4.11.15 Sherry Symposium

The Consejo and the University of Cádiz (UCA) are holding a scientific symposium called “Sherry in the 80 Years of the Denominación de Origen 1935-2015” which will be the climax of the large range of activities organised by the Consejo in celebration of its 80^th birthday. The symposium will run from the 26^th – 28^th November and it is hoped that it will fill a gap in the History of Sherry: the last 80 years, which, as the Consejo director César Saldaña explains, have been poorly documented in comparison to the multitude of documents and studies which exist from the XVIII and XIX centuries.

The press conference at bodega San Gines (foto:diariojerez)

César Saldaña appeared at a press conference yesterday with Beltrán Domecq and Casimiro Mantell, vice rector of research at the UCA, to present the official programme for the symposium which will have a multi-disciplinary character covering science, history, economy, society, companies, commercialisation and more through nine lectures from academics and experts in the relevant areas. There will also be a series of round tables and 16 communications selected from the many brought by the researchers with the idea of collating it all in a book for publication.

Subscription remains open as there are 20 places left at €40 from the original 100 and they can be applied for at the Consejo website (www.sherry.org). Bodegas Tradición and González Byass will be offering a glass of Sherry to everyone present.

Climate Change is Affecting Sherry

This is a worrying article by JA Cañas published in today's La Voz Digital Cádiz:

It is not just another heatwave, it is the confirmation of a trend. It is not just an alarmist assertion, it is a reality proved by various indicators. One of them is also one of the province’s greatest sources of wealth: wine. The bodegas are worried that climate change is causing important changes in the wine which can only be combated with research and the application of new technology.

Carmelo García knows all about it. He is a professor at the University of Cádiz (UCA) and in charge of the Centro Andaluz de Investigaciones Vitivinícolas (CAIV)run by the university in conjunction with the Junta. He has spent many years researching how to save the grapes from the grave problem of rising temperatures. The key is in the vegetative cycle of the grape and its ripening during the summer. High temperatures make the grape ripen more quickly and with a higher sugar content which will ferment out to a higher level of alcohol. This happens with all grape varieties and is forcing bodegas to pick the grapes sooner, like in mid-August.

Harvesting ever earlier (foto:lavozdigital)

You might think that would solve the problem – but for one other factor. As it ripens, the grape converts its acids into sugar, but the aromas also appear. The high temperatures are knocking off balance the development of sugars and aromas. While the sugar content rises rapidly it is not so with the aromas, so earlier picking brings in grapes with less aroma. At least it could be worse for the Sherry trade as they use mainly Palomino which is not the most aromatic of grapes, its aromas develop during ageing.

Sherry is, of course, not the only wine produced in the province. Many table wines are produced from other grape varieties and here aroma is more important. Red grapes present a particular problem as the heat causes the sugars to rise quickly but not the aromas or the colour. Once grapes were picked when they had enough sugar to achieve the intended alcohol level, but now they are picked according to phenolic ripeness as well, that is properly ripe, not just plenty of sugar. If you pick the red grape on say the 20^th August it will already have enough sugar, but very little colour. If you wait longer you will get the colour but the wine will be far too strong. Worse still, the market currently prefers wines with less alcohol.

After years of research, the CAIV knows the climate is against us. Climate change is already obvious and harvests are regularly much earlier than say 30-40 years ago. Furthermore, the CAIV works with predictive models which show that some regions will have serious problems making wine at all in the future, and that the whole of Spain will be affected.

Research is therefore focusing on the grape, its vinification and the wine. They are studying irrigation and the possibility of nutrient supply to compensate for the fast ripening. They are also looking into old grape varieties which are perfectly adapted to vineyards in the province with higher temperatures with the idea of cloning them and planting them more widely. As to winemaking, they are looking into the maceration of the grape skins to extract more colour and aroma. The last option is to reduce the alcohol level of the wine without the loss of aroma; the centre already has a machine which removes alcohol. It is hoped to have all the necessary results in the next three years as they are well aware that this is neither trivial nor an exaggeration, it is a serious and worrying reality and clear results are needed to deal with it.

21.1.15 Cadiz University; Jerez Euromillions Win

Cádiz University (UCA) is again running a Master course in tourism management at the campus in Jerez. Under the faculty of Social Sciences and Communication the course, which is centred on wine tourism, will begin in the coming spring under the auspices of Professor Paloma López Zurita.

The module will be centred on vineyard and wine terminology in English and different specialists will impart their knowledge to the students enrolled on the course. One of these specialists is Sherry lover José Luís Jiménez who will discuss Sherry in the anglo-saxon world in the contexts of culture, cinema, art, advertising, music and literature. I wish I could be there.

Jose Luis Jimenez (foto: + jerez)

Over €16,000,000 have been won by somebody in Jerez on the Euromillions lottery. That would be enough to buy Valdivia from the receivers and resuscitate the business. Or give the Consejo a proper budget to promote Sherry ¡Ojalá!

The announcement in the Jerez betting office which sold the winning ticket  (foto: reporteros jerez)

8.11.13 Gymcata Jerez

"You can smell that lovely aroma from the street!"

The I “Gymcata Denominacion de Origen Jerez” has been a great success. The 13 teams of contestants had to pass tests such as blind tastings and differentiating different types of vinegar, going round tabancos and bodegas.

A member of one team, the “Turismologos”, a UCA student, said that she had begun to get to know Jerez itself, rather than just the route from the station to college. “It is really interesting”.

The event, organised by the University of Cadiz (UCA) and the Campus of Agro-alimentary Excellence, and supported by the City Council, The Consejo Regulador, Tabancora (the Tabanco association) and the Association of Oenologists of Andalucia, was timed to coincide with the V European Day of Wine Tourism. Another student, of oenology, said it was great fun. They had visited Gonzalez Byass and the tabanco El Pasaje. “The professors have been encouraging us, and “we’ve arrived in a very good place”.

In El Pasaje they had a really sweet test. Manuel Sanchez, one of those in charge of the test, and who is finishing his doctoral thesis on research into making sweets from Sherry, brought various samples of truffles to see if the contestants could tell which type of Sherry they had been made with.

Another team, “Los Viñeros”, were the winners after they completed all the tests in the least time. The team’s spokesperson pointed out that the event is the perfect way to promote not only Sherry itself, but to get the locals to realise what a treasure of a wine they have. Speaking from the door of the tabanco Las Banderillas, Domi Guillen also said that people would get to know better the tabancos of Jerez, which are delightful. “My test was to differentiate between Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Amontillado and Fino”.

Most of the teams were students, mostly Spanish, but from as far afield as Colombia and Portugal, and they were all delighted to discover how good Sherry and other local products are, not to mention the place and its history.

Tomorrow is also full of activities. Many bodegas have doors open days, some with violin concerts or equestrian shows, visits to vineyards, art exhibitions. There will also take place the first of the “Sherry Cooking Classes”, while the Consejo is organising a tasting for the visually impaired in collaboration with the City council and the ONCE (the Spanish National Organisation for the Blind). There will also be a tutored Sherry and food marriage tasting with a reading of poetry. Then there will be a timed rally starting in the Plaza Arenal.

Oh! How I wish I were in Jerez right now!!!

1.3.13 Sherry Chocolates!!

Researchers at the University of Cadiz have found gastronomic uses for the leftovers of winemaking by producing jams and biscuits. The residues, which can reach 20 tons per harvest, contain high levels of antioxidants and fibre, giving them very healthy properties. Up till now disposal of the residues has been awkward and costly, although some can be ploughed-in as mulch in the vineyards.  

Another idea - an even better one - that the researchers have is to produce chocolates filled with wine essence. They would have all the flavour properties of Sherry but without the alcohol. The same could be done with Jerez brandy and even vinegar. Brilliant!!