Sherry wine

Sherry analogues brief

Olga Nikandrova and Denis Shumakov.

The term “sherry analogues” we shall apply to wines which have at least one technological (flor, dinamical ageing) or marketing (sherry words in the name) meeting point with proper sherries.

A large number of sherry analogues are produced in the Jerez region itself. Among other things, it’s an obvious consequence of the fact that sherry may be matured only in certain towns of the region. There’s a number of full (in raw materials and in technologies used) analogues which cannot be named sherries. Amontillado from Lebrija or Oloroso from Trebujena are rare to meet outside their native towns — but the more it’s interesting to find and taste the ones. In addition to full sherry analogues there’s still a large number partial analogues produced within the Jerez region — they can be produced from a different grape variety, but in compliance with other sherry technologies, for example.

The Jerez Region as is known lies in Andalusia, where, besides “Jerez — Xérès — Sherry” D.O. and “Manzanilla — Sanlúcar de Barrameda” D.O., there are three more D.O. which produce wine with interest to us (in general, there are more D.O.-s in Andalusia, and not only the wine ones, but here we are speaking only about sherry analogues, aren’t we?). In Cordoba (to the right and up from the province of Cadiz, where sherry is produced) there is Montilla-Moriles D.O. In Huelva (left and upwards) — Condado de Huelva D.O. In Malaga (almost straight to the right) — Málaga D.O. All these regions, including the Jerez region, are historically, technologically and culturally related to one another and, naturally, produce similar wines.

Ageing wine under a layer of yeasts is not unique to Spain. In some wine regions this technique has evolved independently and became a key stage of the production of very interesting wines, in which, if desired, one can find similarities to biologically aged dry sherries. Wine is aged under a film of yeasts in France (mainly, vin jaune from Jura) and Hungary (Száraz Tokaji Szamorodni).

Some fortified wines of absolutely different quality produced in different parts of the world nowadays were initially created as sherry-replicas. Almost all these wines at early stages of their existence were even labeled “sherries” (either in English or in Russian). By now, many sherry-esque wines have changed their names and do not come into collision with Spanish sherry names. But some haven’t been renamed — so, it is still possible to find in the market bottles labeled as sherry but having no relation to the Jerez Region.

Finally, there is Vin du Glacier or Gletscherwein from Switzerland. Which, due to its exoticness, deserves a separate table.

And then there are Italian Marsala wines and sherry-esque wine from South Africa, which we didn’t get around to yet. But soon we will.

We in no way consider sherries proper and sherry analogues (whatever reasons there were in their appearing) as categories which should be opposed to each other. It is interesting to taste them and compare, taking sherry for a reference material and an absolute flagship product of the amazing and diverse part of wine culture associated with fortification, film-forming yeasts, solera system and raisined grapes.

Sherry analogues reviewed on the website (in Russian only):
— Frédéric Lornet Arbois Vin Jaune 2004
— Cruz Conde Pale Cream
— Bodegas San Sebastián Mariana Cream
— Bodegas San Sebastián Oloroso Seco
— Bodegas San Sebastián Moscatel Blanco
— Bodegas San Sebastián Fino La Barrosa
— Alvear Pedro Ximénez Solera
— Alvear Fino CB
— Moscatel Gloria Naranja
— Bodegas J. Ferris M. Tintilla de Rota
— Tintilla de Rota J. Martínez
— Херес Массандра 2007
— Херес Массандра 1972
— Херес Яловень Сухой 1994
— Don PX Gran Reserva 1982
— Alvear's Fino
— Alvear Moscatel
— Quady Winery Palomino Fino
— Ореанда херес сухой
— Bourgeoisie de Grimentz Vin du Glacier 1888
— Mémoire d’Automnes
— S' PX Solera 1989
— Malaga Cruz
— Gran Barquero Amontillado
— André et Mireille Tissot Vin Jaune 2007 «En Spois»
— André et Mireille Tissot Vin Jaune 2007 «Les Bruyères»
— André et Mireille Tissot Château Chalon 2007
— André et Mireille Tissot Vin Jaune 2007 «La Vasée»
— Château l’Etoile Vin Jaune 2005
— Château Dereszla Száraz Tokaji Szamorodni 2003
— Mazuran’s Amontillado Dry Sherry
— Fino Cobos
— Шабо Классика Херес
— Alvear Oloroso Asunción
— Shervin (Heres) Armonios De Calitate Matur. Rezerva 1994
— La Vinyeta Sereno Solera 2009
— Contini Vernaccia di Oristano 2005
— Sedgwick’s Old Brown
— Shervin Ialoveni Romаnita 1988