Sherry - a wine of tradition

A fortified wine from Andalusia produced only in and around the
town of Jerez in the Cadiz region. The Spanish producers have
since registered the Sherry / Jerez / Xeres name and will
prosecute anyone else in the world trying to use it. It is
thought that Jerez has exported wines since at least Roman
times. Today Sherry accounts for the largest portion of Spain’s
wine exports, reaching no less than fifty countries and making
superb profits for the winery owners. The wine attained “domain
d’origen” (DO) status in 1933.

The traditions of Jerez and wine go back over two thousand
years, thousands of amphora were shipped to Rome, and the high
alcohol content meant that the wine travelled well without
spoiling. From the 12th century wine from the region was
exported to England. England are long-time consumers of the
beverage and the name “sherry” comes from the Arab word for the
city of Jerez - “Seris” or “Sherish” evolved into the word we
know today.

Sherry’s popularity continued to bloom and by the 16th century
it was thought to be the finest of all wines. Sherry’s
popularity continued to grow and a boom in the 19th century
meant that producers could barely keep up with the demands of
northern Europe, particularly England and Holland, who remain
the two biggest consumers of the wine today. The output has
stabilised in recent times and the value of the wine has gone
up, increasing profitability for the Spanish producers.

The Sherry region is located in several towns around Jerez de la
Frontera in the Cadiz region of Andalusia; there is also a small
producing area in the neighbouring province of Seville. The area
is typified by rolling hills and limestone soil that has the
superb water retention necessary to see out the dry summer
months. The average temperature in the growing season in 17.5C
and moisture is carried to the vines by westerly winds coming in
from the sea. This softens the arid summer climate of the region
and also takes the sting out of the warm westerly winds. With
270 sunny days every year and no frosts or hail, conditions are
ideal for viticulture, aided by steady rainfall between the
moths of October and May.

There are three main grape varieties used to create Sherry -
Palamino Fino, Pedro Jimenez and Moscatel, the latter two being
mainly used in the production of sweet sherry. The real secret
of Sherry’s production lies in what is known as the “Crianza”
process. After the grapes are harvested and pressed they undergo
a first fermentation for ten days. After a few months the wine
is ready for classification. For this process, a taster is
needed and it is crucial that his/her sense of smell and taste
in highly developed and the taster must determine which type the
wines are going to be. This unique process allows the wine to
grow on its own and develop naturally into the most suitable
type of sherry. There are four main types that are produced:
Fino - a pale a delicate sherry, Amotillado which is an older,
richer version of the Fino variety, Oloroso is a rich, dark
mahogany coloured wine and the Cream sherry is a blend of
Oloroso and the Pedro Jimenez grape and has a sweet finish to
compliment its rich flavour.