Monday, 22 March 2010
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Are Chilean wines holding up during the recession?
A recent piece of research from Chilean investment bank Banchile concluded that Chile's ability to offer quality wines at cheap prices would see it gain market share from foreign competitors who generally have greater labour and raw material costs. It gave a "buy" recommendation for Concha y Toro shares and classed them as "medium risk" (the main risks being exposure to foreign exchange markets due to 80% of its sales being exports and climatic risk).
Wine Exports
Whilst Concha y Toro shares may currently be undervalued, data from inside the Chilean wine industry does not paint a wholly rosy picture. According to the monthly export figures of wine industry association Vinos de Chile, growth in exports of wine peaked in October 2007 and has since tumbled back down to Q2 06 levels.
Government statistical body ODEPA notes that, while the volume of total wine exported in 2008 was 3.5% lower than in 2007, there was actually a 9.6% increase in total value due to higher unit costs and a shift towards bottled DOC wines rather than bulk and non-DOC wines. In 2009, despite a 9.5% increase in volumes exported in the first 6 months, unit prices have decreased once more, meaning the value of 2009 wine exports to August is 2.7% lower than in 2008. From this it may be surmised that Chile is slightly increasing its export volumes, although prices are being squeezed. In terms of recession-proofing, this is not necessarily a bad sign, as despite lower margins, market penetration (and therefore brand development) is increasing.
Total Exports and the Price of Copper
Whilst total Chilean exports by value have fallen in the last 7 quarters (see table below - click on image for larger version), this comes on the back of 4 years of sustained growth, meaning they are still at Q1 06 levels. Chile is the largest exporter of copper, making the Chilean economy highly dependent on world copper prices.
From Q3 05 there was a pronounced spike in copper prices (see graph below), although they then fell sharply in Q1 08. The export data therefore needs to be read in the light of these fluctuations in the price of copper. Copper prices are important for the Chilean wine industry however, as they directly affect Chilean GDP and therefore the national wine market, but perhaps more importantly because several Chilean wineries are owned by companies or families with interests in the copper sector.
Wine Exports
Whilst Concha y Toro shares may currently be undervalued, data from inside the Chilean wine industry does not paint a wholly rosy picture. According to the monthly export figures of wine industry association Vinos de Chile, growth in exports of wine peaked in October 2007 and has since tumbled back down to Q2 06 levels.
Government statistical body ODEPA notes that, while the volume of total wine exported in 2008 was 3.5% lower than in 2007, there was actually a 9.6% increase in total value due to higher unit costs and a shift towards bottled DOC wines rather than bulk and non-DOC wines. In 2009, despite a 9.5% increase in volumes exported in the first 6 months, unit prices have decreased once more, meaning the value of 2009 wine exports to August is 2.7% lower than in 2008. From this it may be surmised that Chile is slightly increasing its export volumes, although prices are being squeezed. In terms of recession-proofing, this is not necessarily a bad sign, as despite lower margins, market penetration (and therefore brand development) is increasing.Total Exports and the Price of Copper
Whilst total Chilean exports by value have fallen in the last 7 quarters (see table below - click on image for larger version), this comes on the back of 4 years of sustained growth, meaning they are still at Q1 06 levels. Chile is the largest exporter of copper, making the Chilean economy highly dependent on world copper prices.
From Q3 05 there was a pronounced spike in copper prices (see graph below), although they then fell sharply in Q1 08. The export data therefore needs to be read in the light of these fluctuations in the price of copper. Copper prices are important for the Chilean wine industry however, as they directly affect Chilean GDP and therefore the national wine market, but perhaps more importantly because several Chilean wineries are owned by companies or families with interests in the copper sector.
Thursday, 9 July 2009
New Wave Spanish Wine Awards 2009
This tasting took place yesterday at The Worx in Parsons Green. On show were a selection of 110 Spanish wines which to qualify had to be either imported into the UK or be shown at the Wines from Spain annual generic tasting.
The Cantosan Brut sparkling Verdejo from Grupo Yllera offers fantastic value at £5.99 and is a good alternative to Cava. (See Jancis Robinson's comments on the same here.)
Getariako Txakolina Getaria 2008 is an interesting Basque wine which comes in an Alsace-shaped bottle. Made from indigenous Basque grape varieties, it is slightly Pinot Gris-ish, has a little residual sugar and is only 11% abv. Moving from the eastern to the western side of northern Spain, Galician producer Bodegas Docampo's Vina do Campo is also Alsatian in character and also refreshingly low in alcohol (12%). At £9.95 it is very fairly priced.
The judges (chaired by Tim Atkin MW) seem to have looked for varietal typicity when awarding best of category. The Best White Under £10 went to Castrocelta Albarino 2008, a classic Albarino with tons of apple and green melon. Best Value White was awarded to Frutos Villar's Maria de Molina 2008, clean and crisp citrus flavours and a pronounced nose - outstanding value at £5.99. Best Red Under £10 went to the Luna Beberide Mencia 2007, two years old but still a vivid purple colour and equally young-tasting, with a palate of zippy red cherries.
Some of the reds, especially those from the more traditional regions, were disappointingly over-oaked and tannic. A refreshing exception was Can Rafols dels Caus' Gran Caus 2001, a deep garnet-coloured 'Bordeaux on steroids' with really concentrated fruit (and a lot of sediment in the bottle). Pretty good value at £15.99. Ochoa's Vendimia Seleccionada 2001 was garnet coloured, with a vegetal claret-like nose and some good fruit on the palate (but will it keep much longer?) A Pinot Noir from Ronda was predictably baked and showed why Andalucia's climate is just too harsh for thin-skinned Pinot Noir.
As to price, there seemed to be quite a few good value wines in the up-to-£15 bracket, but in the £30-50 range I would generally have wanted more for my money. There still seems to be a line of thought in Spanish winemaking that quality is directly related to the amount of new oak used. It seems to me that oak should never be used as a flavour component in its own right, but rather to compliment the all-important primary fruit character. If it overpowers the fruit, it is not doing its job.
In the small fortifieds section there was a lovely Moscatel de Grano Menudo (aka Muscat a Petits Grains) from Bodegas Camilo Castilla and a fantastic, delicate Palo Cortado from Fernando de Castilla (which, incidentally, was also the Best Wine of Show and Best Dry Sherry!)
The Cantosan Brut sparkling Verdejo from Grupo Yllera offers fantastic value at £5.99 and is a good alternative to Cava. (See Jancis Robinson's comments on the same here.)
Getariako Txakolina Getaria 2008 is an interesting Basque wine which comes in an Alsace-shaped bottle. Made from indigenous Basque grape varieties, it is slightly Pinot Gris-ish, has a little residual sugar and is only 11% abv. Moving from the eastern to the western side of northern Spain, Galician producer Bodegas Docampo's Vina do Campo is also Alsatian in character and also refreshingly low in alcohol (12%). At £9.95 it is very fairly priced.
The judges (chaired by Tim Atkin MW) seem to have looked for varietal typicity when awarding best of category. The Best White Under £10 went to Castrocelta Albarino 2008, a classic Albarino with tons of apple and green melon. Best Value White was awarded to Frutos Villar's Maria de Molina 2008, clean and crisp citrus flavours and a pronounced nose - outstanding value at £5.99. Best Red Under £10 went to the Luna Beberide Mencia 2007, two years old but still a vivid purple colour and equally young-tasting, with a palate of zippy red cherries.
Some of the reds, especially those from the more traditional regions, were disappointingly over-oaked and tannic. A refreshing exception was Can Rafols dels Caus' Gran Caus 2001, a deep garnet-coloured 'Bordeaux on steroids' with really concentrated fruit (and a lot of sediment in the bottle). Pretty good value at £15.99. Ochoa's Vendimia Seleccionada 2001 was garnet coloured, with a vegetal claret-like nose and some good fruit on the palate (but will it keep much longer?) A Pinot Noir from Ronda was predictably baked and showed why Andalucia's climate is just too harsh for thin-skinned Pinot Noir.
As to price, there seemed to be quite a few good value wines in the up-to-£15 bracket, but in the £30-50 range I would generally have wanted more for my money. There still seems to be a line of thought in Spanish winemaking that quality is directly related to the amount of new oak used. It seems to me that oak should never be used as a flavour component in its own right, but rather to compliment the all-important primary fruit character. If it overpowers the fruit, it is not doing its job.
In the small fortifieds section there was a lovely Moscatel de Grano Menudo (aka Muscat a Petits Grains) from Bodegas Camilo Castilla and a fantastic, delicate Palo Cortado from Fernando de Castilla (which, incidentally, was also the Best Wine of Show and Best Dry Sherry!)
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Rutherglen
Rutherglen is a fortified wine grown in the hot, dry, continental climate of North Eastern Victoria in Australia. The soil is water-retaining deep red loam (see below).
The grapes used in the production of Rutherglen are Brown Muscat (a clone of the old world Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains which is found in the classic French Vins Doux Naturels) and so-called "Tokay" (Muscadelle).
Viticulturally, Rutherglen is unirrigated (water being scarce and so strictly controlled by the Australian authorities). The grapes shrivel, concentrating the sugar and allowing the grapes to achieve 20-22% potential abv without botrytis.
The wine is fortified to interrupt fermentation, in the traditional Port manner, leaving a minimum 160g/l sugar. Ageing takes place in a solera-like system. It is oxidative and evaporation takes place. Once bottled, Rutherglen does not develop further.
The 3 styles are Classic (which must be 5 years old); Grand (10 yo); and Rare (15 yo, but is usually much older). These categories also indicate increasing quality, concentration and sweetness.
(Sources: WSET materials, The Oxford Companion to Wine)
The grapes used in the production of Rutherglen are Brown Muscat (a clone of the old world Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains which is found in the classic French Vins Doux Naturels) and so-called "Tokay" (Muscadelle).
Viticulturally, Rutherglen is unirrigated (water being scarce and so strictly controlled by the Australian authorities). The grapes shrivel, concentrating the sugar and allowing the grapes to achieve 20-22% potential abv without botrytis.
The wine is fortified to interrupt fermentation, in the traditional Port manner, leaving a minimum 160g/l sugar. Ageing takes place in a solera-like system. It is oxidative and evaporation takes place. Once bottled, Rutherglen does not develop further.
The 3 styles are Classic (which must be 5 years old); Grand (10 yo); and Rare (15 yo, but is usually much older). These categories also indicate increasing quality, concentration and sweetness.
(Sources: WSET materials, The Oxford Companion to Wine)
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Fortified wine comparisons
The following is a comparison of some key features of Port, Sherry and Madeira.
Climate, topography and influences
Port - Hot continental, very dry. Serra do Marao shelters Douro. Sudden heavy rain and hail. Lack of water.
Sherry - Humid, despite low rainfall. Sunny and hot. Mediterranean. Levante/poniente winds.
Madeira - Humid, hot, subtropical, high rainfall.
Microclimates
Port - Cima Corgo best region. Also Baixo Corgo and Douro Superior.
Sherry - Sanlucar sea influence for ageing Manzanilla
Madeira - North/south split (north cooler - Sercial; south warmer - Bual)
Soils
Port - Schist, broken into terraces.
Sherry - Albariza (white, water-retaining, over 60% chalk). Also barros and arenas.
Madeira - Volcanic, fertile. Decomposed red or yellow tufa, with small round iron-rich basalt stones.
Grapes
Port - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao
Sherry - Palomino, PX, Moscatel
Madeira - Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, Malvasia (Malmsey), Tinta Negra Mole
Viti
Port - Guyot-pruned, wire-trained. Terraces. Hand-harvesting on socalcos (6,000 vines/ha); small tractors on patamares (3,500 vines/ha).
Sherry - Vara y Pulgar pruning (similar to Guyot). Bush or head-trained vines. Hand harvesting. High yields (max 80 hl/ha).
Madeira - Tiny plots, small terraces, access difficult, hand-harvested. Trellises. Levadas (irrigation).
Vini
Port - Rapid extraction, lagares (foot/mechanised), fortified early. Vinified in the Douro (but maturation in Villa Nova de Gaia, see below).
Sherry - Free run/press wine (fino/oloroso). Flor. Fortified late spring (i.e. about 9 months after harvest). Mitad y mitad. Solera, in one of the 3 towns. (For PX and Moscatel, raisins, fermentation stops naturally.)
Madeira - Sercial and Verdelho little/no skin contact, fermented until almost dry, then fortified. Boal and Malmsey - fermented on skins for max extraction, fortified early.
Fortification
Before fermentation - Moscatel de Valencia, Samos Doux (Muscat of Samos), Vins de Liqueur (e.g. Pineau des Charentes)
To interrupt fermentation - Port, Boal, Malmsey, VDNs, Samos VDN (Muscat of Samos), Fortified Cyprus Wine, Rutherglen (Victoria), Mavrodaphne of Patras
After fermentation - Sercial, Verdelho, PX, Moscatel, Sherry, Commandaria (Cyprus)
Not fortified - most Montilla-Moriles, Samos Nectar (Muscat of Samos)
Fortified to a:
- low level - Fino, Manzanilla, VDNs
- medium level - Port, good Oloroso and Amontillado (in sherry, ageing increases levels of VA)
- high level - everything else
Acidity
Port - high
Sherry - low (with ageing, can gain sufficient volatile acidity to get up to medium)
Madeira - high
Maturation and finishing
Port - Aged in Villa Nova de Gaia, although some quintas are building warehouses in the Douro - cheaper, easier access. Cask ageing vs bottle ageing. Some Ports are bottle-aged so are not finished before bottling and will throw a deposit (Vintage, Crusted, Traditional LBV); others are filtered and cold-stabilised before bottling (Tawny, LBV).
Sherry - Aged in solera system, the object of which is consistency of style. (The solera system was started in 2nd half of 19th century for commerial reasons - previously sherry was vintage-dated.)
Madeira - The estufa system is central to Madeira viniculture. By heating the wine with hot water pipes for 3-12 months (3-6 in cuba de calor; 6-12 in armezem de calor) the effects of a sea voyage through the tropics are simulated. Vintage Madeiras are aged in the Canteiro system, which uses the heat of the sun, for anything from 20 to 100 years! A small and decreasing amount of Madeira is aged in soleras - known as Solera Madeira, the date indicates the foundation of the solera.
Vintage variations
Port - Vintage Port varies, as does LBV. Crusted is a blend of years so will be more uniform. Colheita (vintage tawny) varies; other tawnies do not - esp Tawny with Indicated Age, where the age indication refers to a particular style. (Beneficio - output prescribed by law.)
Sherry - There is almost no vintage Sherry - the solera system blends out vintage variations (same in Montilla Moriles).
Madeira - Vintage and Colheita Madeiras vary; other styles aim for consistency.
Trade and Legal Structures
Port - Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Portugal (IVDP)
Sherry - Consejo Regulador Vinos de Jerez y Manzanilla (see website)
Madeira - Instituto do Vinho da Madeira (IVM)
Markets
Port - Portugal, US (now more than UK), UK, France (now more than UK, esp young tawny styles to drink chilled as aperitifs)
Sherry - Spain, UK, Netherlands
Madeira - UK, cooking wine
Principal Producers
Port
Normally labelled under the name of the shipper.
Symington Family Estates - Graham's, Warre's, Dow's, Quinta do Vesuvio, Smith Woodhouse, Martinez, Gould Campbell and Quarles Harris. See website.
Taylor's - independent family company - Quinta de Vargellas (produced first Single Quinta Vintage Port in 1958). See history and website.
Quinta do Noval - owned by AXA. See website.
Sherry
Gonzalez Byass - Tio Pepe Fino (GB website and TP history)
Vinicola Hidalgo - La Gitana Manzanilla, Napoleon range
Also Antonio Barbadillo, Pedro Domecq, Emilo Lustau and Sanchez Romate
Madeira
There are only 6 companies licensed for export:
Henriques & Henriques
Madeira Wine Company (Blandys, Cossart Gordon)
Also Justinhos, D'Oliveiras, Barbeito, HM Borges
White Grapes - Palomino, Muscat/Moscatel, PX, Malvasia, Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Gouveio
Black Grapes - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao
Oxidised Wines - Oloroso, Madeira, Rancio-style Grenache-based VDNs (eg Banyuls Rancio), Rutherglen, Aged Tawny Port, Amontillado and Palo Cortado (although both start anaerobically)
Not Oxidised - Fino, Manzanilla, Ruby/Vintage Port, LBV, Muscat-based VDNs
Sources: WSET, The Oxford Companion to Wine
Climate, topography and influences
Port - Hot continental, very dry. Serra do Marao shelters Douro. Sudden heavy rain and hail. Lack of water.
Sherry - Humid, despite low rainfall. Sunny and hot. Mediterranean. Levante/poniente winds.
Madeira - Humid, hot, subtropical, high rainfall.
Microclimates
Port - Cima Corgo best region. Also Baixo Corgo and Douro Superior.
Sherry - Sanlucar sea influence for ageing Manzanilla
Madeira - North/south split (north cooler - Sercial; south warmer - Bual)
Soils
Port - Schist, broken into terraces.
Sherry - Albariza (white, water-retaining, over 60% chalk). Also barros and arenas.
Madeira - Volcanic, fertile. Decomposed red or yellow tufa, with small round iron-rich basalt stones.
Grapes
Port - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao
Sherry - Palomino, PX, Moscatel
Madeira - Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, Malvasia (Malmsey), Tinta Negra Mole
Viti
Port - Guyot-pruned, wire-trained. Terraces. Hand-harvesting on socalcos (6,000 vines/ha); small tractors on patamares (3,500 vines/ha).
Sherry - Vara y Pulgar pruning (similar to Guyot). Bush or head-trained vines. Hand harvesting. High yields (max 80 hl/ha).
Madeira - Tiny plots, small terraces, access difficult, hand-harvested. Trellises. Levadas (irrigation).
Vini
Port - Rapid extraction, lagares (foot/mechanised), fortified early. Vinified in the Douro (but maturation in Villa Nova de Gaia, see below).
Sherry - Free run/press wine (fino/oloroso). Flor. Fortified late spring (i.e. about 9 months after harvest). Mitad y mitad. Solera, in one of the 3 towns. (For PX and Moscatel, raisins, fermentation stops naturally.)
Madeira - Sercial and Verdelho little/no skin contact, fermented until almost dry, then fortified. Boal and Malmsey - fermented on skins for max extraction, fortified early.
Fortification
Before fermentation - Moscatel de Valencia, Samos Doux (Muscat of Samos), Vins de Liqueur (e.g. Pineau des Charentes)
To interrupt fermentation - Port, Boal, Malmsey, VDNs, Samos VDN (Muscat of Samos), Fortified Cyprus Wine, Rutherglen (Victoria), Mavrodaphne of Patras
After fermentation - Sercial, Verdelho, PX, Moscatel, Sherry, Commandaria (Cyprus)
Not fortified - most Montilla-Moriles, Samos Nectar (Muscat of Samos)
Fortified to a:
- low level - Fino, Manzanilla, VDNs
- medium level - Port, good Oloroso and Amontillado (in sherry, ageing increases levels of VA)
- high level - everything else
Acidity
Port - high
Sherry - low (with ageing, can gain sufficient volatile acidity to get up to medium)
Madeira - high
Maturation and finishing
Port - Aged in Villa Nova de Gaia, although some quintas are building warehouses in the Douro - cheaper, easier access. Cask ageing vs bottle ageing. Some Ports are bottle-aged so are not finished before bottling and will throw a deposit (Vintage, Crusted, Traditional LBV); others are filtered and cold-stabilised before bottling (Tawny, LBV).
Sherry - Aged in solera system, the object of which is consistency of style. (The solera system was started in 2nd half of 19th century for commerial reasons - previously sherry was vintage-dated.)
Madeira - The estufa system is central to Madeira viniculture. By heating the wine with hot water pipes for 3-12 months (3-6 in cuba de calor; 6-12 in armezem de calor) the effects of a sea voyage through the tropics are simulated. Vintage Madeiras are aged in the Canteiro system, which uses the heat of the sun, for anything from 20 to 100 years! A small and decreasing amount of Madeira is aged in soleras - known as Solera Madeira, the date indicates the foundation of the solera.
Vintage variations
Port - Vintage Port varies, as does LBV. Crusted is a blend of years so will be more uniform. Colheita (vintage tawny) varies; other tawnies do not - esp Tawny with Indicated Age, where the age indication refers to a particular style. (Beneficio - output prescribed by law.)
Sherry - There is almost no vintage Sherry - the solera system blends out vintage variations (same in Montilla Moriles).
Madeira - Vintage and Colheita Madeiras vary; other styles aim for consistency.
Trade and Legal Structures
Port - Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Portugal (IVDP)
Sherry - Consejo Regulador Vinos de Jerez y Manzanilla (see website)
Madeira - Instituto do Vinho da Madeira (IVM)
Markets
Port - Portugal, US (now more than UK), UK, France (now more than UK, esp young tawny styles to drink chilled as aperitifs)
Sherry - Spain, UK, Netherlands
Madeira - UK, cooking wine
Principal Producers
Port
Normally labelled under the name of the shipper.
Symington Family Estates - Graham's, Warre's, Dow's, Quinta do Vesuvio, Smith Woodhouse, Martinez, Gould Campbell and Quarles Harris. See website.
Taylor's - independent family company - Quinta de Vargellas (produced first Single Quinta Vintage Port in 1958). See history and website.
Quinta do Noval - owned by AXA. See website.
Sherry
Gonzalez Byass - Tio Pepe Fino (GB website and TP history)
Vinicola Hidalgo - La Gitana Manzanilla, Napoleon range
Also Antonio Barbadillo, Pedro Domecq, Emilo Lustau and Sanchez Romate
Madeira
There are only 6 companies licensed for export:
Henriques & Henriques
Madeira Wine Company (Blandys, Cossart Gordon)
Also Justinhos, D'Oliveiras, Barbeito, HM Borges
White Grapes - Palomino, Muscat/Moscatel, PX, Malvasia, Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Gouveio
Black Grapes - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao
Oxidised Wines - Oloroso, Madeira, Rancio-style Grenache-based VDNs (eg Banyuls Rancio), Rutherglen, Aged Tawny Port, Amontillado and Palo Cortado (although both start anaerobically)
Not Oxidised - Fino, Manzanilla, Ruby/Vintage Port, LBV, Muscat-based VDNs
Sources: WSET, The Oxford Companion to Wine
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Sherry
Here are some essential sherry facts:
Location
Cadiz, Andalucia
Aged in bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera, Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda (below)
Climate
Humid, despite low rainfall. Sunny and hot. Mediterranean.
Winds - from east (levante) hot, dry conditions; from west (poniente) cooler, more humid.
Soil
Albariza - white, water-retaining, over 60% chalk
Barros and Arenas soils are much less important, especailly in these days of reduced demand for sherry - many vines on these soils have now been grubbed up. However, Moscatel is grown in some arenas areas.
Grapes
Palomino, PX and Moscatel
Viticulture
Pruning - vara y pulgar (similar to Guyot)
Training - bush vine (en vaso) or head-pruned (trunk is trained into a knob at the top)
Yields - high - max 80hl/ha
Vinification
For Palomino, there are two distinct pathways - one for free-run juice and one for press wine. The below chart is a bit simplistic but the majority of the free-run juice will end up as fino and the majority of the press wine as oloroso-styles (i.e. matured without the influence of flor - see earlier post on flor). The relatively high fermentation temperature (28 C) is due to the fact that primary fruitiness and fermentation esters are not wanted.
For PX and Moscatel, the grapes are dried in the sun until they shrivel and become raisin-like. The high concentration of sugars means the fermentation stops naturally at about 5% abv, leaving 200-400g/l residual sugar. PX is fortified with mitad y mitad at around 54% abv and is aged oxidatively in a solera.
Styles
Fino - flor prevent the wine from oxidising; "salty", acetaldehyde nose and taste
Manzanilla - fino aged in Sanlucar de Barrameda - climate moderated by sea
Manzanilla Pasada - older than c.8 years - flor starts to die and wine oxidises
Pale Cream - fino sweetened with rectified, concentrated grape must (RCGM)
Amontillado Seco - aged first under flor (min 3 years), then oxidatively (usually by refortifying and moving to new solera, but sometimes by allowing flor to die away); "hazelnut" on palate
Blended Amontillado - sweetened using younger amontillados/fino/other
Palo Cortado - like Amontillado, aged first under flor then oxidatively; fuller-bodied; PC solera wine sometimes not under ullage
Oloroso Seco - aged oxidatively (without flor), sometimes for several decades; "walnut" on palate; although not aged under flor, may have some flor influence as flor forms on all sherry pre-fortification
Oloroso Dulce/Cream Sherry - sweetened oloroso (using PX or other)
PX and Moscatel - 15% abv, solera-aged
Trade/Legal
Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicion - shippng companies which dominate production, located in 3 main sherry towns (Jerez, Sanlucar, Puerto de Santa Maria)
VOS - average age at least 20 years old
VORS - 30 years
Also 12yo and 15yo
See also my post on fortified wine comparisons.
(Sources: WSET materials, The Oxford Companion to Wine)
Location
Cadiz, Andalucia
Aged in bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera, Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda (below)
Climate
Humid, despite low rainfall. Sunny and hot. Mediterranean.
Winds - from east (levante) hot, dry conditions; from west (poniente) cooler, more humid.
Soil
Albariza - white, water-retaining, over 60% chalk
Barros and Arenas soils are much less important, especailly in these days of reduced demand for sherry - many vines on these soils have now been grubbed up. However, Moscatel is grown in some arenas areas.
Grapes
Palomino, PX and Moscatel
Viticulture
Pruning - vara y pulgar (similar to Guyot)
Training - bush vine (en vaso) or head-pruned (trunk is trained into a knob at the top)
Yields - high - max 80hl/ha
Vinification
For Palomino, there are two distinct pathways - one for free-run juice and one for press wine. The below chart is a bit simplistic but the majority of the free-run juice will end up as fino and the majority of the press wine as oloroso-styles (i.e. matured without the influence of flor - see earlier post on flor). The relatively high fermentation temperature (28 C) is due to the fact that primary fruitiness and fermentation esters are not wanted.
For PX and Moscatel, the grapes are dried in the sun until they shrivel and become raisin-like. The high concentration of sugars means the fermentation stops naturally at about 5% abv, leaving 200-400g/l residual sugar. PX is fortified with mitad y mitad at around 54% abv and is aged oxidatively in a solera.
Styles
Fino - flor prevent the wine from oxidising; "salty", acetaldehyde nose and taste
Manzanilla - fino aged in Sanlucar de Barrameda - climate moderated by sea
Manzanilla Pasada - older than c.8 years - flor starts to die and wine oxidises
Pale Cream - fino sweetened with rectified, concentrated grape must (RCGM)
Amontillado Seco - aged first under flor (min 3 years), then oxidatively (usually by refortifying and moving to new solera, but sometimes by allowing flor to die away); "hazelnut" on palate
Blended Amontillado - sweetened using younger amontillados/fino/other
Palo Cortado - like Amontillado, aged first under flor then oxidatively; fuller-bodied; PC solera wine sometimes not under ullage
Oloroso Seco - aged oxidatively (without flor), sometimes for several decades; "walnut" on palate; although not aged under flor, may have some flor influence as flor forms on all sherry pre-fortification
Oloroso Dulce/Cream Sherry - sweetened oloroso (using PX or other)
PX and Moscatel - 15% abv, solera-aged
Trade/Legal
Bodegas de Crianza y Expedicion - shippng companies which dominate production, located in 3 main sherry towns (Jerez, Sanlucar, Puerto de Santa Maria)
VOS - average age at least 20 years old
VORS - 30 years
Also 12yo and 15yo
See also my post on fortified wine comparisons.
(Sources: WSET materials, The Oxford Companion to Wine)
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Madeira
Grown in humid, subtropical heat, and on fertile, volcanic soils, Madeira's "noble" grape varieties are Sercial, Verdelho, Boal/Bual and Malvasia/Malmsey. The majority of Madeira is actually made from the inferior Tinta Negra Mole grape variety. See table below for comparisons.
The gradations in the site climate seen in the above table are mostly due to altitude.
Plots are typically tiny and on small terraces, so mechanisation is impossible. Trellises are used to raise the canopy off the ground and irrigation is via channels known as levadas.
There is a steady increase in residual sugar throughout the styles of Madeira. Sercial typically contains 1.5% residual sugar (NB NOT g/l), Verdelho 2.5%, Bual 3.5% and Malmsey has over 4%.
The diagrams below give an outline of ageing and styles of Madeira.
Above: Estufas
Above: Canteiro - Vintage Madeira maturing in
600L wooden casks, heated only by the sun
Sources: WSET, The Oxford Companion to Wine
See also my post on fortified wine comparisons and Jamie Goode's Spotlight on Madeira.
The gradations in the site climate seen in the above table are mostly due to altitude.
Plots are typically tiny and on small terraces, so mechanisation is impossible. Trellises are used to raise the canopy off the ground and irrigation is via channels known as levadas.
There is a steady increase in residual sugar throughout the styles of Madeira. Sercial typically contains 1.5% residual sugar (NB NOT g/l), Verdelho 2.5%, Bual 3.5% and Malmsey has over 4%.
The diagrams below give an outline of ageing and styles of Madeira.
Above: Estufas
Above: Canteiro - Vintage Madeira maturing in600L wooden casks, heated only by the sun
Sources: WSET, The Oxford Companion to Wine
See also my post on fortified wine comparisons and Jamie Goode's Spotlight on Madeira.
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