TN: Wondering about the perceptions of components in Fino

• N.V. Alvear Montilla-Moriles C.B. Fino - Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles (9/4/2008)
  ½ bottle; 6,68€; 100% Pedro Ximénez. The initials C. B. are from Carlos Bellanueva, a cellar master in the 1800's. This is a very attractive Fino: very fresh and bright; it smells of flor, lemon and almonds; it tastes dry and intense but not unfriendly. Very charming.

Posted from CellarTracker

Most big reds with 15% abv taste unbalanced and hot to me. So why is it that a white that seems pretty light and refreshing shows no signs of alcohol at 15% abv? The acidity, also, isn't terribly high (4,7g/l) so why does it taste so dry with such an amount of alcohol (which usually would bring a touch of sweetness)? Looking at the numbers I don't know why Fino works (any explanations?) - but work it does! I love the stuff.

So why is it that a white that seems pretty light and refreshing shows no signs of alcohol at 15% abv?

Did you drink it chilled?

So why is it that a white that seems pretty light and refreshing shows no signs of alcohol at 15% abv?

Did you drink it chilled?

Yes, and also close to room temperature where it didn't show too much either! I'm not sure the explanation is that simple.

-O

Yes, and also close to room temperature where it didn't show too much either! I'm not sure the explanation is that simple.

-O

Yes, never simple. Sherry is somewhat of a different beast as it has a lot of 'body' from the alcohol but not in a fat or flabby way as in other wines. Perhaps the fortification process is responsible?

Yes, and also close to room temperature where it didn't show too much either! I'm not sure the explanation is that simple.

-O

Yes, never simple. Sherry is somewhat of a different beast as it has a lot of 'body' from the alcohol but not in a fat or flabby way as in other wines. Perhaps the fortification process is responsible?

It's those aldehydes, baby!

Fortification isn't responsible - the Montilla-Moriles wines are not fortified.

It's not the aldehydes either.

It's the action of the 'flor' yeast, which gobbles up a number of components, one of which is glycerin. The comparative lack of glycerin is why they don't feel heavy and alcoholic. That's also why long-aged finos and manzanillas feel even lighter than more briefly aged (cheaper) finos and manzanillas: their glycerin content is even lower. They also feel increasingly drier.

Fortification isn't responsible - the Montilla-Moriles wines are not fortified.

It's not the aldehydes either.

It's the action of the 'flor' yeast, which gobbles up a number of components, one of which is glycerin. The comparative lack of glycerin is why they don't feel heavy and alcoholic. That's also why long-aged finos and manzanillas feel even lighter than more briefly aged (cheaper) finos and manzanillas: their glycerin content is even lower. They also feel increasingly drier.

Thanks Victor! Do you mind if I quote this elsewhere where this discussion came up?

-O

Do you mind if I quote this elsewhere where this discussion came up?

You don't need to ask me, Otto. Everything I publish under my name on public media, the WLDG for instance, is on public record and may be freely quoted by anyone.

Then again, there's no particularly earth-shattering information in what I explained - I'm just summarizing what's been amply documented by enologists and other researchers in Spain since long ago.

That's fascinating, Victor. I had no idea.

Fortification isn't responsible - the Montilla-Moriles wines are not fortified.

It's not the aldehydes either.

It's the action of the 'flor' yeast, which gobbles up a number of components, one of which is glycerin. The comparative lack of glycerin is why they don't feel heavy and alcoholic. That's also why long-aged finos and manzanillas feel even lighter than more briefly aged (cheaper) finos and manzanillas: their glycerin content is even lower. They also feel increasingly drier.

Great explanation Victor. I wonder too if is was not served a bit too warm. I like my fino and manzanillas almost fridge cold. Certainly I like them colder than a white table wine. Also, I like them more with tapas than on their own, or with regular table food. My favorite way to drink fino is served cold sitting on the Plaza de Espańa (Sevilla) watching the flamenco dancers, listening to the guitars, and eating prawns! YUM!

Question for Victor:
Is the alcohol listed on the label the actual ABV % of the “finished” wine or is it the amount of alcohol that the sherry is fortified too? Usually a Fino styled Sherry is fortified to 15% and than placed in a barrel to let the flor yeast grow and do its thing. Than the wine will be introduced to a “nursery” or solera system where depending upon the barrel, each barrel can have a slightly different, and at times varying, ABV %. Is the ABV % determined and measured at bottling?

Salute

Funny, I have been drinking the regular Alvear Montilla and just ordered a case of their vintage dated fino, and also enjoy some of the Lustau single vineyard offerings when I can get them. It is either a glass of chilled fino with a few cashews before dinner, or a large Gin half full of olives - also a Spanish connection (the olives are for the vitamins).

Is the alcohol listed on the label the actual ABV % of the “finished” wine or is it the amount of alcohol that the sherry is fortified too?

This is the alcohol level at bottling. The wine now is less fortified than it ever was - 15 years ago the minimum legal level for fino and manzanilla was 15.5% alc., and now it's 15.0%, which is what every major winery in Jerez, El Puerto and Sanlúcar is producing. Again, this does not apply to the finos from Montilla-Moriles, which don't need fortifying since they're made with the pedro ximénez variety. This has a much higher sugar content than the palomino fino grape.

Thanks Victor.

Salute