Title: WSET Level 3 / WSET Level 3 C43 - Sherry

Front: Where is the vineyard area of Sherry?
Back: surrounding the town of Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain

Front: Where must Sherry be matured?
Back: Either within the city limits of Jerez or in one of the two smaller seaside towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria

Front: What is the climate of Jerez?
Back: It has a hot, sunny mediterranean climate Coastal vineyards are a little cooler on average and benefit from the cooling effect of the ponienteHigher average rainfall than much of Spain, but low during the growing season

Front: What is the poniente?
Back: A cooling, humid, westerly wind in southern Spain

Front: What is southern Spain's other wind (besides the poniente)? Describe it and the effect it can have on weather and vines
Back: The levanteEasterly, hot and dryingIt can send temperatures soaring, stressing the vines and damaging grapes
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Name: What is southern Spains other wind (besides the poniente)?

Front: What ensures that vines in Jerez can cope with weather conditions?
Back: The chalky albariza soil
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Name: What ensures that vines in Jerez can cope with weather condi

Front: What properties of albariza soil make it well adapted to Spanish weather conditions?
Back: The high chalk content provides good drainageIt's also very deep and has an excellent water-holding capacity to sustain the vines during hot dry summers
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Name: What properties of albariza soil make it well adapted to Spa

Front: How is soil water-retention maximised during autumn and winter in Jerez?
Back: Rectangular pits are dug between the rows of vines to trap the water and reduce run-off
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Name: How is soil water-retention maximised during autumn and wint

Front: When are rectangular pits dug in Jerez?
Back: After harvest

Front: When are the rectangular pits smoothed over in Jerez?
Back: In the spring

Front: Besides water holding properties, what happens in summer to albariza soils to further their water retention properties?
Back: It forms a hard crust that limits evaporation from the soil
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Name: Besides water holding properties, what happens in summer to

Front: How many grape varieties are permitted in Jerez? What are they?
Back: ThreePalominoPedro XiménezMuscat of Alexandria
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Name: How many grape varieties are permitted in Jerez? What are th

Front: Which grape accounts for the vast majority of plantings in Jerez?
Back: Palomino
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Name: Which grape accounts for the vast majority of plantings in J

Front: Describe wines produced by Palomino
Back: Naturally low in acid Lacking in obvious varietal aromas

Front: Why is Palomino ideal for Sherry production?
Back: Because flavours come from biological or oxidative maturation, not the grapes

Front: What is the flavour of PX?
Back: It has very little varietal flavour

Front: What is PX good for and why?
Back: The production of sweet winesIts thin skin makes it ideal for being sun dried

Front: Where is Pedro Ximenez mostly planted?
Back: Very little in Jerez - most from the neighbouring region of Montilla-Moriles where it grows more successfully

Front: Describe the role of Muscat of Alexandria in Sherry
Back: Only very small amounts are grownIt is used to make sweet wine

Front: Which grape is used to make the dry wines of Jerez?
Back: Palomino

Front: Describe harvest of Palomino
Back: Given the high temperatures at harvest time, grapes must reach the press as quickly as possible to avoid oxidation

Front: Describe fermentation of dry styles of Sherry
Back: Takes place in large stainless steel tanks at temperatures ranging from 20-25C

Front: What is unique about the fermentation temperatures of dry Sherry?
Back: They are high for a white wine
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Name: What is unique about the fermentation temperatures of dry Sh

Front: Why is it acceptable for the fermentation temperature to be high for a white wine when it comes to Sherry?
Back: Producers are aiming to produce a neutral base wine
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Name: Why is it acceptable for the fermentation temperature to be

Front: What are the key characteristics of a base wine for dry Sherry?
Back: It's dry with approximately 11-12% abv
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Name: What are the key characteristics of a base wine for dry Sher

Front: How and why are wines of Jerez classified in Autumn?
Back: They are classified into wines that will either be sent for biological or oxidative ageing

Front: How is it decided which base wines of Jerez will be used for which purpose?
Back: It will be based on flavour characteristicsPaler wines with more finesse will be used for biological ageingDarker, richer, heavier wines are selected for oxidative ageing
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Name: How is it decided which base wines of Jerez will be used for

Front: At which stage will flor have started to grow on the surface of the base wines of Jerez?
Back: At the point of classification for ageing
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Name: At which stage will flor have started to grow on the surface

Front: The exact criteria for classification of Jerez base wines will vary according to...
Back: The house style of the producer
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Name: The exact criteria for classification of Jerez base wines wi

Front: Besides house style, what else influences a producer's choice of certain base wines for certain styles in Jerez?
Back: Producers need certain volumes of new wines in particular styles to meet sales demands
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Name: Besides house style, what else influences a producers choic

Front: Which grapes are respectively more likely to be suitable for biological and oxidative ageing?
Back: Biological ageing: Grapes from cooler coastal vineyards and/or fermented at cooler temperaturesOxidative ageing: Grapes grown from warmer vineyards inland and/or fermented at higher temperatures
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Name: Which grapes are respectively more likely to be suitable for

Front: What is 'sobretabla' in Sherry making?
Back: A stage wherein base wines are fortified using a 96% abv neutral spirit and the wines are set aside for a period of a few months before incorporation into a solera system
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Name: What is sobretabla in Sherry making?

Front: To what abv are wines fortified for biological ageing in Jerez? Why?
Back: To between 15% and 15.5% abvThis is the ideal strength for the development of flor
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Name: To what abv are wines fortified for biological ageing in Jer

Front: Why is the sobretabla stage so important for wines for biological ageing?
Back: The producer needs to wait and see whether flor develops correctly on these wines
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Name: Why is the sobretabla stage so important for wines for biolo

Front: What is the second classification for in Jerez?
Back: For determining after sobretabla, whether a wine has a style and character suitable for its respective solera system

Front: What happens to wines that fail to make the grade during the second classification?
Back: They are either refortified or rejected altogether
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Name: What happens to wines that fail to make the grade during the

Front: To what strength are wines fortified for oxidative ageing?
Back: 17% abv

Front: What happens in Sherry at 17% abv?
Back: The flor dies

Front: Why is sobretabla less important for wines for oxidative ageing?
Back: Because it's not necessary to see if flor develops
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Name: Why is sobretabla less important for wines for oxidative age

Front: What happens immediately after harvest to grapes for naturally sweet styles of Sherry?
Back: They are sun-dried to concentrate the sugar levels
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Name: What happens immediately after harvest to grapes for natural

Front: What flavour does sun-drying develop in Sherry?
Back: Raisin

Front: What happens in Sherry once the desired must weight has been achieved for naturally sweet wines?
Back: The grapes are pressed and fermentation starts
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Name: What happens in Sherry once the desired must weight has been

Front: Describe fermentation of naturally sweet wines in Sherry
Back: The juice is so concentrated that the yeast struggle to ferment the sugars and rarely manage more than a few degrees of alcohol

Front: What happens to naturally sweet Sherry once fermentation is stopped?
Back: The must is fortified to 17% abv
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Name: What happens to naturally sweet Sherry once fermentation is

Front: In what must Sherry be aged?
Back: 600 litre oak barrels called butts

Front: How are the oak butts of Sherry prevented from giving oak flavours to Sherry?
Back: They are often used to age unfortified wines before they are used for Sherry
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Name: How are the oak butts of Sherry prevented from giving oak fl

Front: What is the main requirement of Sherry's oak butts?
Back: To allow oxygen to reach the wine
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Name: What is the main requirement of Sherrys oak butts?

Front: What is the secondary way in which oxygen is allowed to reach the wines of Jerez?
Back: By only ever filling the butts five sixths full
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Name: What is the secondary way in which oxygen is allowed to reac

Front: What is a particular challenge when it comes to maturation in Jerez?
Back: Keeping the barrels cool
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Name: What is a particular challenge when it comes to maturation i

Front: What steps are taken in traditional bodegas to keep the environment cool?
Back: Thick, whitewashed walls, high ceilings and windows that point toward the cooling poniente winds
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Name: What steps are taken in traditional bodegas to keep the envi

Front: How are correct humidity levels maintained in bodegas of Jerez?
Back: By keeping the earth floors damp
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Name: How are correct humidity levels maintained in bodegas of Jer

Front: What is the main method of keeping modern bodegas cool enough in Jerez?
Back: Air conditioning
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Name: What is the main method of keeping modern bodegas cool enoug

Front: What is the main system of maturation called in Sherry?
Back: Solera system

Front: Briefly describe the solera system
Back: Made up of a number of groups of butts (or criaderas/levels) which hold wines of different agesMaturation involves moving wine between them over time to achieve a blend of younger and older wines

Front: What does solera traditionally refer to?
Back: The final criadera that holds wines of the oldest average age

Front: List and briefly describe the stages of the solera system
Back: Wine for bottling is taken from the solera. An equal amount of wine is taken from each butt of this levelThe solera is not fully emptied and the butts are replenished with the same volume of wine taken from the butts in the next level that contain wine of a slightly younger average age called the first criaderaThe first criadera is the replenished in the same way as the solera and so on for following criaderasThe final criadera is replenished with sobretabla wine

Front: How many criaderas are there in the solera system?
Back: Between three and fourteen

Front: What is the difficulty regarding labelling Sherry with an average age?
Back: Due to the blending which occurs in the solera system, it is only possible to talk about the average age of wines which are being used for blending/bottling
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Name: What is the difficulty regarding labelling Sherry with an av

Front: What is the main advantage of the complex solera system?
Back: Wine taken from it for bottling/blending is the same every time

Front: How may Sherry consistency be interrupted?
Back: By introducing wines of a lower/different quality into the solera system or too much wine is taken out each year

Front: How is the risk of losing an entire solera system in one catastrophic event reduced?
Back: The different criaderas are often kept in different warehouses/buildings
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Name: How is the risk of losing an entire solera system in one cat

Front: What does biological ageing of Sherry require?
Back: The presence of flor

Front: What constitutes flor?
Back: A number of yeast strains

Front: Where is flor found?
Back: As a thick layer on the surface of the wine

Front: What are the inputs and outputs of flor in the biological ageing of Sherry?
Back: Inputs: Alcohol/other nutrients and oxygenOutputs: CO₂ and Acetylaldehyde
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Name: What are the inputs and outputs of flor in the biological ag

Front: What gives biologically aged Sherry its unique flavour?
Back: Acetylaldehyde

Front: What does flor need to thrive?
Back: Precise levels of alcohol, temperature and humidity

Front: What can influence the style of a maturing biological Sherry?
Back: Temperature, humidity and even a butt's position within the bodega
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Name: What can influence the style of a maturing biological Sherry

Front: At what alcohol level can flor no longer thrive?
Back: 15.5% abv

Front: What ambient conditions do flor favour?
Back: Cool to moderate temperatures and high levels of humidity

Front: When during the year does flor grow more vigorously?
Back: Spring and autumn

Front: What happens to flor in summer and winter?
Back: It dies back

Front: Why are butts only partly filled in the solera system for biological maturing of Sherry?
Back: So that flor has easy access to oxygen
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Name: Why are butts only partly filled in the solera system for bi

Front: Besides imparting flavours, what is the secondary benefit of flor for Sherry?
Back: It protects the wine from oxidation
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Name: Besides imparting flavours, what is the secondary benefit of

Front: What is constantly needed to keep flor thriving? Why?
Back: Regular additions of new wine are needed as flor is constantly consuming alcohol and other nutrients

Front: When should biologically aged Sherry be consumed?
Back: Those such as Finos quickly lose their freshness and should be consumed as soon as possible after bottling

Front: What is the average age of wine taken from solera systems?
Back: Rarely greater than three to four years

Front: What can happen as wines move to their oldest criadera?
Back: As the average age increases, overall levels of nutrients decrease and flor can start to fail, with oxidative characters eventually developing

Front: Which Sherries are aged oxidatively, without the presence of flor?
Back: Oloroso, PX and some Muscat Sherries
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Name: Which Sherries are aged oxidatively, without the presence of

Front: How is Amontillado aged?
Back: Oxidatively after a period of biological ageing

Front: What heavily influences the impact of oxygen on the oxidatively aged Sherries?
Back: The air present in the partly filled butts
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Name: What heavily influences the impact of oxygen on the oxidativ

Front: What is the positive impact of using the solera system for oxidative aged Sherry?
Back: The introduction of young wines helps to preserve the base character of the Sherries
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Name: What is the positive impact of using the solera system for o

Front: For how long may Sherries be aged oxidatively?
Back: Upwards of 30 years, though very few wines make it to this age

Front: What happens to Sherries as they age oxidatively?
Back: Alcohol levels rise to 22% abv as the water content evaporates

Front: What is the advantage of the solera system?
Back: It produces wines of consistent style and quality

Front: How are the solera systems used in creating final Sherry products?
Back: Most Sherries, including many of the very best, are blends of wines from several solera systems
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Name: How are the solera systems used in creating final Sherry pro

Front: How is the blending of several solera systems beneficial in the case of Oloroso Sherries?
Back: This blending can bring together the intense flavours of very old wines which would be unbalanced on their own, with the freshness of younger wines
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Name: How is the blending of several solera systems beneficial in

Front: What options do Sherry's larger producers have available to them?
Back: They have many different solera systems, giving them wines of different ages and styles that they can use to make up their various blends
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Name: What options do Sherrys larger producers have available to

Front: What may happen with Sherry just prior to bottling?
Back: Most Sherry will undergo fining and filtration

Front: What has been the trend in Sherry pre-bottling?
Back: There has been a growing trend towards keeping pre-bottling interventions to a minimum, particularly with biologically aged Sherries, as the vibrancy of their flavours can be dulled by high levels of intervention

Front: List the dry styles of Sherry
Back: Fino and ManzanillaOlorosoAmontilladoPalo Cortado

Front: How are Fino and Manzanilla Sherries made?
Back: Only biologically

Front: What is the profile of Fino and Manzanilla Sherry?
Back: Pale lemonAromas of citrus fruit, almonds and herbsBready notes from the action of flor

Front: What are the flavours of Fino and Manzanilla Sherry sometimes referred to as?
Back: Tangy or salty
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Name: What are the flavours of Fino and Manzanilla Sherry sometime

Front: Describe ageing for Fino and Manzanilla Sherries
Back: They do not improve in bottle and should be consumed as fresh as possible

Front: How does a Sherry become a Manzanilla?
Back: It is matured in the coastal town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, qualifying it as Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda (a separate DO to that of Jerez)

Front: How does the winemaking of Manzanillas differ for the winemaking for Fino?
Back: It's identical
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Name: How does the winemaking of Manzanillas differ for the winema

Front: What is the difference, other than location, between Fino and Manzanilla?
Back: The cooler more humid conditions in Sanlúcar guarantee a thick layer of flor throughout the year
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Name: What is the difference, other than location, between Fino an

Front: What is the effect on flavour of the thicker flor of Manzanilla?
Back: They have a more intensely tangy aroma
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Name: What is the effect on flavour of the thicker flor of Manzani

Front: For what is Manzanilla most famous?
Back: The fino-style wine that is called Manzanilla fina

Front: What in Sherry does en rama mean?
Back: Wines (Manzanilla) that have undergone minimal fining and filtering

Front: Describe the ageing of Oloroso wines
Back: Oxidative

Front: Describe Oloroso wines
Back: BrownFull bodiedDominated by oxidative aromas such as toffee, leather, spice and walnut

Front: Describe very old Oloroso wines
Back: Very concentrated and develop an astringency that is balanced when blended with younger wines in the solera system

Front: Describe ageing of Amontillado wines
Back: They have undergone a period of biological ageing followed by a period of oxidative ageing

Front: What happens in the bodega once Amontillado wines have completed their biological ageing?
Back: They are refortified to 17% abv to kill the flor and fed into an Amontillado solera system
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Name: What happens in the bodega once Amontillado wines have compl

Front: Describe Amontillado wines
Back: They are amber or brown in colourLess full-bodied than OlorososCombine yeast derived aromas with oxidative aromas

Front: What happens to Amontillado aromas over time?
Back: Yeast aromas slowly fade as the wine ages, though they remain recognisable

Front: Describe how long Amontillados can be matured
Back: As long as Olorosos

Front: What is the rarest style of Sherry?
Back: Palo Cortado

Front: What is the aroma character of a Palo Cortado?
Back: Similar to Amontillado

Front: How is Palo Cortado similar to Oloroso?
Back: They share a body and richness

Front: Some producers identify ... at the second classification, though this is not always the case
Back: Palo Cortado
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Name: Some producers identify ... at the second classification, th

Front: How are Palo Cortado wines made?
Back: Using a variety of different methods

Front: With which wines are Palo Cortados similar and difficult to tell apart from?
Back: Amontillado and Oloroso Sherries
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Name: With which wines are Palo Cortados similar and difficult to

Front: What is the general quality of Palo Cortado Sherries?
Back: Generally very high

Front: What kind of ageing is common to Sherry's naturally sweet styles?
Back: Oxidative
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Name: What kind of ageing is common to Sherrys naturally sweet st

Front: Describe Pedro Ximenez Sherries
Back: Deep brown and lusciously sweetPronounced aromas of dried fruit, coffee and liquorice

Front: What sugar levels do Pedro Ximenez sweet Sherries often reach?
Back: 500 g/l residual sugar
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Name: What sugar levels do Pedro Ximenez sweet Sherries often reac

Front: Describe naturally sweet Sherries made from Muscat
Back: They take on similar characteristics to PX wines although they retain a varietal dried citrus peel character

Front: How are Pale Cream Sherries made?
Back: They must have undergone a period of biological ageing prior to sweetening

Front: With what are Pale Cream Sherries typically sweetened?
Back: Rectified Concentrated Grape Must (RCGM)

Front: Describe the appearance of Pale Cream Sherries
Back: Similar to Fino

Front: What is the major difference in flavours (other than sweetness) between Pale Cream and Fino Sherries?
Back: Pale Cream rarely has any pronounced flor character
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Name: What is the major difference in flavours (other than sweetne

Front: What is the price of Medium and Cream Sherries?
Back: It ranges from inexpensive to super premium

Front: Describe the characteristics of a Medium Sherry
Back: It must show characteristics from both biological and oxidative ageing

Front: What are the characteristics of a Cream Sherry?
Back: Purely oxidative

Front: How are Medium and Cream Sherries sweetened?
Back: With PX wine

Front: Describe flavours of the best Medium/Cream Sherries
Back: They seamlessly balance the toffee, leather and walnut flavours of the dry wine with the dried fruit notes of the sweet wine

Front: Describe inexpensive versions of Cream Sherries
Back: They can taste cloying and lack complexity

Front: What are the recent law changes regarding the use of Amontillado, Oloroso and Palo Cortado?
Back: They can now only be used for dry styles of wine
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Name: What are the recent law changes regarding the use of Amontil

Front: What historically, was 'Oloroso dulce'?
Back: A sweet Oloroso/PX blend (this can no longer be the case)
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Name: What historically, was Oloroso dulce?

Front: What are the four categories of age-indicated Sherries?
Back: VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum/Very old rare Sherry)VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum/Very old Sherry)12 years old15 years old

Front: What do the top two categories of age-indicated Sherry signify?
Back: That the average age of the blend is at least 30 years old and 20 years old respectively and each batch must be tested to see whether it complies
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Name: What do the top two categories of age-indicated Sherry signi

Front: To what do the lesser categories of aged Sherry apply?
Back: The whole solera system, so can be used more flexibly

Front: Which Sherries can qualify for age-indicated status?
Back: Only Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso and PX