Fish sherry. Sherry. Dry sherries do this

26.10.2023 Thrush

What is sherry? How does it affect the human body? We will answer these and other questions in the article. Sherry, or sherry, is a fortified wine made from white grapes in Spain, in the triangle between the metropolises of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera, located in the autonomous community of Andalusia . Depending on the variety, this drink contains from 15% to 22% alcohol. Different types of wine contain completely different amounts of sugar - from 0-5 to 400 g per liter of wine.

Distinctive feature

So, you already know what sherry is. What distinguishes the production of its Manzanilla and Fino varieties? In these wines, under a film of an extraordinary type of sherry yeast (the so-called flor), fermentation of the grape must occurs.

In some varieties of sherry, this film can be observed on the surface of partially filled barrels throughout the entire maturation phase of the product.

Sherries such as Amontillado and Oloroso have oxidative aging. In this case, the wine matures in a barrel in contact with air (there is no flor). Today, the word "sherry" refers to a brand of wine controlled by pedigree.

Color

Many people are trying to figure out what sherry is. Among aperitifs, this wine takes an honorable royal place. The drink began to be called this due to its strong tonic qualities. Another positive property of sherry is that it does not overpower the taste of even such foods as fish and smoked meats. Therefore, this wine will always come in handy throughout the meal.

Sherry is characterized by a bouquet of subtle aromas with a large number of facets. You can detect onion, nut-almond and resinous tones in it. Against their background, chamomile and bird cherry notes appear exquisitely. The taste of the wine is soft, delicate and harmonious, it can be distinguished by mushroom and floral shades, as well as a wonderfully manifested saltiness.

A little history

So what is sherry? This drink was first made in the 17th and 18th centuries before the birth of Christ. Andalusia, the birthplace of sherry, was often conquered by the Romans, Moors, Carthaginians, Phoenicians and Vandals. Such a frequent change of nations led to the fact that clear information about the pedigree of this strong wine was not preserved in the chronicles.

However, there is information that in this Spanish region the Palomino grape variety grows magnificently and bears a lot of fruit. The local Mediterranean climate and limestone soils are ideal for ripening grapes. To make the best wines, they use grapes ripened on hot earth, that is, grown without supports.

Blends and mid-range sherry are obtained from Palomino, which is grown on sandy gray barros soils that are low in calcium. On red sandstones (poor and meager), called arenas, the grape varieties Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez are cultivated. The harvest of these varieties is processed into raisins and then used to prepare concentrated juice for sweet wines and final blends.

Celebrity opinion

Sherry is a stunning drink. Shakespeare sang it in his Falstaff. He wrote that good sherry is doubly beneficial, since, rushing into a person’s head, it disperses all the fumes of stupidity, rudeness and gloom that have accumulated in the brain, and inspires thought. That is why everything that comes off the tongue turns into a well-aimed word.

Shakespeare argued that sherry, in addition, warms the blood, because if it pulsates weakly, it becomes very pale, which is always a sign of cowardice and weakness. And so, hordes of vital forces gather around their leader - the heart, and it, having become inflamed, dares to do any feat - all this is sherry.

The British king Henry I offered to barter the residents of Bordeaux: exchange wine for British wool. Al Idrizi (Arab geographer) drew a map of Sicily for King Roger in 1150. It was preserved in Oxford's Bodleian Library and in 1967 helped settle the first legal case against English Sherry, thereby proving the misuse of the "sherry" mark for wines made outside the Jerez region.

The grape stems of Jerez at that time became a source of wealth for the kingdom. King Henry III of Castile in 1402 promulgated a Decree that prohibited the destruction of grapevines and even came up with the idea of placing hives near grape plantings so that bees could not damage the fruit.

Useful qualities and composition

Everyone who is partial to this drink likes to look at photos of Spanish sherry. Sherry was introduced into general use in the 19th century through the efforts of British pharmacists. In those days, doctors advised drinking pure sherry in small portions daily. In addition, this drink was used to extract healing components from herbal medicines.

Today the Spaniards talk about the benefits of sherry. Their scientists have proven that this drink has some of the beneficial qualities of red wine. Thus, sherry can protect the heart and prevent the occurrence of its ailments. Polyphenols contained in sherry delay the appearance of stickiness of bad cholesterol and its deposition on the walls of blood vessels.

Scientists believe that drinking sherry in small doses increases the production of good cholesterol, which helps transfer harmful cholesterol from blood vessels to the liver, and then remove it from the body.

Contraindications and harm

Like any drink containing alcohol, in excessive doses sherry destroys the human body. It can damage the liver, central nervous system, brain, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, immune and cardiovascular systems, and other organs important for life.

When talking about strong wines, we can’t forget about sherry. This wine is touchy and does not tolerate inattention. If - this is a noisy, cheerful Porthos; – sweet ladies man Aramis; then sherry is undoubtedly a refined Athos, with a contradictory character and a confusing, sometimes dramatic history.

It is not surprising that it was this drink that the legendary Count De La Fere loved more than others. And not only him. Writers Cervantes, Dickens, Nabokov, Chekhov, Conan Doyle and his character Sherlock Holmes, American President Benjamin Franklin, and jazzman Charlie Parker preferred sherry. And Pablo Picasso loved to knock back glasses of wine from his native Andalusia at breakfast so much that a separate variety of sherry was even named in his honor.

A good sherry [...] rushing into your head, dries up in the brain all the stupid, vulgar and gloomy vapors surrounding it, makes it sharp, lively, inventive, gives birth to playful, cheerful, ardent images in it, which, passing into voice into language, take on kind of cute, witty jokes and antics.

Shakespeare "Henry IV"

"By old yeast." How is the most famous morning wine made?

The production technology of both Madeira and port wine cannot be called simple. But sherry is by far the most complex of the trio. In its production, not only grapes, air, sun and human labor are used, but also special yeast cultures - flora, under a layer of which the wine matures without access to oxygen.

Sherry is a regional brand. A wine created in a triangle between cities can officially bear this name. Jerez de la Frontera, Puerto de Santa Maria And Sanlucar de Barrameda in Spanish Andalusia. Only here there are the necessary soils for growing grapes, only local winemakers know the secrets of production, which have been passed on from father to son for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Of course, attempts were made to repeat the recipe, and some were even quite successful. For example, Sherry Massandra is not bad. This, of course, is not “sherry” in the full sense of the word, but in the absence of a maid, a butler will do. If you want to try refreshing cocktails with sherry, it is quite suitable for making them. By the way, it is at the Massandra plant that the oldest bottles of sherry in the world are stored, dating back to the beginning of the 18th century.

“I’m from Siberia, I’m an orphan... But just so I don’t feel so sick... I want some sherry.”
V. Erofeev “Moscow-Petushki”

But we digress. Very roughly, the production of sherry can be represented as follows:

At the beginning and end of September, the grape varieties Perdro Ximenes, Moscatel, Tintilla de Rota (for sweet wines), Mollar, Albillo and Perruno (for dry wines), Mantuo and Palomino Bianco (for elite varieties) are harvested.
The collected bunches are kept in the sun for 1-2 weeks.

Thus, the tannin and malic acid content in grape juice is reduced, but the sugar content increases. “Ripening” grapes are laid out on straw mats, and at night they are covered with mats made of special esparto grass to protect them from dew.

Another secret stage of production is gypsum.

The chalk soils of Albaris contain large amounts of calcium carbonate. If there is not enough of it, the grapes are sprinkled with dry gypsum, which contains the same substance, before pressing.

Next, the grapes are pressed.

Nowadays this is done by presses, but previously specially trained workers, wearing special boots with spikes, between which pieces of vines and seeds were stuck, stomped around in a barrel of berries for 10-12 hours.

Fermentation in barrels without flor lasts from 50 hours to 50 days - depending on the variety and type of wine.
Now flor is added to the drink - a yeast fungus of the Saccharomyces family.

Initially, the flor protected the wine and prevented it from turning into vinegar. The culture forms an airtight film on the surface, absorbs residual sugar, reduces the percentage of acids and glycerol, and increases the content of esters.

Fastening and classification.

After the initial aging, experienced winemakers determine what to do with the wine - send it and continue aging under flor (this is how the elite Manzanilla and Fino varieties are obtained) or remove bacteria and make a “simple” Oloroso or Amontillado, which is aged with access to air. 96% grape alcohol comes into play. Manzanilla and Fino are fortified to a maximum of 15.5% - so as not to kill the fungus. And in Oloroso or Amontillado, you can immediately pour in brandy, bringing the drink to 17 degrees or more - here you no longer need flor.

Exposure and selection.

The fortified sherry is decanted and sent to the cellars. There, a complex blending process takes place, with younger wines diluted with older ones - this technology is called “solera y criadera”. It is impossible to accurately determine the year of birth of sherry - only the approximate average age is written on the bottles. But from year to year the drink turns out to be of approximately the same taste and quality.

History of sherry: from the ancient Phoenicians to People's Commissar Mikoyan

Unlike Madeira and port, sherry is an ancient drink. Since the end of the second millennium BC, wine production began near the city of Jerez de la Frontera. The Phoenicians brought grapes here, as evidenced by the ancient Greek historian Strabo. At that time, sherry was famous for its long shelf life. True, its shelf life was extended not by flor, but by boiling - a barbaric but effective method. Such “boiled” sherry was imported en masse by the Romans, which clearly demonstrates the refined tastes of that era.

Alco-heit, oh, sorry Alhaken II, monument in Cordoba

In the 8th century AD, Spain was conquered by the Moors. The terrible Othellos, who professed Islam, did not drink wine, but they knew the secrets of land reclamation. The vineyards, surrounded by a skillful irrigation system, began to sprout with a vengeance. True, there was one thing in the Moorish history of Spain, excuse the pun, “black spot” - Caliph Alhaken II.

This was a kind of Moorish Gorbachev, who also took a high position at the turn of the millennium. In 966, he ordered to uproot all the sherry vineyards: they say that grapes are an invention of Shaitan, and in general - “sobriety is the norm of life.” But local farmers quickly reminded the “reformer” that without grapes there would be no juice, no dolma, and most importantly, raisins, which the soldiers ate on their campaigns.

The reconquista that began finally saved the vineyards from the Moors. The Europeans, who conquered the Iberian Peninsula inch by inch, drank wine. Moreover, drunkenness was a symbol for them, a noble trait that distinguished the holy Christian knights from the dirty, godless Arabs. The “reconquistadors” could tell modern sommeliers how to drink sherry – exclusively in barrels. Wine was even given to war horses so that they would go on the attack more boldly. Alfonso X, who captured Jerez de la Frontera in 1264, was the first to establish mass production of wine.

But it was not the Spaniards, but the British who brought sherry worldwide fame. Having tasted this unique drink, the London sirs began to actively import it. True, they could not pronounce the word “Jerez”, so they nicknamed him “Sherry”. Under Henry III, the import of sherry reached such a scale that local winemakers were forced to standardize its production and establish rules for harvesting and growing grapes. Since 1483, cutting down vines in the region has been a criminal offense.

“I have never been drunk from sherry,” Goranflo admitted, “it must be an unusually pleasant state.”
A. Dumas “Countess de Monsoreau”

A new round of sherry development – the discovery of America. Magellan, going to the West Indies, took about 500 wineskins and 250 barrels “on the road.” During colonization, sherry, which can easily withstand road hardships and hardships, and practically does not spoil, became the basis of exports to the New World, accounting for up to a third of all cargo sent there. Sir Francis Drake became interested in such active trading. In 1587, his men attacked the city and demanded an indemnity of 3,000 barrels of wine. The “ransom” barrels created a real sensation in London. Sherry ceased to be a royal drink, it poured into the British streets in a stormy stream, becoming the favorite wine of all the more or less wealthy Englishmen, and later of the rising European and American bourgeoisie.

Remember who ruled us? Look at the portraits: lean faces, arrogant faces... Melancholy! A simple man works like a horse, and then looks at the sad monarch and wants to hang himself! And then at some time a cheerful king appears, with an infectious smile... A joker and joker! This is the pride of the nation! And he suffers from colitis like everyone else! And it’s treated like everyone else – with sherry!

G. Gorin “Kin IV”

In 1944, sherry reached our lands - its production began in the Crimea, at Massandra. True, since 1933 “Jerez” has been a regional brand that can only be manufactured in Andalusia. But Comrade Mikoyan, who contributed to the development of winemaking in the USSR, didn’t care about it. He said to make “Massandra sherry”, and they did it. Moreover, the very first harvest of 1944 is still considered the best. However, attempts to produce sherry have been carried out since the 19th century - not only in Crimea, but also in Moldova, Dagestan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kuban, Odessa and Kherson regions. A lot of sherry was made in Soviet times.

Is it possible to compare Soviet sherries with Spanish ones? No, and for these reasons:

Grape. In the union for sherry, any grape was used - from Rkatsiteli and Kokura to Chardonnay and Aligote. Of the grapes grown in Andalusia, only Albillo was used.
Fastening. According to Soviet technologies, the wine was fortified not with grape distillate, but with ordinary rectified alcohol, which, of course, affected the taste.
Sherrying. All “sherry” produced in the vast expanses of the former USSR was aged under flor for only a year, and then underwent oxidized aging in barrels.
And finally holding technology. The traditional “solera and criadera” for true sherry and other elite wines has not been and is not used anywhere in the CIS.

Soviet sherry. From right to left: Donskoy, Tamansky, Kubansky, Uzbek, again Kubansky, Moscow, two Dagestan, Kazakh, Armenian, three Moldavian and three Crimean, including the famous Massandra sherry.

So, Soviet sherry, like its currently produced descendants, is a wine that is made from different grapes, infused using a different technology, fortified in a different way and - most importantly - aged differently under flor.

And finally - how to drink sherry?

How to drink Massandra sherry? Of course it’s like this: you pull out a bottle from your parents’ bar, move it into the entrance where your friends are waiting for you, and take turns from the throat, lighting a cheap cigar. Or this: in Crimea, when the sun had almost set and the heat had subsided, from an aluminum mug, to the sound of a guitar and the crackling of a fire.

But if you are generous with a bottle or two of real Spanish, you should also think about what sips to drink it in, what snack to go with and how much to cool it down.

The art of drinking sherry depends on its variety. Traditionally, the following are distinguished: Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Madium, Palais Creme, Palo Cortado, Oloroso and Pedro Jimenez.

Fino- the most expensive sherry with a strength of about 18%. Fino is always dry, always aged exclusively under flor, without access to oxygen.
Manzanilla- Fino, grown only in the city of Sanlúcar. It is even less sweet than regular fino.

Both of these sherries are wonderful aperitifs, with a nutty flavor and a fruity bouquet. This dry sherry is served very chilled, up to 5-10 degrees. They should be snacked on soft cheese, seafood and fish.

Amontillado– also dry sherry, with amber color and almond notes. They eat it with hard cheese, white meat, or, like the landowners who were not killed by the Bolsheviks, with soup. Temperature – 10°.
Madium Also served at 10°C, it goes well with smoked meat and various pates and has an unusual, very bright taste for a dry wine.
Palais Cream combined with poultry liver and fruit, it opens perfectly at 7 degrees Celsius.
And here Palo Cortado sharply different from other dry sherries. It is produced as fino, but sometimes, for mysterious reasons, the flor on the surface of the wine dies and the wine begins to mature using oxidized technology.

Black tea is an ideal complement to dessert sherry

Palo Cortado is cooled to no more than 16 degrees. It is not recommended to eat it at all, but this drink, like good brandy, goes well with cigar smoke. Some Russian experts recommend this drink with... dumplings!

Oloroso– sherry, aged without the participation of flor, very aromatic, with nutty notes and golden color. It can be dessert, dry or semi-dry. The dry one is eaten with red meat, the rest is consumed as a digestive at a temperature of 16°C.
And finally Pedro Jimenez– the most famous dessert sherry, with a slightly perceptible raisin aroma. It is served with desserts and blue cheeses, chilled to 13°. Pedro Ximenez goes perfectly with black tea, cookies, and goes perfectly with our traditional “tea table”.

You are well-fed and indifferent, and therefore have an inclination towards philosophy, but I want to live and therefore I drink sherry at dinner and smoke cigars and that’s it.

Which is called sherry, is a unique drink. It goes well with meat dishes and can become the king of a holiday feast. From this article you will learn what sherry is and how to use it correctly.

History of sherry

The history of this drink dates back to 1000 BC, when the Phoenicians, as the world's most famous winemakers, conquered the territory of modern Spain. Favorable climatic conditions allowed them to grow rich grapes, which, after fermentation, gave a fortified taste of sherry wine that was different from other wine varieties. During the Middle Ages, Spain supplied this type of wine to the Irish and English, who gave it its name - Sherry. It should not be confused with a drink based on Cherry cherry syrup.

After thousands of years, the sherry production technology has been preserved. At the moment, the original sherry is produced only in Spain in the city of Andalusia and in the Crimea at the Massandra plant, where weather conditions and production technology are optimally combined to allow the cultivation of a special grape variety.

The question of what sherry is can be answered this way: it is a very strong wine with low sugar content, a very specific bitter taste and vanilla aroma. This contradictory combination has made this drink one of the most popular wines in the world.

Useful properties of sherry

Scientists from all over the world claim that Spanish sherry is no less healthy than traditional red wines. This is proven to include strong antioxidant polyphenols. It is this component that helps protect the body from free radicals, which are known to damage the biological structure and molecules of human DNA.

Genetics have revealed that free radicals are the main source of health problems in old age. Therefore, the intake of polyphenols into the body can prevent diseases such as diabetes, immune system disorders, hypertension, arthritis and even cancer. Therefore, if you know what sherry is and what beneficial properties it has, then you can use this wine as a remedy. Of course, this does not mean that red wines and sherry can be abused. Everything should be in moderation, and consulting a doctor will help avoid complications.

Sherry production process

The question of what sherry is can be answered with accuracy only after studying the technological process of its production. A distinctive feature of sherry from ordinary red wines is its special fermentation technology. placed in a wooden barrel, after which a film forms on the surface. This film is called sherry yeast or fleur, and it preserves the future wine from oxidation.

After the sherry has fully matured, which takes from 1.5 to 4 years, the grape must is laid out on straw mats to dry. The dried grapes are pressed and continue to ferment in tanks made of This technology gives sherry a special fortified taste, which distinguishes it from other types of wine.

Types of sherry

After fermentation, sherry wines are divided into two types, depending on the consistency of the sherry yeast. The first type is called Fino, this is a real sherry with an alcohol content of 20%. The second type, called Oloroso, requires more aging with the addition of alcohol. Oloroso base is used to make other types of wine.

The main types of this drink are: Manzanilla, Amontilliado, Pale Cream, Palo Cortado and Pedro Ximenes. These types of sherry wine differ in strength, amount of sugar and aging time. The most famous and best-selling type is Fino, which has a dry, strong taste. Palo Cordato is considered the rarest and most difficult to produce because it takes a long time to mature under the veil.

Each type of sherry has its fans among connoisseurs of collectible vintage wines due to its rich taste. It is impossible to say unequivocally which variety is the best, since the choice depends only on personal preferences.

Crimean sherry

It is known that the climatic conditions in Crimea are very similar to those in Spain. When the whole world learned what sherry was, it began to be produced at the Massandra winery in the settlement of the same name. At the same time, the technology for producing the drink is completely identical to its Spanish counterpart.

Vintage strong wine has been produced in Crimea since 1944. Massandra sherry has subtle notes of roasted nuts, bitter almonds and vanilla. Experts and connoisseurs note that the taste and quality are in no way inferior to the Spanish drink.

The world-famous Massandra sherry goes well with light snacks. For example, olives, cheese or vegetable salads. Doctors recommend Crimean sherry as a remedy for hypothermia and boosting immunity. The price for a bottle of Crimean collection wine varies from 400 to 500 rubles in different regions of Russia.

How to drink sherry correctly?

The tradition of drinking sherry dates back thousands of years. During this time, practically nothing has changed, except that traditional sherry is not recommended to be poured into painted glasses, because then you will not be able to enjoy the rich color of the wine. It is better to use traditional tulip-shaped glasses made of clear glass.

Sherry, like any wine, needs to be chilled before serving. The optimal temperature is 5-10 degrees. Warm wine will taste more like vinegar than the “drink of the gods.” Also, don't rush. Like any wine, sherry does not like excessive haste. Therefore, you need to consume it measuredly, in small sips, prolonging the pleasure. This will reveal the unique taste of the oldest drink in human history.

Sherry is also used as a component for various kinds of cocktails based on vodka, rum or gin. Therefore, if you know what sherry is and how to use it correctly, you can create a delicious mix that will complement orange or grapefruit syrup.

In a 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 of 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 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:

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;
Two types of Mollar, Albillo and Perruno, from which dry wines are produced, especially valued for their bouquet;
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 proceeds using 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.

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In the city of Jerez de la Frontera and 2 other cities of the “sherry triangle”, where wine production is concentrated, not only recipes, but also legends about wine, opinions about it from crowned heads and classics of literature and art are carefully preserved. Shakespeare believed that sherry was the best of all wines, that it “warms the blood, dries the fumes of folly and gloom in the brain.”

The history of sherry dates back many centuries, as does the history of the small Spanish town after which the drink was named. The holds of the ships of Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan were filled with sherry, and the British also loved the drink (they called it “sherry” and still call it that). The sherry production technology that developed in the 18th century is still used today.

What is sherry

Since the “triangle” is clearly defined geographically, the drink is produced only from local varieties of Spanish white grapes growing in Andalusia (the quality of the drink is controlled by origin). Fortified and aromatic sherry can be of different colors - slightly straw or rich amber, and taste - sickly sweet or tart. The strength depends on the variety and ranges from 15 to 22% vol.

Most of the assortment is dry sherries. They are produced from the Palomino grape, which is considered the basis for all types of wine, and vines of this type occupy 90% of all areas. It is important for the taste of the berries that the vine grows on white calcareous soils. However, other grape varieties are also used for production, both for mono compositions and for complex mixtures. There is only one rule: the vine must be local.

The Spaniards believe that the special notes of almond in the aroma and the refreshing taste that are inherent in sherry are given to the drink by nature itself. Ripe wine should remind you of the sea and sun anywhere in the world, warm you and fill you with soulfulness.

In ancient times, English doctors recommended drinking sherry for apathy. There is now scientific evidence that sherry has health benefits. Wine contains polyphenols - substances that neutralize free radicals, protecting the human body. Consumption of wine for medicinal purposes will help avoid diabetes, arthritis, hypertension and support the immune system.

Russians are more familiar with Massandra Sherry. The climate of Crimea turned out to be in many ways similar to that in which Spanish sherry grapes grow. Experts say that the Crimean one is in no way inferior to the original and has the same healing powers.

Composition and production features

Like many wines, types of sherry are classified according to different criteria. Depending on the raw materials used, alcohol and sugar content, the following are distinguished:

Dry sherry. It contains up to 16% alcohol and only 0.2% sugar. A strong dry drink contains up to 20% alcohol and about 3% sugar. Only Palomino grapes are used in production.
Dessert sweet sherry. The proportion of alcohol in it can be 19%, sugar - 9%. Made from berries of the Pedro Jimenez and Moscatel varieties.

But winemakers use a more complex wine classification system, since they take into account the ripening time and method of processing the berries, the method of fermentation and the aging time of the wine. The wine bottle label says Fino or Oloroso - this indicates different aging methods.

After fermentation of the must, experts select the young wine for further processing. Those suitable for Fino are placed in casks, and sherrying takes place over a period of several years under a fleur (film of sherry yeast). Fino always turns out dry and with a strength of 18% vol.

Oloroso means that the wine has been exposed to air during aging, i.e. subjected to oxidative aging (without film). Literally translated, “oloroso” means “fragrant”, “fragrant”. This is the main characteristic of Spanish sherry aged without yeast. The wine turns out to be dry, semi-dry, and sweet.

The further technology is called solera y criaderas by Spanish winemakers. In cellars (bodegas), where wine is aged, oak barrels are stacked in strict order by age. Below - the most seasoned (solera), the higher, the younger (“criadera” from Spanish - “incubator”, “nursery”). From time to time, the wine is poured into barrels - new wine is added to the aged one. Only what matures in the bottom row is bottled.

The Spaniards themselves describe this technology as “the transfer of the energy and strength of young spirits to the old and the experience of old spirits to the young” and believe that the best sherry can be called the one made by the grandfather and drunk by the grandson.

For sherry aging, a minimum period of 3 years is established; it is considered that such wine is already suitable for consumption. The most seasoned ones are marked on the V.O.S label. (very old sherry - 20-30 years) and V.O.R.S. (very old rare sherry - 30 years or more). Bodegas also offer 100-year-old wine.

Wine "Sherry Massandra" is produced using technology using sherry yeast, and is aged for at least 4 years.

Varieties and types of sherry

Fino drinks have some features:

Manzanilla is produced only in the coastal city of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, where the climate is conducive to year-round growth of the yeast;
Pale Cream is obtained after adding dessert wine to the main composition;
Amontillado is the most expensive type, because... undergoes a double cycle of biological aging and double fastening.

The rarest species, because has been under the veil the longest - Palo Cortado. Aging for 20 years or more, strength - 17-18% vol. It is first made as Fino and then aged as Oloroso.

Cream is a type of dessert sherry; they can contain up to 150 g/l of sugar and 16-20% vol. strength. The sweetest Spanish sherry is Pedro Ximenez. The ripest berries are selected for it, and they are additionally dried. The drink is aged for up to 30 years, it becomes thick and aromatic, and acquires a dark color.

Crimean sherry has been produced since 1944 from several grape varieties growing on the peninsula - Versailles, Aligote, Verdelho, Albillo. The bouquet turns out to be complex, the aroma characteristic of sherry is complemented by the tone of almonds and roasted nuts, the aftertaste is salty. The drink is golden in color. Strength - 19.5% vol., contains 2.5% sugar. 11 gold medals won at international competitions confirm the quality of Sherry Massandra wine.

How to choose the best sherry

Travelers should try sherry in its country of origin. In Russia, sherry is a wine that you need to look for in specialized alcohol markets.

To be sure of purchasing a quality product, you need to review the documentation with the seller, which indicates the bottling period. All other information is on the label (brand, manufacturer, expiration date). The following brands are supplied to the world market:

Antonio Barbadillo
Emilio Lustau Almacenista;
Garvey;
Gonzalez Byass;
Osborne;
Sanchez Romate.

It is worth listening to the opinion of experts who claim that “Sherry Massandra” is in no way inferior in quality to the products of Spanish winemakers. You can buy Crimean products in stores or online. The average cost is about 700 rubles. per bottle, a collectible bottle costs 2-3 times more.

How to drink and what to snack on

To enjoy the drink and fall in love with it from the first sip, you need to know what to serve it with and how to drink sherry.

Dry varieties are perfect as an aperitif. They are served very chilled. You can put dishes with fish and seafood, cheeses on the table.
Ice is added to a glass with a sweet variety, and cookies, pate, and foie gras are offered as a snack.
Before serving, it is enough to cool Amontillado to 14°C and complement the taste with hard cheeses.
Oloroso is also cooled to 14°C, but the best appetizer for it is red meat.

"Sherry Massandra", like all fortified wines, is cooled to 5°C before serving; you can snack on meat, cheeses, fish or nuts.

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