Posts
Hello Wine Lovers!
This morning a good friend receives his annual delivery of Christmas Trees for the season and as I have for a number of years, along with many friends and neighbors, we gather to help him unload 2 semi's full of trees, wreaths and roping. By no means was it cold, but it was chilly. You spend a couple of hours out in he weather today and a chill comes over you. After it was all over, I headed home with the anticipation of two things. Lighting a fire and retrieving a bottle of Sherry out of the cellar. I did both! Which leads me to this entry...Sherry. What is it and my review of the Sherry I opened. Let's talk Sherry!
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez (Jerez de la Frontera), Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez.
In Europe, "Sherry" is a protected designation of origin; in Spanish law, all wine labeled as "sherry" must legally come from the Sherry Triangle, which is an area in the province of Cádiz between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María. (See map)
After fermentation is complete, sherry is fortified with brandy. (Somewhat like Port)Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, most sherries are initially dry, with any sweetness being added later.
Sherry is produced in a variety of styles, ranging from dry, light versions such as finos to darker and heavier versions known as olorosos, all made from the Palomino grape.
Jerez has been a centre of viniculture since wine-making was introduced to Spain by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC. The practice was carried on by the Romans when they took control of Iberia around 200 BC. The Moors conquered the region in AD 711 and introduced distillation, which led to the development of brandy and fortified wine.
Christopher Columbus, brought sherry on his voyage to the New World and when Ferdinand Magellan prepared to sail around the world in 1519, he spent more on sherry than on weapons, my type of guy! Ok... now we talk about styles.
*Fino ('fine' in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry. The wine is aged in barrels under a cap of flor yeast to prevent contact with the air.
*Manzanilla is an especially light variety of fino Sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
*Manzanilla Pasada is a Manzanilla that has undergone extended aging or has been partially oxidised, giving a richer, nuttier flavour.
*Amontillado is a variety of Sherry that is first aged under flor but which is then exposed to oxygen, producing a sherry that is darker than a fino but lighter than an oloroso. Naturally dry, they are sometimes sold lightly to medium sweetened.
*Oloroso ('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of Sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a fino or amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine. With alcohol levels between 18 and 20%, olorosos are the most alcoholic sherries in the bottle. Again naturally dry, they are often also sold in sweetened versions (Amoroso).
*Palo Cortado is a variety of Sherry that is initially aged like an amontillado, typically for three or four years, but which subsequently develops a character closer to an oloroso. This either happens by accident when the flor dies, or commonly the flor is killed by fortification or filtration.
*Jerez Dulce (Sweet Sherries) are made either by fermenting dried Pedro Ximénez (PX) or Moscatel grapes, which produces an intensely sweet dark brown or black wine, or by blending sweeter wines or grape must with a drier variety.
*Cream Sherry is a common type of sweet sherry made by blending different wines, such as oloroso sweetened with PX.
Wow... all that, now just drink it!
My entry today is Pedro Romero Amontillado Sherry, available at Binny's for around $10 a bottle. Buy it, on those cold nights, have a glass with a nice fire, a good book and your honey sittin close to you!
You will find this wine to be Medium-bodied and off-dry, with caramel, roasted walnut and nut flavors. Builds nicely on the palate to a long, caramel-tinged aftertaste with a smooth finish.
Cheers!
J
This morning a good friend receives his annual delivery of Christmas Trees for the season and as I have for a number of years, along with many friends and neighbors, we gather to help him unload 2 semi's full of trees, wreaths and roping. By no means was it cold, but it was chilly. You spend a couple of hours out in he weather today and a chill comes over you. After it was all over, I headed home with the anticipation of two things. Lighting a fire and retrieving a bottle of Sherry out of the cellar. I did both! Which leads me to this entry...Sherry. What is it and my review of the Sherry I opened. Let's talk Sherry!
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez (Jerez de la Frontera), Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez.
In Europe, "Sherry" is a protected designation of origin; in Spanish law, all wine labeled as "sherry" must legally come from the Sherry Triangle, which is an area in the province of Cádiz between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María. (See map)
After fermentation is complete, sherry is fortified with brandy. (Somewhat like Port)Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, most sherries are initially dry, with any sweetness being added later.
Sherry is produced in a variety of styles, ranging from dry, light versions such as finos to darker and heavier versions known as olorosos, all made from the Palomino grape.
Jerez has been a centre of viniculture since wine-making was introduced to Spain by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC. The practice was carried on by the Romans when they took control of Iberia around 200 BC. The Moors conquered the region in AD 711 and introduced distillation, which led to the development of brandy and fortified wine.
Christopher Columbus, brought sherry on his voyage to the New World and when Ferdinand Magellan prepared to sail around the world in 1519, he spent more on sherry than on weapons, my type of guy! Ok... now we talk about styles.
*Fino ('fine' in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry. The wine is aged in barrels under a cap of flor yeast to prevent contact with the air.
*Manzanilla is an especially light variety of fino Sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
*Manzanilla Pasada is a Manzanilla that has undergone extended aging or has been partially oxidised, giving a richer, nuttier flavour.
*Amontillado is a variety of Sherry that is first aged under flor but which is then exposed to oxygen, producing a sherry that is darker than a fino but lighter than an oloroso. Naturally dry, they are sometimes sold lightly to medium sweetened.
*Oloroso ('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of Sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a fino or amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine. With alcohol levels between 18 and 20%, olorosos are the most alcoholic sherries in the bottle. Again naturally dry, they are often also sold in sweetened versions (Amoroso).
*Palo Cortado is a variety of Sherry that is initially aged like an amontillado, typically for three or four years, but which subsequently develops a character closer to an oloroso. This either happens by accident when the flor dies, or commonly the flor is killed by fortification or filtration.
*Jerez Dulce (Sweet Sherries) are made either by fermenting dried Pedro Ximénez (PX) or Moscatel grapes, which produces an intensely sweet dark brown or black wine, or by blending sweeter wines or grape must with a drier variety.
*Cream Sherry is a common type of sweet sherry made by blending different wines, such as oloroso sweetened with PX.
Wow... all that, now just drink it!
My entry today is Pedro Romero Amontillado Sherry, available at Binny's for around $10 a bottle. Buy it, on those cold nights, have a glass with a nice fire, a good book and your honey sittin close to you!
You will find this wine to be Medium-bodied and off-dry, with caramel, roasted walnut and nut flavors. Builds nicely on the palate to a long, caramel-tinged aftertaste with a smooth finish.
Cheers!
J
No comments:
Post a Comment