Drink VORS Amontillado Sherry before you die! Why?
Not only because it’s what every civilized person needs, according to TS Eliot, but because it is an intricate tapestry of flavours that can only be weaved with the fabrics of time, terroir, and technique ... and, only in Andalucia.
VORS, is an acronym for "Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum" or Very Old Rare Sherry, and is a designation given to Sherry that is 30 years or older. This wine should cost a fortune, but it is relatively cheap.
 |
| Barrels of Sherry quietly aging | © Fotomaniaco / stock.adobe.com |
VORS Amontillado Sherry typically presents a a reasonably deep amber hue, with notes of roasted nuts and dried fruits gently unfolding on the nose. The palate is then caressed with harmonious nuances of toffee, vanilla and sea that evolve and linger in the mouth.
So, what makes VORS Amontillado sherry so distinctive from other wines and, indeed, other fortified wines? The main reason is the aging process. Which for Amontillado is a dual process. That’s right, there’s two steps to it. The first step is biological. The second oxidative.
Biological aging occurs when a film of yeast, know as the flor, is allowed to grow on partially filled barrels of bone dry sherry that has been fortified to about 15% alcohol. The 15% alcohol is quite important—too much higher than this the flor won’t grow and too much lower other, undesirable, microbes could also grow.
The layer of flor has three main effects on the wine beneath it. First, it stops it from becoming oxidized—so the wine stays a bright pale straw color and retains some primary fruit characters. Second, it adds distinctive aromas and flavors—most notably through the production of acetaldehyde giving the wine pungent aromas reminiscent of overripe or bruised apples as well as almonds. And, third, it gobbles up all the glycerol—without glycerol (which adds plumpness and perceived sweetness) the wine feels light, delicate and bone dry.
There is also a fourth effect of flor yeast. But, its impact is on the wine above it. As a wine ages under a film of flor many of the yeast cells die, sink to the bottom of the barrel, and begin to break down—a process known as autolysis. Yeast autolysis can contribute bready, yeasty, and savory notes to a wine—the same process happens in Champagne and Muscadet sur lie.
For Amontillado Sherry, the first effect of the flor—protection from oxidation—is negated because the wine then undergoes a period of oxidative aging (and this is one of the key factors that distinguishes it from Fino Sherry). The impact of the second, third, and fourth effects, however, remain firmly imprinted on the wine (and this is what differentiates it from Oloroso Sherry).
For the second oxidative aging stage in the production of Amontillado Sherry, the wine is further fortified so the flor yeast, and other nasties, can’t grow. The wine remains in American oak casks, which allows a small amount of oxygen in (but more than French oak casks).
This oxidative aging process has two key impacts. The first is on color, making the wine a yellowish brown. The second is on aroma and flavor giving the wine lovely toffee and nutty notes and some dried fruits richness.
It’s the combination of effects from these two processes that makes Amontillado Sherry a truly unique wine with an alluringly complex array of aromas and flavors. What takes VORS Amontillado to the next level and makes it super special is time. Typically spending more than 20 years in the oxidative aging phase, the wines become more concentrated with great depth and intensity. All the aroma and flavor compounds become seamlessly integrated and harmonized to a level that can only be achieved with patience. And lots of it. Thankfully, the Bodegas have done all this for us and we can just buy one off the shelf ready to drink!
 |
| Lustau VORS Amontillado Sherry - take your taste buds to another dimension | © lustau.es |