Sherry baby
What is Flor?
One of the least appealing aspects of wine is that, from time to time, we are called upon to talk about yeast. Not the most appetizing subject, but the truth is it’s how juice becomes wine, and without it we’d be nowhere.
The layer of yeast that covers fermenting sherry is called flor. Only as thick as the length of a thumbnail, this growth protects the wine from air while at the same time providing depth of flavor. The indigenous yeast needed for flor to form occur naturally in Andalucía.
The two styles of Sherry that age under flor are Fino and Manzanilla. Amontillado, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximénez age only partially or without it entirely. It grows more the best in the humid coastal towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Puerto de Santa Maria than it does anywhere else. This is why there can be many differences between Jerez Fino, Puerto Fino, and Manzanilla.
Flor is kept alive by the continuous addition of younger wine and yeast nutrients, which is the basis of the Solera system. In the Solera, the tiered barrel system sherry is aged in, allows for flor to grow and also helps each vintage remain consistent.
Each barrel within the Solera is called a criadera. Wine is always taken from the oldest barrel. The youngest barrels comprise the top of the Solera. Each refills a senior barrel so that the wine develops complexity and depth of flavor.
Fino becomes Amontillado when the flor runs out of nutrients. They then oxidize and become a rich amber color. Oxidation provides a completely different flavor profile. This is where nuttier, more savory flavors come from.
Fino: Made from the Palomino grape - aged entirely under flor (biological aging) – flavor profile is bone dry, saline and slightly yeasty – the overall impression is clean.
Manzanilla: Made from Palomino – comes from Sanlúcar de Barrameda – biological aging only – flavor profile is entirely dry, more oceanic in characteristic as it is made closer to the sea – two types: Manzanilla Fina and Manzanilla Pasada (a style that is aged longer, but we’ll talk about that in another post).
Amontillado: Made from Palomino – starts out as a Fino or Manzanilla but, in addition to biological aging, undergoes oxidative again whereby it is exposed to air (without flor) – it is darker and more intense in flavor – it is nuttier, more herbal, and in general fuller-bodied.
Oloroso: Made from Palomino – aged without flor (oxidative aging only) – alcohol levels are too high for flor to grow – the base wine is more concentrated which creates a more complex style of sherry – hazelnut, dried apricot, caramelized onion are all flavors we have found in our favorite olorosos.
