1 1 Oct., 1909.] SJwrry : Its Making and Rearing. 



62-1 



Amontillado Soleras. — We have already seen that an Amontillado \vine 

 is one which was originally a fmo but which has entered on the second 

 period of its development. This second period is, however, passed in a 

 different solera to the first. Soleras generally are designed, and so con- 

 ducted, that the wine in the butts of the final stage is all that that par- 

 ticular solera is expected to produce. Amontillado soleras are therefore 

 recruited from fino ones, and onlv from the best of these, which alone are 

 able to stand the long maturation necessary for the evolution of the amon- 

 tillado character. Amontillados are thus, necessarily, high priced wines 

 — more especiallv as in their case the number of stages is usually consider- 

 able, for their evolution is slow. 



Amontillado soleras are devoid of flor. Bv the time the wine is fit to 

 go into them it has increased in strength to such an extent that its growth 

 is no longer possible. 



BRANDY DISTILLERY OF MESSRS. GONZALEZ BYASS AND CO. 



Composite Soleras. — Manv of the large Jerez houses conduct soleras 

 destined to the turning out of a complex wine (as distinguished from the 

 usual blend of finished wines made just before shipment) ; for example, the 

 wine sold under the name of Noe by Gonzalez Byass and Co. — a verv ex- 

 pensi\'e wine. 



Of course, in this category, almost any combination is possible; it 

 depends entirely upon the judgment of the cellar manager. These com- 

 posite soleras might really be termed " soleras of soleras " as the Avine 

 going into the youngest stage is usually a blend of varying quantities of 

 final stage wines from other different soleras. It is for these that the 

 exceedingly old aiiadas, bitter and brown, but of great character and 

 f5a\'Ouring power, come in most useful. A small proportion of one of such 

 wines usually forms part of the wine used to rosear the first stage. Some- 

 times a little very old Vino de Color and also some s.weet Pedro Ximenez 

 also find their way into the blend. These composite soleras are usually 

 of few stages — three or four as a rule. They are devoid of flor and onlv 

 serve to automatically blend and secure thorough amalgamation and even 

 type in a blend of wines already matured by long sojourn in other soleras. 



