Gutierrez Colosia, Amontillado Solera Familiar

Since 1838, Gutierrez Colosia is located in the mouth of the river Guadalete. The dry "Levante" and the hurrid "Poniente" winds regulate the surrounding moisture level thus maintaining optimum conditions for our wines to age. The quality of the Gutiérrez Colosía wines is guaranteed by careful ageing through a process known as "criaderas y soleras", following the region's tradition.

The Gutiérrez Colosía wines are produced in "bodegas", or wine cellars, with an architectural style known as "Nave Cathedral" or cathedral like warehouse. These are buildings of significant height and numerous arcs which allow for a better exposure of the wines to the influence of the special climate of the Region.

The Gutiérrez Colosía Bodegas are heirs to a long viticulture and wine producing tradition. Their first Bodega was built in 1838 and it has been preserved almost as such to this day. After different ownership, it was acquired by Mr. José Gutiérrez Dosal towards the beginning of the 20th century, the late great grandfather of this last generation of the Gutiérrez Colosía family.

Gutiérrez Colosía winery is the only one located by the riverside in the area and it is this location which allows for the perfect humidity level needed for the biological ageing of the “Fino” and the developing of a fine layer of yeast “en flor” (micro-organisms which develop over the wine surface) in a veil fashion that gives this wine its unique aroma and taste.

In 1969, the Gutiérrez Colosía family bought the ruins of the Palace of the Count of Cumbrehermosa -Cargador de Indias, which also included a wine cellar. Upon these ruins two additional cellars were built.

The Gutiérrez Colosía wineries are the only ones located by the riverside in the area and it is this location which allows for the perfect humidity level needed for the biological ageing of the “Fino” and the developing of a fine layer of yeast “en flor” (micro-organisms which develop over the wine surface) in a veil fashion that gives this wine its unique aroma and taste.

All true Sherry fortified wine comes from the vineyards around Jerez de la Frontera and the nearby coastal towns of Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Together these three towns form the three points of the 'Sherry Triangle'. The Jerez DO (Denominación de Origen) title was Spain's very first, awarded in 1933.

Palomino Fino is the principal grape variety, used for Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado and Palo Cortado wines. Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel de Alejandria are used for sweeter styles.

Flor and Principal Dry (Generoso) Sherry Categories

Once a base wine is fermented, each tank is assessed and it’s decided whether the wines will be aged with or without flor. Wines categorised as palo (stick) are marked with a vertical slash, fortified to ~15%, and earmarked for Fino or Manzanilla. Mitad y mitad (half and half) is a fortification mix of spirit and aged Sherry. Fino and Manzanilla undergo biological aging under flor del vino (flower of wine). The normal yeasts for alcoholic fermentation die as sugar is consumed in base wine production. But then a specialised group of ambient yeast species appear, forming a film on the liquid surface. This layer protects the wine from oxidation while metabolizing glycerine, alcohol and volatile acids. For it to form, humidity, airflow, temperature all have to be correct, as does the alcohol level of the wine.

Other base wines are fortified to ~17.5%, classified as gordura, and marked with a circle. This level of fortification means that flor cannot develop. The wines undergo oxidative aging only, and will become nutty, rich Oloroso Sherries.

Fino wines are more delicate and almond toned, with a salty tang. They have a final alcohol by volume of 15% to 18%. A Fino ages under a protective layer of flor, but with extended aging the flor may disappear and the wine begins to oxidate, taking on nutty character. A Fino-Amontillado bottling may result, but otherwise the process continues and results in a full Amontillado. Such wines will have a final alcohol level between 16% to 22%. Because Fino and Manzanilla are aged under flor, they have typically been heavily fined and filtered to remove yeast and other sediments.

Recently en rama wines have become popular. These are bottled with no or minimal filtration, and are an intense, fuller bodied wine, closer to a cask sample.

Palo Cortado (cut stick) Sherries start life aging under Flor. But the richness of the wine leads the cellar master to fortify again to around 17%. This kills the flor and the Sherry finishes maturation in the style of an Oloroso. The finished wine combines the richness of Oloroso and the delicate aromas of Amontillado.

Sweet Sherry

Sherry may be bottled direct from the Solera as a Generoso, but many Sherries are sweet blends. Dulce Pasa – sun dried Palomino Fino grapes – are the most common sweetening agent. Pedro Ximénez is more expensive and so tends to only feature in pricier wines. Pale Cream is essentially a sweetened Fino. Cream is a sweetened Oloroso – and sometimes labelled as Oloroso Dulce. A Medium Sherry may include some Amontillado. Confusingly, a generic Dry Sherry will also have been sweetened to some degree.

Solera Aging

Few Sherry wines are vintage releases. Instead a blending system known as a Solera is used. New wines are placed in a top tier of butts (casks) known as the criadera. At the other end of the Solera is a tier of butts called the solera, from which wine is removed for bottling. There may be anything from three to 14 criadera tiers feeding the solera butts. Only one quarter of the Solera butt may be drawn off at one time. It is then topped up by the "lowest" level of criadera butts, which in turn are topped up from the above tier. In this way the solera – in theory at least – continues indefinitely with a (diminishing) portion of original wine. Sherry wines are often given an age statement which is based on when the solera was started.