Fortified wine from Spain crossword clue. Fortified wines: what you need to know

Wine racking was originally used as a storage method. A characteristic feature of fortified wine is its deep and rich taste and sweet taste, which can conquer even the most demanding gourmets.

Fortified wines appeared in the 16th and 17th centuries as a way to preserve wine for a long time without losing its properties. The fortification technique involves adding brandy, which stops the fermentation process, resulting in a wine with an alcohol level of 17 to 25 degrees.

Produced on the Madeira Islands and available in flavors such as dry and sweet. Dry is very used as an aperitif, and sweet is perfect for desserts. To produce fortified Madeira wine, only four noble grape varieties are used - Verdelho, Sercial, Malvasia and Boile.

The birthplace of this Italian wine is the island of Sicily. And, according to the most common legend, it became popular thanks to the Englishman John Woodhouse, who realized that the wine was very similar to sherry.

Marsala is characterized by a specific rich “resinous” taste - the result of the addition of a small amount of pre-boiled ship tar. This type of fortified wine is very popular in Italian gastronomy, because Marsala is added to risotto, desserts and even sauces.

A fortified wine produced in northeastern Portugal. Only drinks produced in the designated region of the Douro River Valley using established technology have the right to bear the name “port”. The usual port is a sweet red dessert wine, but there are dry, semi-sweet and white ports. Used as a dessert wine.

A classic fortified Spanish wine with a high alcohol content, which is rightly called the national wine of Spain.

There is a conditional distribution of sherry into two groups: Fino and Oloroso. Fino - light wines with a yeast film of flor on the surface, under the influence of which the wine acquires a refined taste and aroma. Oloroso - wines on the surface of which the flair has only partially formed. Sherry is ideal as an aperitif.

The wine label usually contains information about grape varieties, sugar content, vintage year, area where the grapes were grown, and aging. Spanish wine labels may read Joven, Reserva, Crianza or Gran Reserva. These are legally established categories that require clear aging periods. Optional inscriptions include the term Vinas Viejas, which translates as “old vines.” The Cosecha inscription means vintage; its presence on the label is also optional.

The most expensive are considered to be original Spanish wines from Rioja and Catalonia. High-quality terroir specimens at relatively attractive prices can be found in regions such as Castile-La Mancha, Galicia, Navarre, Rueda, Toro. There is also a choice of basic Rioja from modern farms at a relatively low cost.

Main grape varieties of Spain

Albariño is a white grape variety with aromas of apricots, kiwi, passion fruit in the bouquet.

Verdejo is a white local variety that is common in Rueda. It produces floral-fruity refreshing samples with herbal aromas.

Viura is a white grape used to make sparkling cava and some still wines.

Garnacha is the variety from which world-famous wines are produced in Priorat. The bouquet contains aromas of strawberries, blackberries, and spices.

Graciano is a red variety that produces tannin-rich wines. It has aromas of violet and chocolate.

Mazuelo - cultivated in Rioja, it produces powerful wines rich in tannins.

Mencia - common in Bierzo, has a bouquet with hints of raspberry, black currant, herbs and minerals.

Palomino is an Andalusian variety from which almost all varieties of sherry are made.

Tempranillo is one of the most common indigenous varieties in Spain. It is characterized by aromas of cherry, strawberry, blackberry. The variety is used in the production of the famous Rioja and other red wines.

Glossary

Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine produced using the traditional champagne method from certain local grape varieties. It is made mainly in Catalonia.

Bodega (translated from Spanish as “wine cellar”) is a winery in Spain.

Embotellado en origen means bottling at the place of production.

Rosado is a rosé wine made from red grape varieties. The most famous Spanish roses are made in Navarre from the Garnacha variety by decanting the juice after briefly contacting the pulp.

Tinto is a Spanish term meaning "red wine".

Sherry or, as the British call it, sherry, is a drink that has not only a unique taste, but also an interesting history. Let's get to know him better.

What's special about them?

Today, “Sherry” is a trademark of fortified wine (with an alcohol content of 15–22%), controlled by origin. Therefore, only drinks produced in the “sherry triangle” - a piece of land located in the south of Spain - can be considered it.

The grape varieties used to create sherry are also special: first of all, these are Palomino Bianco, Moscatel and Pedro Jimenez; sometimes they take Albillo and Perruno. Moreover, even drinks made from the same variety of berries can taste strikingly different from each other. This happens due to the fact that the final bouquet of sherry consists of many components: the type of soil on which the grapes grew, production technology and aging period.

What types of sherry are there?

In addition to the strength of sherry, they also differ in the level of sugar content:

• Dry or Vinos generosos. These are varieties such as Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado.
• Natural sweet or Vinos dulces naturals. These include Pedro Ximenez (“Pedro-Ximenez”) and Moscatel (“Moscatel”).
• Sweet blended. These varieties are divided into Medium, Pale cream and Cream.

Depending on the type of sherry that is planned to be obtained in the end, the technology of its production will also depend.

How is sherry made from grapes?

Berries for making sherry begin to be collected at the end of September, but they are processed differently to make different wines.

Vinos generosos

To create these drinks, the harvest is immediately sent to the winery and pressed there. The first pressing is used to create Fino and Manzanilla (“light” varieties), the second is used to create Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado (medium strength), and the third pressing is used to produce sherry vinegar.

Then the grape must is sent for fermentation in stainless steel vats, where a film of a special variety of yeast cultures, flora, is formed on its surface. They are less susceptible to alcohol, which plays a decisive role in the creation of sherry. But this will happen a little later, but for now the wort ferments until it turns into young wine with a strength of 12 degrees.

At the second stage, the strength of the drink is increased by adding grape distillate. If these are light varieties (Fino and Manzanilla), then up to 15.5 degrees, and in this case the “semi-finished product” continues to ferment in the barrel under a film of flor. Due to the fact that the yeast absorbs not only sugar and alcohol, but also oxygen, the finished drink remains light.

If we are talking about Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado, then their strength is adjusted to 17–18 degrees. But the yeast can no longer withstand it, dies and precipitates, on which the drink is subsequently aged in oak barrels. Since there is nothing to absorb oxygen in this case, this sherry turns out darker.

Vinos dulces naturals

In this case, the collected berries are not immediately sent to the press, but are first dried in the sun for 2-3 weeks. During this time, they lose a lot of juice, become saturated with sugar, and the wort from them turns out viscous, sweet, but “lazy”, not prone to fermentation. Therefore, it is fortified with grape alcohol not only at the second stage before being sent to barrels, but also at the first.

Sweet blended

They are obtained at one of the last stages of production. After mixing, the drinks are kept in barrels for some time.

From criadera to solera: about aging sherry

The sherry aging technology is special: oak barrels, not completely filled (to ensure air entry), are laid out in a pyramid in four tiers. The bottom one is called solera, they contain the “oldest” sherry; the other three are criaderas (criaderas), in which the “young animals” are located, but not in a chaotic order, but also by seniority (the youngest is on top).

Several times a year, no more than a third of the finished sherry is taken from the lower barrels and bottled, and the freed volume is filled with criadera drink. This procedure has two purposes: firstly, it supports the fermentation process in the aged drink; secondly, the quality of the harvest varies from year to year, and mixing allows you to get a stable, recognizable taste.

And now that you know everything about the types and production of sherry, let's learn a little about their gastronomic pairings.

What to drink sherry with

• Fino and Manzanilla are good in combination with white or red fish and other seafood. They make a great pair with soft cheeses. They should be drunk well chilled, to approximately 4–9 °C.
• Amontillado is served with soups and hard cheeses. Cool to 14 °C.
• Oloroso is also chilled to 14 °C, but served as an aperitif or as a gastronomic pairing with red meat.
• Palo Cortado is considered an evening drink. Like good cognac, it is best drunk with a cigar.
• Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel are served with crackers and blue cheeses. Cool them to 15 °C.
• Medium opens best at a temperature of 10 °C and in the company of pates.
• Pale cream goes well with any fresh fruit. Serve at 14°C.
• Cream (“Cream”) is often cooled with ice cubes thrown into a glass and served with sweet desserts.

At the same time, all sherries are excellent warmers. If you want the coming autumn to be delicious and cozy, be sure to stock up on a bottle of this drink.

Don't be afraid to try new things.

Always yours, Fragrant World