Wines of Spain
Wines of Spain
Wines of Spain
RIOJA
Reds often aged for more than 10 years. Whites are had young.
LA MANCHA
CATALONIA
Penedés
Other than the delimited Sherry district, two famous districts are Montilla and Malaga.
Other regions
SHERRY
Other towns are: Sanlucar de Barrameda, Cadiz and Puerto da Santa Maria.
Soil
Barros (clay)
Arenas (sandy)
Grapes Used
Palominos (white) – classic and finest for Sherry – 90% are Palomino vines.
Gypsum is sprinkled → cream of tartar in grapes breaks down to tartaric acid = higher acidity.
Actual pressing with a screwpost (grape pulp piled evenly, covered with broad esparto ribbon and the
post is turned)
Racked into new casks
(even at this stage the vintner does not know what type of wine is going to develop)
A white and soft flor appears on the wine in some of the casks
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.
Never drawn out more than 1/3rd from the solera → continually blending wines → continuity of style for
centuries.
Sometimes wines from more than one soleras are blended to create a brand.
• Fino – 15%
• Oloroso – 18%
Clarified with egg white/white Spanish earth.
Bottling
TYPES OF SHERRY
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.
USES OF SHERRY
Vino Espumoso
Tinto: Red
Blanco: White
Rosado: Rosé