Sherry

Sherries were originally fortified to create wines with greater longevity or to give them balance.

The dry Sherries made from Palomino in the coastal regions around Jerez in Analusia starting with the youthful Fino and Manzanilla made under the protection of a Flor.

The Flor is unique yeast that grows on top of the sherry protecting it from oxidation. When aged under flor, a wine is considered to be undergoing biological maturation. The flor yeast consuming oxygen, alcohol, and, volatile acidity, in turn, the produce metabolites that add unique characters and textures to the wine. Each Bodega has a unique endemic flor that as Jesús would say is one of the two sherry terroirs, the other the vineyard.

More developed styles are made when the Flor fails exposing the wine directly to oxygen, think Amontillado and Oloroso. These styles of Sherry are darker in colour, higher in alcohol and richer in flavour.

Alcohols in the most developed of the styles Oloroso can reach up to 24%.

All of these wines benefit from extended ageing in barrel using the Solera system to create blends of wines that can include small percentages of wine over a century in age!

Moving inland to Montilla we find the incredible sweet fortifieds made from Pedro Ximénez and Muscat of Alexandria / Muscadelle.

You can read more about the Sherry wines of Spain in the Wine Bites Magazine.

Following changes to naming laws, in Australia Sherry is now called Apera as a play on the word aperitif.