Fortified or Unfortified: The Past is the Future

Sherry is a fortified wine. Alcohol, which must be derived from grapes, and is in the region of 95% pure, is added at some stage or other, and in whatever suitable proportion, but the Reglamento (the rule book) does not actually specify this, only the minimum strengths required according to the style of the wine.

Wines from the region were not fortified in the distant past. It was not until the arrival of the Moors in AD 711 that distilling knowledge became available. Even then, it was used in attempts at medicine, perfume and alchemy. In fact the wines were never fortified until the growth of exports and the sack trade made it necessary - and more enjoyable to its markets - much later, in the XVI century.

Arab-style alquitara still (Al-embique.es)

In days of yore wines in butts were loaded into the holds of sailing ships, as often as not as ballast, for a journey which could easily take a week to reach, say, London. The rolling about of the ship and changes in temperature caused the wines to oxidise more, and on longer journeys, they matured more quickly, usually arriving in a condition quite different to that in which they had been sent. Hence the style of Madeira or the East India Sherries: deliberately taken on longer voyages for that reason. The use of fortification proved a very useful form of preservative in the wine, and in the past it was used less sparingly than now.

Interestingly, Sherry is fortified to different strengths for different markets, but this is due to those markets’ taxation regimes. As of 4/6/2014, the UK excise duty on a standard 9 litre case of Sherry is a whopping £32.79 (plus VAT of course), but at least that covers all fortified wines between 15% and 22% volume. In some countries there are multiple rates of tax. The UK duty on table wines up to 15% vol is £24.60 (+VAT).

Fortification is also used by Sherry producers as a tool. If, for example a wine has some fairly thin flor and apparently can’t make up its mind whether to be a Fino or not, then the producers will make the decision and fortify it up to 17 or 18% to be Oloroso/Palo Cortado.  Then there is Jan Pettersen of Rey Fernando de Castilla, who re-fortifies his Antique Fino to 17% vol as he feel it is better that way. I myself remember Finos in the 1960s and 1970s which were even stronger still – and not half as good. So fortification has been reduced generally, both for cost and quality reasons - and, of course, because wines reach their destination much more quickly now. With Finos and Manzanillas, fortification to15-15.5% is necessary, as the desirable yeasts (Flor) can stand it, but undesirable (such as vinegar) yeasts cannot.

But what about the viability of wines without any fortification? Nowadays, they are transported very much quicker, in refrigerated transport if necessary, and Sherry is exported in bottle without any lees to cause trouble. One wonders if fortification is still necessary. The answer to that is yes, but not always. As already mentioned, it is useful in the bodegas, and change would cause chaos, but some wines are now being produced without fortification, and give us a glimpse of how they might have been in the past. Innovation is not a great tradition in Jerez, but recent ideas such as Lustau’s Almacenista range, Barbadillo’s Solear En Rama, VOS/VORS, table wine and even sparkling wine have been noticed. Innovation is in and might well help in the revival of Sherry – by revisiting the past. (Remember Cayetano del Pino's Sparkling Sherry?)

Back in 2005, Equipo Navazos came about when two friends and Sherry lovers found an old unused solera of magnificent Amontillado and decided to buy some and bottle it for themselves. This has developed into a business, and the wines they bottle have won great praise. They have very enquiring minds, and have given immense thought to the wines of the past, which they like to call “Natural Sherries”, but they don’t qualify as “Sherry” officially, as they have lower than permitted alcohol contents.

First they came up with a wine called Vino Blanco Navazos Niepoort, first produced in 2008 with the winemaking skills of Port producer Dirk Nieport and help from Vilaviniteca owner Quim Vila. This is a wine with a natural strength of 12.5% made from Palomino grapes grown on pure Albariza soil near Sanlucar, fermented in butts with natural yeast and bottled after four or five months under Flor. It is an amazing wine with yeasty, slightly oxidative apply notes, very close to how one imagines wines were in the mid XVIII century.

Then they came up with the brilliantly named Vino Blanco MMX Flor Power (bottling No. 44). This is based on the same premise, but more intense, as it is aged longer – 8 months in 15 sherry butts then 24 months in stainless steel tanks – all under Flor, which reduces the alcohol content to 11,5%. It was bottled in 2013 and is now available. They also have a similar project in Montilla, called OVNI.

Another new project is under way at Bodegas Luis Perez in Jerez. This small family owned bodega, established as recently as 2002, is mainly involved with the production of high quality table wines. Their Petit Verdot is already acclaimed and they have just launched a Tintilla. This wine undergoes a second phase of ageing in an amphora 12 metres under the sea.

Last year the bodega bought the famous 30 hectare Viña El Corregidor vineyard in the Carrascal (once Sandeman), with the intention of also producing a vintage unfortified Sherry. The plan is to age it for 4 years under Flor. This means it will need grapes containing more sugar (16% alc vol in the base wine) to give it the higher strength needed as the Flor will reduce that strength. They will need to harvest 2-3 weeks later to achieve this, but experiments in 2013 achieved 16.3%. It will be fermented in 18 butts seasoned with Fino but cleaned of yeast sediments. After fermentation the butts will be filled fuller for ageing, leaving less than the traditional “two fists” of headspace, to avoid excessive Flor. All augurs well so far. Apparently the experimental 2013 is very good with good acidity, lots of bitter almonds and minerality, and very long.

Spectacular Bodega: Luis perez

Jerez’s most famous journalist, Paz Ivison, asked Cesar Saldaña of the Consejo Regulador what his view was on these matters. He was very interested personally, and pointed out that the DO Jerez should be what its producers want it to be, any changes, however, would have to go through endless bureaucratic processes as far as Europe, but it is not impossible.

On a slightly less spectacular note, there is of course, Bodegas Tejero Moreno who own 38 hectares in Jerez Superior. They make a range of basic Sherries but have also been producing Vino de Aguja (lit. "Needle Wine") which is a slightly sparkling wine made from Sherry grapes since 2004. Light and refreshing, it is an everyday drink of no great sophistication.

Not so long ago the Viticultores de Jerez produced not only an Ice Wine, but a low-alcohol wine, but these did not last long on the market. (see separate post) Over the years many ideas have been tried, and
no doubt there will be more interesting ideas. Let’s hope so, it is all to the good of the Sherry region.

{Some information gleaned from "Jerez se Mueve" by Paz Ivison in Planeta Vino (Proensa)}