lo Sept.. 1909.] Sherry: Its H/aki/it^ and /vcarh/}:,. 



579 



At the completion of fermentation, an examination of tlie young 

 wines reveals a curious state of affairs which constitutes one of the in- 

 teresting features of the making of Sherry. The contents of the different 

 butts differ from one another in a very marked manner, scarcely any two 

 of the young wines being exactly alike. Made as has been described 

 above, with each butt the result of a separate pressing, uniformity is not 

 to be expected, and slight differences of composition, of gravity, of tem- 

 perature, &c., would influence the resulting wine, but the differences are 

 verv much greater than the above reasons would lead one to expect. 

 Different butts made from the same block in a vineyard, planted with 

 the same varietv of vines, may turn out, even immediately after fermen- 

 tation, to be absolutelv different wines ; one may be pale in colour and 

 delicate, whilst the very next butt may be golden yellow and of quite 

 distinct character. As was suggested to me (see page 520), the veast 



YOUNG SHERRIES FERMENTING IN THE OPEN Alk. 



responsible for the fermentation has most probably a great deal to do 

 with these differences. The point is an interesting one which awaits further 

 study. 



This variabilitv necessitates a sorting out or classification of the variou!> 

 types, much in the same wav as, one drafts sheep; this operation is really 

 the starting point of the several distinct styles or types of Sherry referred 

 to on page 516, and as such one of the salient features in the making of 

 Sherry. 



The period at which it takes place is variable. In some bodegas, 

 the older svstem of leaving the young wines untouched till midwinter, or 

 even later, is followed, the classification taking place after the new year, 

 or even at the second racking, in spring. In others, a preliminary classi- 

 fication takes place before Christmas. Since fashion has decided in 

 fa\'Our of wines of the fino tvpe, lighter than those made formerly, this 

 earlv examination has become more usual. Such wines, fermenting more 

 rapidly, require earlier attention than the heavier wines of fifty years ago. 

 Once fermentation is terminated, the protecting layer of carbonic acid in 

 the upper portion of the cask soon disappears, exposing its contents to 

 damage from ullage. 



u 2 



