I don’t know about you, but for me the phrase “dry sherry” sounds a little strange. Let's try to figure out what it is and how dry sherry differs from regular sherry. Sherry can be sweet and dry, meaning it contains less than five grams of sugar per liter of drink. Let's look at the types of dry sherry:

Let's start with the Fino category, the strength of this sherry is approximately 15-18%, it is produced from the Palomino grape variety through normal ripening. The character of sherry is quite light, the color ranges from pale golden to straw. The aroma is very delicate, it combines notes of flowers and fruits, the taste is a little dry, and almond tones appear in the aftertaste. Fino sherry is usually served chilled to 8-10 degrees as an aperitif. It goes well with light snacks: nuts, olives, ham, as well as seafood such as anchovies or sushi. In addition, it is an ideal companion for canned and pickled foods due to its low acidity.

The second category is stronger than the first, the alcohol content in Amontillado sherry is 17-22%, the alcoholic drink is obtained from the Palormino grape variety through biological and then oxidative maturation. This sherry is much darker than the previous one, its color is more reminiscent of amber. The character of dry sherry is soft and light. There is a slight sourness in the taste, accompanied by nutty tones, and the aftertaste also has a nutty tint. The ideal serving temperature is 14-15 degrees Celsius. This alcoholic drink goes well with soups and broths, tuna, white meat, mushrooms and artichokes.

The strongest dry sherry is Oloroso, its alcohol content ranges from 18 to 22 degrees. It is obtained from the Palormino grape through a single oxidative ripening process. The color of sherry is not much darker than fino, the character is very full, well structured, the aroma is unobtrusive. The taste of dry sherry is rich, full, and the aftertaste is neutral. Ideally, the serving temperature should be kept within 13-14 degrees; the wine is ideal with red meat, kebabs, stews and hard cheeses.

By the way, sweet sherry is traditionally obtained from dry sherry by simply adding sweet sherry wine or concentrated wort. In regular sherry, sugar ranges from 45 to 115 grams per liter, and the strength is approximately 15-22%. The main difference between sweet and dry sherry was the taste. Ordinary sherry can be compared to vermouth - a sweet fortified wine that gives lightness to the body and brightness to the thoughts. But dry sherry, at the same strength, has a very specific taste; in it, sugar does not overwhelm the subtle nuances and combinations of bouquet components, which makes it much richer and more interesting than its sweet brother.

You and I can be proud of our country! During the existence of the Soviet Union, sherry was also produced in our country, as well as the national alcoholic drinks of other countries. We must pay tribute to our compatriots and residents of the post-Soviet space, sherry was a great success, so let's look at this issue in a little more detail. The first and quite successful attempts to create Russian sherry were made back in Tsarist Russia. The pioneer was a certain A. M. Frolov-Bagreev, who received the first samples in 1908-1910. Stream production of sherry began in 1930 in Armenia, the first sherry was called “Ashtarak”. Since 1936, they began to produce “Crimean” sherry, and mass production began at the end of the war, around 1944-1948. In the Soviet Union, they produced vintage fortified wines called sherry, such as “Byurakan”, “Ashtarak”, “Moldova”, “Ialoveni Dessert Sherry”, “Strong Vintage Sherry”, “Crimean Sherry”, “Tarki-Tau”, “ Donskoy sherry”, “Dagestan sherry”. In addition, a lot of ordinary sherry of low quality was also produced - “Yantar”, “Sherry”, “Stolovy”. I won’t lie, the events of the late 80s and early 90s shook not only people’s minds, but also the production of most essential goods to this day. in decline, let alone exotic! Although Russian people are accustomed to having fun even in the most difficult times, they still now have to use foreign “amplifiers” of tone. Russian sherry, including dry sherry, is going through hard times, and Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine are, for us, even close, but foreign countries. Perhaps the most famous sherry produced in the USSR even now, twenty years later, is “Massandra”. The history of this brand, unfortunately, is not full of mysterious murders, breathtaking chases and dizzying romances, but it is also interesting. The Spaniards managed to keep the specifics of production secret for centuries, but in 1900 the Ukrainian A.P. Zelheim. An employee of the Massandra was sent to the homeland of sherry as a spy. He failed to dispel the veil of secrecy over the production of sherry, which, by the way, consisted only of a special mold that spread like a film over the surface of the young wine. Then the testers struggled for forty years to completely reproduce the Spanish conditions for aging sherry, they finally managed to get their own mold, after that everything went like clockwork and already in 1944 the Massandra No. 2 plant opened. Soon the secret was transferred to Oreanda, and over the course of twenty years, the two factories established the widest production of sherry wines, sold throughout the country. Now in Ukraine, the Caucasus, and Moldova there is active production of sherries, and some of them can be put on a par with the best Spanish ones in terms of quality, but, fortunately, not in price.

Dry sherry is an internationally recognized aperitif, thanks to its low strength, tangible taste and almost complete lack of spirituality, it could become a serious rival to our national alcoholic drink - vodka, but, apparently, its time has not come yet. I advise you with all my heart - drink sherry, historically, it is no less “Russian” than vodka!

I would like to continue the topic about Spanish wines and talk about another world-famous wine. This wine got its name from the name of the city of Jerez de la Frontera (Jerez de la Frontera, located in the southwest of 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, only wine produced in Spain, in the triangle between Jerez de la Frontera – Sanlúcar de Barrameda – El Puerto de Santa Maria, can be called Jerez. (This applies, at least within the borders of the European Union).

Sherry

So, the Spanish wine is sherry.

Region of production

Winemaking in this region dates back to the Phoenicians, who began cultivating vines around a thousand years BC. e., but in its modern, fortified form, Jerez has been known for about five centuries. Apparently, the story of its creation is similar to the story of Madeira - to prevent the wine from turning sour, they began to add brandy to it and increase the degree. (You can read about Madeira) In those days, local dry wine was unremarkable, inexpressive, but strong. It was this that gained recognition from ardent fans of strong drinks - the British. It can be said that the region owes its development to them - England still 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.

Typically, three main varieties of white grapes are used to produce wine: Palomino bianco, Pedro-Ximenez and Moscatel. The vineyards grow on clayey, heavily limed soils. Spring moisture is retained for a long time under the crust of limestone and nourishes the vine throughout the hot summer.

Wine can be either dry or sweet. To obtain sweet varieties, to increase sugar content, the grapes after harvest are dried on straw mats for several days. Next, 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 crusher. This gives the wine a specific saltiness, 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, approaches a key “crossroads” - a special film consisting of a yeast culture either begins to form on its surface or does not. It is called “fleur” (can be translated from Spanish as “flower”). If the flair has begun to form, the wine is fortified to 15% vol. maximum. At this alcohol concentration, the yeast culture does not die. And if there is no flair, then Jerez is strengthened to a higher degree - 17% vol. and more.

Then they begin the aging stage. Sometimes, the wine can be allowed to rest a little for several months, and then they begin a very interesting and specific aging using the Solera technology. 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 a solera, but usually 5-7. Filling the “pyramid” with wine begins from the top row and, during the process of aging and aging, it is gradually transferred to the barrels below. The loss of volume is compensated by adding new wine to 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 the air - the barrels are filled approximately three-quarters. Thus, wines from different vintages are averaged 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 fleur,” the wine is sometimes additionally fortified and aged without the fleur.

There are enough subtleties in the technology and, depending on the raw materials and the chosen direction, different types of sherry are obtained. There are quite a lot of them, at first it’s easy to get confused in them, it’s 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 “fleur”; dry, aged without “fleur”; sweet, obtained from dried (raisined) grapes.

Jerez Fino (Fino)– this is always dry Jerez, obtained from Palomino grapes grown on chalk soils. Aged under “fleur” for at least three years. The color is very light, yellowish, transparent. Its strength, after re-fastening, is usually 17% vol., but may be less. Sugar content is 0-5 g/l. Jerez Pale Cream – A pale, mild-tasting Jerez, this is a sweet variety that comes from Fino. Sugar is added to wine not because the original must was sweet, but due to the addition of dessert wine at the final stage of production.

Fino sherry

Reverse label

Jerez Manzanilla (Manzanilla)– similar to Fino, but considered more aromatic and subtle. (manzanilla means “chamomile” in Spanish) 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 begins earlier there. Another feature of the production of this wine is the exceptional local microclimate - a 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 longer aging.

Jerez Amontillado– these are rarer Jerez, with a mixed type of aging. They first undergo aging under the “fleur”, then without it, when the yeast culture dies due to re-attachment or by itself, when the alcohol concentration reaches a critical level for the life of bacteria. The color of these wines is more saturated 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 unknown reasons, the fleur dies and further development of the wine occurs without it when in contact with air. Its name can be translated as “broken stick,” probably because of such a non-standard path of development. To prevent damage due to prolonged contact with air, it is also additionally secured after the flair disappears. The aging 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– literally can be translated as “fragrant”, these are wines that, in contrast to Fino, developed in contact with air without flair. As I said above, Oloroso is strengthened to a higher degree, to stabilize and to prevent the development of “inferior” flair. The color of the wine is more saturated, 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 subvarieties of Oloroso: there are wines with 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 with the same name. Such wines can have significant aging. Their taste is amazing - very soft and balanced with notes of raisins, figs and nuts. In the aftertaste, notes of oak acquired by long aging are clearly visible.

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

Due to their powerful taste, they are also good to eat during meals. No fatty or smoked food can interrupt the taste of wine. Sweet wines are perfect for dessert.

In Spain, sherry is widely used in the preparation of various dishes - sweet varieties are a good addition to baked goods; a little fino is a great addition when making 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 chilled, up to 5 - 7 degrees. Warm, they are not at all attractive and harsh. For Amontillayado and Oloroso the temperature should be higher, about 12 – 15°C. Sweet Pedro Ximenez also drinks well 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 big 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 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 matter was Russia (now Ukraine, Crimea). The first examples 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 Crimea, but also in the Krasnodar Territory, Moldova and Armenia.

Now in 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, Verdelho and Sercial, although without using the solera method. Therefore, you can see the vintage year on the bottles of such wine. Usually, it is semi-dry, but quite strong, about 20% vol.

I still have a bottle of this collectible wine from 1955, it’s been sitting there for 8 years now, but somehow there’s no reason to drink it :)

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 sherry. 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 “fleur” - Fino and Manzanilla are very thin and delicate - will not last for storage, they are best drunk 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 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 stores much better than dry and unfortified wine.

You don’t have to go to Spain to enjoy the taste of amazing sherry wine. Various types of wines can be easily found in wine boutiques and stores, and, for simpler ones, in supermarkets.

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 throughout the entire period of wine maturation, preventing its oxidation. All types of sherry have an excellent taste and delicate aroma.

Brand of wine

Currently, the word "sherry" is a trademark of wine controlled by origin.

Vineyards and grape varieties

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

1. Palomino bianco, which ripens earlier than everyone else and produces first-rate wines; two species of Mantuo, from which good wine is made and grows well in sandy soils with a calcareous or chalky subsoil;
2. Two types of Mollar, Albillo and Perruno, from which dry wines are produced, especially valued for their bouquet;
3. Pedro-Ximenez, Moscatel and Tintilla-de-Rota produce sweet wines of the highest quality.

Sherry production

Jerez warehouse

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

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

Sherries are usually aged in half-casks using the “solera and criadera” (Solera y criaderas) technology. Before entering the aging system, the wine rests in incomplete barrels for six months to a year. This stage is called sobretablas.

The solera technology involves simultaneous storage and aging of wines from different vintages. In the pyramid of barrels, the bottom row barrels are called “solera”, the remaining barrels are called “criadera”. Sherries are bottled strictly from the bottom row of barrels, for which a small part of the wine is selected 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 until the very top row, into which new wine is poured. The total number of solera levels is usually 7.

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

Sherry varieties

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

Conventionally, all of them can be divided into two large groups - Fino-type sherries and Oloroso-type sherries. The main difference between these two types of wine is the length of time the wine stays under the veil. Fino, manzanilla, and amontillado remain under the fleur film for at least 3 years. Wines like Oloroso either do not form a layer of sherry yeast on the surface at all, or spend a fairly short time under it.

Fino - Made from Palomino grapes grown on chalk soil. After careful selection of primary material, the most promising samples are fortified to 15% and placed in solera. The entire aging process takes place under cover. 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. Thanks to the microclimate, flora actively reproduces 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 to which a portion of dessert wine, usually from the Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel grapes, is added for sweetness.

Amontillado is a fino aged after the fleur has died. Fleur can die both due to harmful external conditions and due to the addition of additional alcohol (more often). Typically, the ABV of Amontillado ranges 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 considerable time under the flair. However, sometimes in the middle of the wine maturation process, the flair disappears from the surface and the further process follows the oloroso technology.

Oloroso is a sherry that, due to the characteristics of the wort and the addition of a certain amount of alcohol, has not formed a flair (its strength is 16% and above). 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 when fermentation is stopped.

Pedro Ximenes is the sweetest type 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 consistency, and strong aroma.

Sherry-based cocktails

Sherry is widely used in the preparation of aperitif cocktails. When preparing mixed drinks, it goes best with vodka, gin, and whiskey. If necessary, sherry can replace dry white vermouth.

see also

• Sherry Massandra

Links

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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 here... ... 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 table (dry and semi-sweet), fortified... ... Concise Encyclopedia of Housekeeping

- (from the city of the same name in Andalusia, near which it is made). Strong wine of light yellow color. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. SHERRES Strong wine made 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 bread wines, the so-called vodka (see). V. in and and fence represents a drink,... ... Great Medical Encyclopedia

Sherry: Sherry is a strong wine produced in Spain. Jerez Massandra Jerez del Marchesado 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... ... Wikipedia

wine (what kind)- ▲ wine wine is an alcoholic drink obtained by fermenting fruit (for example, grape) juice. dry wines: riesling. cabernet aligote. sylvaner. rkatsiteli. sherry. Rhine wine. tsinandali. alicant. Lafite sneeze. fortified wines: port... ... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language

Jerez. Derived from the name of the Spanish city Jerez de la Frontera. A strong or table wine with a strong specific bouquet and a salty, bitter, refreshing taste resulting from the development of the sherry yeast film, which... ... Culinary dictionary

Sherry is truly an ideal drink for our latitudes: it warms you up and manages to instill soulfulness. Only few people here know what it is and what’s good about it. And sherry is a white fortified wine. Now let’s figure out where it came from, how it’s made and why we urgently need to love it.

Chapter 1. History, well, where would we be without it?

Yes, I just have juice here

Somewhere in 1,100 BC, the Phoenicians came to the coast of Spain in large numbers, brought olives, the alphabet and grapes, lived and learned to make wine - by the way, it turned out well, it was even exported. In the 8th century AD, Arabs came to Spanish soil, and with them Islam, which did not approve of drinking wine. All mortal sins were attributed to wine, and 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 Koran, it is wine that is positioned as a source of evil; there is no mention of alcohol. And winemakers are switching to fortified wine - they say, this is not wine with us, this is juice with alcohol, if that. It is in such lies and in the desire to circumvent the law that sherry is born.

The woman is to blame, as always

In 966, the sherry shop was almost closed. The then ruler of Spain, Caliph Al-Hakam II, was going to cut down the vines - his favorite had converted to Islam and was wary of grapes as a potential source of wine. The citizens defended their grapes, they say, ruler, what are you doing - if there are no grapes, there will be no raisins, but the warriors of Islam need them, they support their strength during campaigns against the infidels. Well, then, in general, the Christians seized power, and they drank wine themselves and watered their horses; wine made the horses braver.

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 hooligan, contributed. The Spanish ruler approved of the English passion for sherry: he ordered to take care of the vineyards, remove apiaries away from them, otherwise 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 disgrace, the city council of Jerez de la Frontera (the sherry capital, so to speak) drew up a document: they outlined everything - from the rules for handling grapes that are destined to be used for sherry, to the rules for exporting ready-made sherry to foreign lands.

Little English weaknesses

In short, everything has become more convenient, even in small things - for example, for sherry, doomed to leave the country, special port warehouses were built so that it could be stored closer to the sea, along which it would be transported to the suffering Europeans. Yeah, closer to the sea - and closer to the pirates. The pirates became familiar with sherry and began the habit of regularly attacking warehouses. They took their contents to their homeland, but there they didn’t drink them, they sold them. The famous pirate Francis Drake once stole 300 barrels of sherry and very successfully sold it at home in England. They had a weakness for this drink before, but after a pirate promotion, sherry (aka sherry) almost became a national symbol.

Show me the documents

By the 20th century, the Spaniards realized that everything was serious with sherry, they needed to take care of quality issues like an adult. Because the whole world regularly buys, there should be no shame in the product. And that’s why - so that the sherry turns out worthy not from case to case, but from year to year - they invented a sophisticated system for aging it - called criadera and solera, or the dynamic system. Let's get to that now, because it's time to tell you 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, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria.

Of what?

The grapes used are 3 white varieties: dry sherries are made from Palomino, sweet sherries are made from Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel varieties.

There are 3 types of sherry:

• Dry, in increasing saturation:
  fino, manzanilla, amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado / fino, manzanilla, amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado
• Blended sweet, in increasing saturation:
  medium, pale cream, cream / medium, pale cream, cream
• Natural sweet:
  pedro ximenez, moscatel

1. Dry sherry is made like this:

The grapes were collected, brought to the winery, and pressed in 3 passes. From the first pressing 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 a culinary delight). Then some manipulations are done with the pressed product (ph correction, etc.) and sent to steel vats to ferment. After a few weeks we have dry white wine. Then it settles, realizes itself as a person, and at this time flor is formed on the surface of the wine - a film of yeast. Particularly, they are more resistant to alcohol than other yeast brethren. They will help the wine become sherry.

Fino and manzanilla, lighter friends: The preparations for these sherries are fortified with grape distillate (aka alcohol) to 15.5 degrees, sent to barrels to ferment under the flor, this same yeast. And they are voracious - they suck sugar, oxygen, and alcohol out of wine. While languishing in a barrel with 500 liters of wine, the flor “drinks” 6 liters of alcohol in a year. Having taken everything they could, the yeast dies and precipitates. The deprivation of sugar and alcohol makes the sherry more complex; thanks to oxygen deprivation, it retains its exquisite pallor. And the sediment from the deceased yeast saturates the sherry with all sorts of important substances (then you can drink it and say that it’s prevention). The result is a light sherry with a harsh apple-sea taste, as if you were standing on the seashore, gnawing on a green apple, and sea spray in your face.

Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado, richer comrades: The raw materials for these sherries are fortified to 17-18 degrees, but persistent yeast can no longer cope with such problems, they die immediately and fall into sediment. And the raw materials are sent in barrels to be aged on this lees. Nobody eats oxygen there, so it darkens over time - at the end we have sherries with a color from reddish to dark brown, the density is approximately like red wine, the taste is nutty, dried fruit, herbaceous and sea. Now, on the same seashore, you eat dried fruits, nuts, and drink herbal infusion.

2. Sweet sherry is made like this:

The grapes were collected, laid out on straw mats, and dried. It loses moisture, accumulates sweetness and meaning. Then the bunches are pressed, the result is a viscous, sweet and capricious wort; it is not particularly capable of fermenting, that is, converting sugar into alcohol. But winemakers give it some time for at least something to ferment, and before that they fortify it with distillate so that it does not turn sour in the process. Then they fortify it further, up to 17-18 degrees - in principle, almost all the alcohol in sweet sherry comes from outside. And then they send it to aging. And after two years it is no longer “it”, but natural sweet sherry.

Blended sweet sherries are made by crossing dry and natural sweet sherries. Well, not just pour it into one container, but at a certain point in production.

Sweet sherry tastes like dried fruit and nuts, noticeably sweetish, but the sea note prevents it from slipping into cloying, its texture is similar to liqueur.

3. About the complicated aging of sherry:

This is the very aging that sherry is intended for - this is not stupid vegetation locked up, aging in the depths of a barrel until they come for you. No, sherries are not given rest. Several times a year, about a third of older sherry casks (such casks are called soleras) are poured into bottles for sale, the void is filled with sherry from younger sherry casks (young casks are called criaderas). This system of transfusions is the famous criadera and solera. Now you can throw around terms.

At first glance, it seems like the hot Spaniards can’t sit still, so they pour the sherry back and forth. In fact, this is this: the constant infusion of fresh blood, that is, young sherry, activates the processes in the life of the sherry-grandfather, without outside help everything stagnates there, he stops moving towards truths. But it would be necessary, until you come to the truth, they won’t bottle you. And one more thing: from year to year the grapes grow differently (sometimes overripe, sometimes greenish), but the sherry you need is always the same. Thanks to mixing, it is possible to maintain a clear, stable taste from year to year. For the sake of stability, this criadera with solera was invented.

Chapter 3. Which sherry to take and what to do with it

1. Dry: fino, manzanilla, amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado

Once again about taste: Complete minimalism reigns in Fino - apples, sea. In Manzanilla, the apples grow bolder, the sea becomes timid, and the grasses emerge. The rest of the sherries - Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado - go into the nutty, dried fruit and herbaceous theme (the further down the list, the further they go).

When to drink: When you want subtle philosophy, contemplate the waves and look for the meaning of life, but somehow without the help of Facebook. Or when you need to do some spring cleaning and toning before or during.

t: Cool to a very cool temperature; drink with ice, like a strong drink.

How long is it stored? A month and a half, maybe longer, but the taste won’t be as piercingly bright.

2. Blended sweets: medium, pale cream, cream

Once again about taste: These sherries taste intriguingly ambiguous. It seems like there are nuts with dried fruits in caramel and an invitation 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 YouTube, Facebook, a movie, a book, instead of tea. Or when you want to have it in your arms, with ice cream, sweet sherry can be used as an adult syrup.

t: Cool to a slightly cool temperature, and if it’s too sweet for you, you can add more heat or add ice.

How long is it stored? Several months, the taste will change slightly over time, new facets and the like.

3. Natural sweets: pedro jimenez, moscatel

Once again about taste: Natural sweets taste similar to blended ones, only without the intrigue. A confident focus on desserts and an armchair-fireplace mood. So that's great.

When to drink: When you need to beautifully decompose morally. When a chair, a cat/dog, an imaginary fireplace. And when you want something sweet, but cake is for weaklings.

t: Cool not much, just below room temperature, our Russian temperature.

How long is it stored? Six months, a year. The main thing is to close it well and store it not near a radiator or near a window where the sun shines aggressively.

Sherry wine– a fortified wine drink, traditionally produced in Spain. Sherry can also be found under the name "sherry". The drink is produced mainly from white grapes. Production is concentrated in cities such as Jerez de la Frontera and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Depending on the type of wine, its strength ranges from 15% to 22%.

On the international market, only a drink made from white grapes in Spain has the right to be called sherry.

It is a drink with a refreshing taste and almond-nut aroma. Its taste has a distinctly salty and bitter taste, and its aroma has a pleasant pungency.

The drink got its name from the name of the Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera. This town used to belong to the Phoenicians, the Moors called it Sherez. The Spaniards, who then got it, began to call it Jerez. The drink was already known in the 6th-7th centuries. The British simply called this wine “sherry”. Wines became famous thanks to the rapid development of navigation, as well as as a result of Spain's trade with England, France, and America.

This wine can rightfully be called a drink with a long history of existence; it traveled with Christopher Columbus, and Ferdinand Magellan also took it with him on his travels. Queen Elizabeth I of England claimed that sherry is the best of wines.

The region in which these wines are produced is also called the “sherry triangle”. This is where the highest quality products are produced. The technology for their production was fully formed by the 18th century. Modern sherry production is practically no different from that which existed for many years. The region's climate is dry and high in temperature, which contributes to the production of dry wines.

This drink was first obtained due to a coincidence. Since wines spoiled quickly in the hot climate of Andalusia, winemakers suffered considerable losses. One day, someone added a little wine alcohol to a barrel of wine, and as a result, the drink was not only well preserved, but also acquired new taste qualities.

Sherry can be stored for decades, not only without spoiling, but also improving its delicate taste. There is a wine age that is about 100 years old.

The Spaniards say that a grandfather makes good sherry and his grandson drinks it.

Today you can find sherry-type wines not only in Spain, but also in Romania, Ukraine, and South Africa. In Spain they sell sherry produced exclusively in Andulasia.

History of wine

The history of the origin of sherry says that the birthplace of this wine is the Spanish town of Jerez de la Frontera, where wine production began at the end of the second millennium BC. The first to bring grapes to the city were the Phoenicians. At that time, sherry was famous for its very long shelf life, since yeast was not added to the wine, but simply boiled.

But in the eighth century AD, the territory of Spain was captured by the Moors. And among them was Caliph Alkahen II, who ordered the destruction of all vineyards so that no wine could be produced, since he believed that sobriety of mind should be the norm of life. However, the farmers were against it and made Alkahen understand that the grapes were needed to obtain juice, raisins and dolma for the warriors who participated in the campaigns.

During the Reconquista, Europeans expelled the Moors from the city of Jerez de la Frontera, and mass winemaking was resumed there in 1264 by Alfonso X.

However, only the British brought sherry enormous popularity and demand throughout the world. London nobles began importing wine to different cities, and soon decided to issue rules that specified how to grow and when to harvest grapes to produce wine.

Since 1944, sherry wine began to be made in Crimea, and soon it received the name “Sherry Massandra”.

Below is video information about the production of sherry.

Varieties and types of sherry

The drink can be classified according to different criteria. Thus, it is customary to distinguish between light or dry and sweet or rich sherry. The most famous representative of light sherry is Fino, whose strength is 16%. Similar to this is Monzanilla sherry, which is produced near the sea coast and therefore has a slight iodine flavor.

All sherry can be divided into two kinds : Fino (fino) and Oloroso (oloroso). They differ in the type of production.

Sherry Fino Before going on sale, it must remain under a film formed by a special type of wine yeast for at least 3 years. The drink is made from Palomino grapes, grown on chalk soil. This type of sherry it always turns out dry with a strength of about 18%. Fino is considered the most popular type of sherry. It is aged in barrels, where sherry yeast accumulates for decades, under the influence of which the drink acquires its amazing taste and aroma.

Jerez Oloroso remains under the yeast film for a short time. Translated, the name of this species means “fragrant”. For certain reasons, this wine does not form “flor”, i.e. sherry yeast. Oloroso is a dessert wine and is very popular in Scandinavia and England.

In addition to the Fino and Oloroso species, there are also subspecies or varieties :

Manzanilla - refers to the basic type of Fino, its peculiarity is that it is produced exclusively in the town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The climate of this city is very favorable for the life of sherry yeast. Microorganisms in this region are able to reproduce all year round, and not just for 8 months. The grapes that go into the production of Manzanilla give the drinks a special taste.

Pale Cream – also refers to the basic type of Fino, differs in that one part of dessert wine is added to it.

Amontillado – the drink belongs to the basic type of Fino, it is produced after the sherry yeast has died. This can happen if some alcohol has been added to the wine or as a result of unfavorable conditions.

Palo Cortado - a transitional variety of sherry, at first it is produced according to the Fino type, but then the technology is interrupted and goes according to the Oloroso type.

Pedro Ximenes – this variety of sherry is considered the sweetest of all. The grapes used for its production are as ripe as possible, and they are additionally dried. This sherry has an impressive aging period (up to 30 years or more). The drink is very thick, has a dark color, and a pronounced aroma.

Production Features

Like any other alcoholic drink, sherry has its own production characteristics.

The vineyards for the production of this drink grow on chalky, clay or sandy soils. The most successful specimens are obtained from soils called "Albarisa", or chalky, white soil. Its characteristic features are that it easily absorbs moisture and retains it well inside. In this region, although the grapes do not produce huge yields, they do ensure the high quality of the resulting drinks.

To produce sherry, ripe grapes of certain varieties are used. So, in the southwest of Spain it is made from varieties such as Palomino, Muscatel, Pedro Jimenez. When producing sweet wines, the grapes are harvested and spread out in the sun for several weeks. Due to special climatic conditions, the grapes are dried directly on the branches, which contributes to their high sugar content. The tannin content in such grapes is slightly reduced. The grapes are harvested by hand, then the juice is squeezed out of it, which is then fermented.

Types of sherry such as Fino and Manzanilla are characterized by the fact that in their production special wine yeasts are used, which are called “sherry yeast”. These microorganisms not only contribute to the fermentation of wine, but also cover the barrels with the drink with a film that prevents the oxidation of sherry. This process even has its own scientific name – sherrying. In Spain, the yeast required for this process, namely Saccharomyces oviformis var. Cheresiensis, called "flor". As a result of the vital activity of yeast, islands are formed on the surface of the wine, which then combine into a pinkish film, which later falls to the bottom of the container.

Oloroso and Amontillado wines, on the contrary, come into contact with air during aging and do not form a film. They are characterized by so-called oxidative aging. In order to speed up this process, sherry is first kept in the sun for at least 3 years, and then stored in warm cellars called “bodegas”.

The wine is fortified with grape alcohol of 96% strength. Before being sent out for aging, sherry must go through a stage called sobretablas. Sherry is aged in partial barrels according to the “solera and criadera” technology. These barrels are never completely full or completely empty. The technology is a method of storing wine in stacked barrels. The bottom row of barrels is called solera, and the top row is called criadera. The top row is filled with young wine, and after each year of aging, the barrel with the drink is lowered below. Only the bottom row, or solera, is bottled. In order not to destroy the sherry film, the barrel is never turned over. Part of the harvest always remains in the barrels that belong to the solera, which makes it difficult to determine the age of the drink. This original method of storing wine allows you to obtain drinks that are stable in taste.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of sherry wine are determined by its composition. The drink is an excellent way to lower bad cholesterol levels. Moderate doses of sherry will not only not cause harm, but will also protect the cardiovascular system from various diseases. In addition, wine has a great effect on digestion and increases appetite.

How to choose the best sherry?

To choose the best sherry, you need to consider several very important recommendations:

It is best to buy sherry that has been produced in Spain as it is of higher quality than its counterparts. However, experts say that the sherry produced at Massandra is not inferior in quality.

It is necessary to ensure that the manufacturer, brand and expiration date are indicated on the label. The best among the wines of this variety are considered to be sherry from:

• Antonio Barbadillo (his famous Oloroso Seco Cuco and Manzanilla Solear brands are best drunk before meals as an aperitif);
• Emilio Lustau Almacenista (the famous Palo Cortado brand is characterized by a rich aroma and goes well with cheese);
• Garvey (vintage wines Amontillado, Onana, San Patrico are recommended to be drunk slightly chilled and tasted with seafood);
• Gonzalez Byass (Oloroso and Fino brands go well with blue cheese, sponge cake, pudding and fruit);
• Osborne (Sherry brand wine is best consumed with hot dishes, meat and fish products, smoked cheese);
• Sanchez Romate (Pedro Ximenez vintage wine is characterized by its rich color and sweet taste, as well as a thicker consistency among other alcoholic beverages).

Real sherry wine can be found on the shelves of specialized stores selling collectible wines.

You need to ask the seller when the sherry was bottled. The spill period should not exceed twelve months.

How to drink and what to snack on?

In order to understand the taste and aroma of sherry, you need to know how to use it correctly.

Sherry is rightfully considered the king of aperitifs. It is recommended to combine it with smoked meats, fish, meat, and other fatty dishes.

To enjoy the taste of this noble Spanish drink, you need to take care of special glasses. They drink wine from tulip-shaped glasses, in the absence of which it is quite acceptable to use wine glasses. It is customary to drink sherry in small sips, slowly.

Fortified wines of this type with a light taste are served chilled to 5 degrees; they go well with cheeses, seafood, and fish dishes. It is recommended to combine desserts with desserts or sweet pastries. Some types of sherry are usually eaten with olives. Almonds or walnuts are also great as a snack. You can also snack on sherry with spicy cheese.

If the wine is left unfinished, it must be corked as quickly as possible and the bottle should be placed in the refrigerator.

Use in cooking

In cooking, sherry wine is widely used to prepare a variety of alcoholic cocktails. It is usually combined with vodka and whiskey. In cocktails, you can use white vermouth instead of sherry.

Sherry can also be used to prepare various meat dishes or sauces and gravies. For example, you can cook paella with rabbit. For this you will need a rabbit carcass, rice, carrots, mushrooms, red onions, mussels, spices, and sherry. To begin with, the rabbit is butchered, the meat is cut into portions, fried in a frying pan with onions, carrots, mushrooms, and sherry is added. Next, boil 8 mussels for 10 minutes. In another pan, boil 600 g of rice, after which boiled mussels are placed in it, then fried vegetables and meat are added. The paella is left to cook over low heat. When the water boils, add spices. Garnish the paella with fresh carrots.

What can be substituted in recipes (sherry analogues)?

There are only a few wines that can be substituted for sherry in recipes. If a recipe requires dry sherry wine, its analogue is dry white vermouth. If you need to use sweet wine to prepare a dish, sherry can replace red sweet vermouth.

Sometimes cooks advise replacing sherry with fruit juice, which should first be boiled, and then add spices (cinnamon and cloves) and dried dates and figs.

To prepare hot dishes (soups) and roasts, you can use mirin instead of sherry.

If the recipe calls for sweet sherry, it can be replaced with sugar or honey syrup.

Cahors is considered an analogue of sherry for making sauce.

For example, to make a dish of marinated beef with sesame seeds, sherry can be replaced with regular white wine.

To prepare Peking duck, you can substitute either wine vinegar or rice vinegar for the sherry wine in the recipe.

How to do it at home?

Real sherry is, of course, produced in Spain, but you can make your own homemade equivalent.

To do this you will need 10 kg of white grapes, 100 g of chalk, 200 g of sherry yeast. The grapes are harvested by hand and then kept in the sun for three days to dry the berries. The grapes are then pressed and the specified amount of chalk is added to them before pressing. The juice is fermented; oak barrels are best suited for this purpose. The juice usually begins to ferment after 12 hours, then it is kept in barrels for 40-50 days, after which 200 g of sherry yeast is added to the young wine. Under the influence of yeast, a film is formed on the wine, which protects the sherry from oxidation. The finished wine tastes very similar to real Spanish sherry.

The benefits of sherry wine and treatment

The benefits of this drink have long been known to folk medicine. This wine has long been considered a medicine. Doctors recommended drinking a glass of sherry during apathy, as well as after serious illnesses. It was believed that sherry helped to gain strength and recover faster from physical or mental stress. English pharmacists at one time even introduced sherry into general use as a medicinal drink.

Harm of sherry wine and contraindications

The drink can cause harm to the body due to individual intolerance, as well as with excessive consumption. Like any other alcoholic drink, sherry is contraindicated for consumption by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children. For some chronic diseases, for example, ulcers, wine is also contraindicated.