sherries that are stable and almost identical in composition and taste properties 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 Fino type and sherries of the Oloroso type. The main difference between these two types of wine is the length of time the wine stays under the veil. Fino, manzanilla, amontillado stay under a film of fleur for a period of at least 3 years. Wines like Oloroso either do not form a layer of sherry yeast on the surface at all, or they spend a rather short time under it.

Fino - Produced from Palomino grapes grown on chalky soil. After a careful selection of primary material, the most promising samples are fixed up to 15% and placed in solera. The entire aging process takes place under the fleur. This sherry is always dry. Its strength reaches 18%.

Manzanilla is a type of fino produced exclusively in the city of San Lucar de Barrameda. Due to the microclimate, the fleur actively breeds in San Lucar 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, the grapes for Manzanilla are harvested a little earlier, when they are less sugary and more acidic, which also gives this wine a special taste.

Pale Cream is a classic fino that has a portion of dessert wine added for sweetness, usually from Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel grapes.

Amontillado is Fino aged after the fleur has died. Fleur can die either due to harmful environmental conditions or due to the addition of additional alcohol (more often). As a rule, the fortress of amontillado is from 16.5 to 18%.

Palo Cortado is a rare type of sherry, transitional type. Palo cortado begins its development as a classic fino and spends a significant amount of time under the flair. However, sometimes in the middle of the wine maturation process, the fleur disappears from the surface and the further process goes according to the Oloroso technology.

Oloroso - sherry, which, due to the characteristics of the must and the addition of a certain amount of alcohol, did not form a flair (its strength is 16% or more). Oloroso means "fragrant" in Spanish. Oloroso can be not only dry, but also semi-dry and sweet, depending on the preparation technology and the moment the fermentation is stopped.

Pedro Ximenes is the sweetest kind of sherry. It is made from grapes of the same name, harvested in the phase of maximum sugar content, and additionally dried. It is aged in solera for very long periods (up to 30 years or more). It has a dark, almost black color, extremely thick texture, strong aroma.

sherry cocktails

Sherry has found wide application in the preparation of aperitif cocktails. When preparing mixed drinks, it goes best with vodka, gin, whiskey. If necessary, sherry can replace dry white vermouth.

Links

Alcoholic drinks
High alcohol drinks 66-96%:	Absinthe Alcohol Pervach
Strong alcoholic drinks 31-65%:

Alcohol content up to 20%, sugar about 3%.

Wine brand

Currently, the word "sherry" is a brand name for wine controlled by origin.

Vineyards and grape varieties

Palomino bianco, which matures the earliest and produces first-rate wines; two kinds of Mantuo, which make good wine and grow well in sandy soils with calcareous or chalky subsoil;
Two types of Mollar, Albillo and Perruno, from which dry wines are made, especially appreciated due to their bouquet;
Pedro-Ximenez, Moscatel and Tintilla-de-Rota produce top quality sweet wines.

Sherry production

sherry warehouse

This method of aging leads to the production of sherries that are stable and almost identical in composition and taste properties for many years.

Sherry varieties

There are the following main types of sherry: Fino, Manzanilla, Pale Cream, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximenes.

Pale Cream is a classic fino that has a portion of dessert wine added for sweetness, usually from Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel grapes.

sherry cocktails

Sherry has found wide application in the preparation of aperitif cocktails. When preparing mixed drinks, it goes best with vodka, gin, whiskey. If necessary, sherry can replace dry white vermouth.

Links

Alcoholic drinks
High alcohol drinks 66-96%:	Absinthe Alcohol Pervach
Strong alcoholic drinks 31-65%:	Aquavit Arak Armagnac Balsam Becherovka Borovichka Brandy Bumbo Vignac Whiskey Vodka Grappa Gin Zubrovka Calvados Kirschwasser Cognac Kukuy Maotai Mark Mescal Metaxa Palinka O-de-vie Rakia Rum Moonshine Slivovitz Slivyanka Tequila Ouzo Schnapps Chacha
Medium alcohol drinks 9-30%:	Wine Cherry Vermouth Mulled Wine Grog Punch Liqueur Honey Punch Sake Sangria Sherry Champagne Sheridan
Low alcohol drinks 1.5-8%:	Braga Kumys Kvass Perry Beer Pulque Sbiten Cider Tesguino Toddy

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

See what "Sherry (wine)" is in other dictionaries:

- (Xeres de la Frontera) a city in the Spanish province of Cadiz; 62 thousand inhabitants Moorish castle Alcazar; several old, gothic-style churches. X. is famous for its winemaking (see Sherry, wine). In ancient times, there was a Roman colony Hasta ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

GRAPE WINE- a drink obtained as a result of alcoholic fermentation of grape juice (must); contains organic acids, mineral salts, vitamins, phosphorus, pectin; some wines also contain sugar. There are canteens (dry and semi-sweet), fortified ... ... The Concise Encyclopedia of the Household

- (from the city of the same name in Andalusia, near which it is dressed). Strong wine of light yellow color. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. SHERRY Strong wine produced near the city of Jerez de la ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

WINE- WINE, in the broad sense of the word, drinks obtained by alcoholic fermentation of juice from all kinds of fruits and berries. There are grape, raisin, fruit, berry and grain wines, the so-called vodka (see). V. in and and fence represents a drink, ... ... Big Medical Encyclopedia

Sherry: Sherry is a strong wine produced in Spain. Jerez Massandra Jerez del Marquesado is a municipality in Spain, part of the province of Granada, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. Jerez de la Frontera is a city and municipality in Spain, included in ... ... Wikipedia

wine (what)- ▲ wine wine an alcoholic beverage obtained by fermenting fruit (such as grape) juice. dry wines: Riesling. cabernet. aliquot. sylvaner. rkatsiteli. sherry. Rhine wine. tsinandali. alicante. lafitte. chikhir. fortified wines: port wine. ... ... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language

Jerez. It comes from the name of the Spanish city of Jerez de la Frontera. Fortified or table wine with a strong specific bouquet and a salty bitter refreshing aftertaste arising from the development of a sherry yeast film, which ... ... Culinary Dictionary

Sherry is a traditional fortified wine from the Spanish province of Andalusia, made from several selected varieties of white grapes. Depending on the type of drink, its strength is 15-22 degrees. The sugar content fluctuates even more in the range of 0-400 grams per 1000 ml of sherry.

By the way, in the English tradition and transliteration, this drink is called Sherry.

The Spaniards consider this wine their national treasure. Therefore, it is not surprising that the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula have achieved recognition of the exclusive rights to use its name. Moreover, according to international laws, only wine produced according to the correct technology, in a small piece of Andalusia, can carry such a name.

How to drink sherry?

This seemingly simple question cannot be answered unambiguously. Everything will depend on the specific type of sherry, the bottle of which fell into your hands.

Eight varieties are currently produced:

Pedro Jimenez (pedro ximenez);
Oloroso;
Manzanilla (Manzanilla);
Fino (Fino);
Pale Cream (Pale Cream);
Amontillado (Amontillado);
Medium (Medium);
Palo Cortado.

Each of these varieties has its own history. Not surprisingly, they all require and deserve special treatment. The Spaniards consider it a frank disrespect for their homeland when foreigners start tasting their favorite wine without really understanding how to drink sherry.

However, there are two old rules for its use, which will unite all existing varieties.

The classic sherry glass is shaped like a tulip. Of course, the use of the right dishes is the lot of sommeliers and aesthetes. At home, as a rule, ordinary wine glasses are used.
The main wine of Spain does not tolerate fuss. It should be drunk in small sips, discovering the whole palette of taste and aroma.

Features of drinking different varieties

Variety Pedro Jimenez (pedro ximenez) This is the most popular type of dessert sherry. Its feature is a unique flavor that eludes the taster. Pedro Jimenez should be drunk chilled to a temperature of 12-13 degrees Celsius.

The ideal option is to serve it with black tea and dessert. Another great appetizer option is noble blue cheese.

Manzanilla and Fino This is a classic dry sherry. These wines are excellent aperitifs. They should be consumed before meals. A glass of any of these sherries will make you hungry.

Manzanilla and Fino are served in the same tulip-shaped glasses, chilled to 5-9 degrees. As an appetizer, seafood, fish and soft cheeses (for example, Brie, Roquefort, and Camembert) are suitable.

The most expensive sherry is Fino.

Amontillado is also dry sherry. First of all, it differs from its previous counterparts in suitable snacks. This is due to the fact that it is not an aperitif. It should be served at the table during a meal chilled to 9-10 degrees. As an appetizer, white poultry meat, soup and hard cheeses (for example, Gouda, Cheddar and Radamer) are great with it.

Pale Cream served chilled to 6-7 degrees. Such sherry can be eaten both with fruits and poultry liver dishes.

Oloroso- has a wonderful smell. It is produced in different versions. Olorosso is semi-dry, dry and dessert. As a rule, it is drunk as a digestif. The correct temperature is 15-16 degrees.

Medium when serving, cool to 9-10 degrees. A variety of pate and smoked meat are considered traditional snacks for it.

Palo Cortado use at its temperature of 16-18 degrees. This noble drink is advised not to eat at all. But lovers of a good cigar or cigarette may well smoke while using it.

Production specifics

The main technological feature in the production of sherry is the use of gypsum and flora. Flor is a special yeast fungus that creates a dense, oxygen-impermeable film during the fermentation of wine. However, let's talk about everything in order.

1. It all starts with the September grape harvest. In the production of sherry, the following grape varieties are used:

Pedro Jimenez;
Moscatel;
Tintilla de Rota;
Mollar;
Albillo;
Perruno;
Mantuo;
Palomino Bianco.

2. Then the berries removed from the vines are additionally dried in the sun for 7-15 days.

3. After that, sometimes they start plastering. Winemakers, using only signs known to them, determine the content of calcium carbonate in raw materials. If they come to the conclusion that it is not enough, then the berries are additionally sprinkled with plaster.

5. The juice is poured into barrels where it is kept from 2.5 to 50 days.

6. After that, the same flor is added to the sherry casks. A film is formed that keeps the drink in a special, air-tight cocoon.

7. Then comes the mounting process. From time immemorial, in the production of sherry, pure grape spirit was used for this purpose. It is at this stage that the division into specific varieties occurs.

Can it be done at home?

At home, you can make wine that, to your taste, will vaguely resemble the Spanish original. If you still decide on this, then stick to this technology.

For this we need the following ingredients:

white grapes - 5 kg;
sherry yeast - 100 grams;
chalk or gypsum - 50 grams.

Proper preparation of sherry.

Keep the grapes in the sun for a week.
After that, sprinkle the berries with plaster.
Next, squeeze the juice using any method familiar to you.
Pour the juice into oak barrels for 50 days.
After that, sherry yeast should be added to the young wine.
After that, it should be left for another 30-50 days.

As a result, you are unlikely to get, say, Oloroso, but the taste of home-made sherry will still please you.

sherry cocktails

To date, bartenders have come up with a huge number of similar cocktails. They have been made for a very long time and there are many options. We bring to your attention the three most successful in our subjective opinion.