SPAIN
·
The third largest
wine-producing country in the world.
·
Bulk are ordinary, some fine
ones, and of course . . . Sherry
·
New laws in 1970 – modern
methods helped raise standards.
·
Production and labeling
governed by INDO (Instituto National de Denominacione de Origen)
·
Wines labeled DO are of
guaranteed standard – but not as stringent as AOC.
·
There are 28 wine regions.
RIOJA
·
Northern Spain, bordering Ebro
river.
·
Very popular (still made by
traditional methods).
·
Best are reds but whites also
are good.
·
Reds often aged for more than
10 years. Whites are had young.
·
Grapes/wines are sold to
shippers who produce blended brands.
·
Some notable brands: Imperial, Ygay, Marques de Riscal
LA MANCHA
·
Central Spain, south-east of
Madrid.
·
Huge concentration of wines.
·
The town of Valdepeñas gives
its name to many wines.
·
Chiefly strong reds.
CATALONIA
·
North-east, near Barcelona.
·
Red, white and rosé.
Penedés
·
North-east coastline, between
Barcelona and Tarragona.
·
Best known for sparkling wines
but stills also produced.
Andalucia
·
South-west coast – most famous
wine-region of Spain.
·
Other than the delimited Sherry
district, two famous districts are Montilla and Malaga.
·
Other regions
·
Valencia, Las Campañas, Basque,
Extremaduro, Aragon, La Nava, Ceberos, Etc.
SHERRY
·
Sherry is a complex blend of
wines, fortified by the addition of spirits.
·
Appeared in England in the
early 16th century – immediately popular.
·
Fortification for easy
travelling.
·
The English called it sack -
from Spanish sacar (to export).
·
Main town: Jerez de la Frontera
·
Jerez → Sherris → Sherry
·
Andalucia – from Portuguese
frontier in the west to Mediterranean in the east.
·
Sherry district between
Guadalquivir and Guadalete rivers.
·
Jerez de la Frontera is the
Sherry capital.
·
Other towns are: Sanlucar de
Barrameda, Cadiz and Puerto da Santa Maria.
Soil
·
Albariza (lime, chalk,
magnesium & clay)
·
Barros (clay)
·
Arenas (sandy)
Grapes Used
·
Palominos (white) – classic and
finest for Sherry – 90% are Palomino vines.
·
Others: Mantuo Castellano,
Mantuo de Pilla, Cañocazo
·
Pedro Ximenez – very sweet,
used mainly for blending.
MANUFACTURING OF SHERRY
Unusual
and unique process.
Fully
ripened grapes brought to pressing house
â
Placed
on round, woven esparto grass mats (for 12 to 14 hours)
â
Juice
concentrated = high sugar content
â
Brought
to pressing hall with lagars
â
Men
tread with hobnailed shoes.
â
Gypsum
is sprinkled → cream of tartar in grapes breaks down to tartaric acid = higher
acidity.
â
Actual
pressing with a screwpost (grape pulp piled evenly, covered with broad esparto
ribbon and the post is turned)
â
Juice
gushes forth filtered though the grass ribbon
â
Received
in the waiting butt
â
Butts
of mosto sent by trucks to bodegas in the Sherry towns.
â
Fermentation
is violent in the first week.
â
Slows
down and takes up to 3 months = a completely dry wine.
â
Racked
into new casks
(even
at this stage the vintner does not know what type of wine is going to develop)
â
A
white and soft flor appears on the wine in some of the casks
(gives
distinctive character to dry Sherries).
â
Two
basic categories:
•
Fino (fine) – thick and heavy flor
•
Oloroso (rich fragrant) – little or no flor
The
wine is incorporated into a solera system for maturing and blending with
old wines → the new wine acquires the characteristics of the older wines.
â
Never
drawn out more than 1/3rd from the solera → continually blending
wines → continuity of style for centuries.
â
Sometimes
wines from more than one soleras are blended to create a brand.
â
Put
into fresh casks and fortified with brandy:
•
Fino – 15%
•
Oloroso – 18%
â
Further
blending, if desired:
•
Darker: vino de color
•
Sweeter: vino dulce, dulce apagado
â
Clarified with egg white/white Spanish earth.
â
Bottling
TYPES OF
SHERRY
The Fino
Group
·
Manzanilla: a very dry, very pale, light-bodied fino that has been developed
in the bodegas of Sanlucar de Barrameda, where the salty air of the Atlantic
ocean contributes to the fragrance of the wine.
·
Fino: a very dry, very pale,
medium-bodied fino from Jerez.
·
Amontillado: dry, pale to light gold,
fuller-bodied.
The Oloroso Group
·
Oloroso: usually sweet, deep golden,
full-bodied and nutty.
·
Cream: sweet, deep golden, full-bodied
and nutty.
·
Brown: very sweet, dark brown,
full-bodied and nutty.
SOME FAMOUS SHIPPERS
Gonzalez Byass, La Riva, Williams &
Humbert, Pedro Domecq, Harvey’s
USES OF SHERRY
·
A fine drink on its own (before/after dinner).
·
Accompaniment with some foods.
·
Popular cooking alcohol.
SPANISH SPARKLING WINES
Vino Espumoso
·
Lately quite popular.
·
Some are good, especially from Penedes.
·
Most are sweet.
SOME SPANISH LABEL TERMS
·
Tinto: Red
·
Blanco: White
·
Rosado: Rosé
·
Cepa: grape variety
·
Reserva: matured quality
·
Vino de mesa/pasto: table wine
·
4º Ano / 4 Anos: bottled at 4 years old.
·
Consejo Regulador: organising and controlling
co-operative body