Traditional method of aging in solera
All Sherries are made by means of a system of different casks named “solera”.
Sherry has a unique characteristic in which it adopts the qualities from the oldest wine once they are combined. The solera system has been developed to benefit from this.
The extraction of wine for expedition comes from the “solera” (the oldest tier of wine) and must be replaced with the same amount of younger wine from the first criadera (Spanish term that translates as “nursery”). In turn, this wine must be replaced with a wine from the second criadera, replaced in turn with the young wine named “sobretabla”. This way, each wine cask is “rociada” (washed down) at least three times a year.
No other wine is combined in this way. It takes at least four years to reach the necessary age in the solera before the wine is sent for bottling.
El Jerez en profundidad
El jerez depende totalmente del sistema de solera. Cada bodega conoce sus propias marcas y estilos. El trabajo de quien elabora el vino es asegurar la continuidad de esos estilos para que el consumidor siempre obtenga un vino de la misma calidad y características independientemente de cuándo compre una botella. A continuación se relata en profundidad el funcionamiento del sistema de solera y el papel del capataz de bodega.
El sistema de solera proporciona una calidad consistente basada en el hecho que el vino de mayor edad puede ser rociado con vino más joven, que adquirirá el cáracter de éste. Es como una combinación fraccional.
The solera system
The solera system consists in amounts of the same wine at different stages of aging divided in casks of equal volume. The last tier o mature wine is called ?solera?. The tiers from which it is fed are named ?criaderas? (nurseries). The wine which is to be combined and subsequently bottled is drawn off from the solera and is replaced with wine form the first criadera, a somewhat younger and less complex wine. The process is repeated up through the levels until we reach the last criadera which will be washed down with young wine. There may be different numbers of tiers between the solera and the last criadera, depending on the style of the wine. The soleras of very mature wines will be washed down with soleras of similar style and not with young wine.
When the wine is drawn off from the casks of the solera (normally between 10 and 15% of the, approximately, 550 litre capacity), the same amount will be taken from a similar number of casks of the first criadera and will be combined in the same proportions in the space which was left in the solera. In the following months (the period may vary between three months and two years depending on the style of the wine), the slightly younger wine blends with the more aged wine and acquires the properties of the latter, which is in the majority. At the end of the process, all the wine is transformed into the same one drawn off months before.
In turn, the wine from the second criadera will occupy the space freed in the first, resulting in the same blending process, and so on until the last criadera is reached and is washed down with young wine which recovers similar characteristics.
There are a couple of points to take into account in the solera system. Firstly, the whole system, from the last criadera to the solera, is known as solera, the same denomination given to the wine in its optimum state of “crianza” (aging). It is not normal for wine to be drawn off from all the casks of a solera at the same time. The amount of wine and number of casks from which it is drawn depends on the amount to be bottled. Secondly, these 550 litre casks are filled, in the case of “fino” (fine sherry), so as to allow the circulation of air needed for the growth of the “flor” (a peculiar type of yeast) and, in the cases of “amontillados” (when fino has lost all the flor) and “olorosos” (type of sherry without flor), to favour oxidation.
There is a legal restriction regarding the extractions: Each winery can remove only a maximum of 35% of stored wine. Buying wine in any state of aging to increase the capacity of the soleras is quite common if the demand for a wine grows. Likewise, the sale for opposite reasons is also normal.
When the wine is drawn from the casks of the solera (usually between 10 and 15% of the, approximately, 550 litre capacity), the same amount will be taken from a similar number of casks of the first criadera and will be combined in the same proportions in the space which was left in the solera. In the following months (the period may vary between three months and two years depending on the style of the wine), the slightly younger wine blends with the more aged wine and acquires the properties of the latter, which is in the majority. At the end of the process, all the wine is transformed into the same one drawn off months before.
