To know what Sherry wine is you have to understand what a fortified wine is. To transform a regular wine into a fortified wine grape spirits or Brandy is added to the fermenting juice to stop sugars at a certain point from converting to alcohol. Sherry is one of those wines where grape spirits is added to stop this process. After the Sherry achieves its proper alcohol levels it is tested for quality and separated into two types of Sherry: Fino and Oloroso. Each of these types of Sherry have further classifications.
Sherries are made from only three grapes each of which impart a Sherry's unique qualities. The Palomino grape is used as the base wine for all types of Sherry, Pedro Ximenez is used for its sweet flavors and Moscatel is used as a coloring agent and gives Sherry its golden to dark amber colors. From there the juice is tasted by professional tasters to determine the quality of the Sherry. The best juice is selected fo Fino Sherry and the rest goes to make Olorosos.
The finest types of Sherry are the Fino Sherries. Fino Sherry is made solely from the Palomino grape. It gets its flavor and aromas from the yeast it is fermented in along with controlled oxidation, or controlled exposure to oxygen. Fino Sherry is the least acidic of the Sherries with a pleasant taste of roasted almonds.
Manzanilla Sherry is another type of Sherry in the Fino category. It is characterized by the presence of the yeast S. Beticus, which imparts a salted almond flavor. Manzanilla Sherries mature in direct contact with the air for short periods of time to achieve their color and flavor.
The final Fino types of Sherry are the Amontillado Sherries. Almost in a category by itself Amontillado Sherry sees direct exposure to the air and sun for extended periods of time. This darkens the juice and concentrates flavors to the maderized character of roasted hazelnuts. Sun-dried Palomino grapes are sometimes used as a sweetening agent while pure sugar can be used in other instances.
Oloroso Sherry are like we said, made from lesser quality juice than Fino Sherries. There is nothing wrong with these types of Sherry of course. The simple reason for the distinction is that Finos are made from free-run juice and Olorosos are made from pressed juice.
Olorosos are directly exposed to oxygen to mature. The open exposure in turn ages the Oloroso faster making it a bit rougher on the palate than a smooth Fino. The dark brown coloring it achieves from being baked in the sun imparts a higher alcohol level, fuller body and more intense aromas with flavors of toasted pecans.
One of the rarest types of Sherry avaibale is the Palo-Cortado. It has the aroma of an Amontillado without any of the yeast contact associated with Amontillado. And it tastes like and has the appearance of an Oloroso. Somewhere between the Fino and Oloroso styles, the volatile physiology of Palo-Cortado causes it to quickly degenerate into a full-blown Oloroso.
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