Palo cortado

Palo cortado ( German: broken floor) is a traditional style of Sherry that brings forth excellent and rare sherry. Palo cortado usually arises by chance in sherry production, if unintentionally developed in developing a Fino towards Oloroso. The flor is precipitated and subjected to the wine a stronger oxidation. This creates a sherry that tastes like a sensory intermediate between Amontillado and Oloroso. Its complex aroma is often reminiscent of nuts or almonds. Palo cortado is usually dry expanded with an alcohol content between 18 and 22% vol.

Extension

The Palo cortado arises from a grapes and musts from which were selected for a Fino. ( = Palo ). In the Sherry region are mainly supply musts from the Palomino Fino, in the DO Montilla- Moriles those from the Pedro Ximenez. The Palomino musts are almost always gespritet to 15-16 percent alcohol by volume with alcohol, those from the Pedro Ximenez reach this degree of alcohol in good years without Spritung. After fermentation in fermentation barrels, fermentation tanks, or in clay jars ( Tinajas ), the young wines are moved into 600 liter sherry casks and mature in the solera Criadera procedures as other sherry, or manzanilla wines from Montilla- Moriles. The plan is a reductive removal of the forming soon after relocating Florhefeschicht, which largely prevents oxygen contact. For reasons not exactly known reasons, sometimes a few barrels of a vintage evolve differently than the others. Then the winemaker can check off the Palo, it is a cortado, become a ticked or crossed out Palo.

Detects the winemaker in time the different pattern of development of the wine, again aufgespritet on 17-19 volume percent, making the remaining flor yeast dies and, the further development of the wine oxidation.

Rare arise Palo Cortado from wines that should mature into oloroso. Also in this case, is reportedly not known exactly why some barrels of a Solera behave differently than the rest. Originally seem Palo cortadados actually arisen spontaneously, to have been no plans developed wines. However, the high demand for this sherry - type and the correspondingly large range suggests that Palo Cortado be produced specifically from some body richer Fino base wines, at least in the great bodegas, which are aged for several years reductive and mature oxidatively after having had another Spriten. The blending of amontillado with oloroso is allowed, but must not be marketed as Palo cortado such wines.

Sensory characteristics

The taste and appearance of a Palo cortado is between Amontillado and Oloroso. With Amontillado he shares especially the freshness and the complex Nussaromatik, with Oloroso the body wealth. Typical Palo Cortado are usually dry wines, semi-sweet and sweet varieties are represented rare in the market.