Criadera and Solera system
The Solera system is a method of aging sherry , Malaga , brandy or glacial wine . The process takes its name from the designation of the lowest row of barrels ( Spanish solera , `` lying on the ground ''), the rows stacked above are called criaderas ( Spanish criadero , breeding).
Oak barrels (span. Bota ) with a capacity of 520 liters are stacked on top of each other. About a third of the fully matured sherry or brandy is bottled from the bottom row of barrels. These partially emptied barrels are then filled with younger wine from the next higher row. This procedure is repeated until the highest row is empty and refilled with fresh distillate . Products that are manufactured according to this system are also commonly referred to as soleras .
The wine matures as it passes through the individual rows. The resulting mixing of old and young wines is called a marriage by the winemaker. In a more profane way, one could say that every sherry in the trade is a kind of blend of many ages. Therefore, this procedure means that no age information can be given.
In addition to sherry and brandy , wine vinegar can also be produced using the solera system. In this case, age information is possible, as only soleras of certain age groups are used as a starting point for the production of these types of vinegar . In the Catalan region of Penedès there are wine-growing companies that use this system to produce white wine vinegar based on Chardonnay and red wine vinegar based on Cabernet Sauvignon in Criaderas . The products reach a storage age of three years for Chardonnay vinegar and eight or 16 years for Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar.
Occasionally, red wines are also aged in the Solera system.
In reality, the criadera levels are usually not on top of each other, but often even in different bodega buildings, and the barrels lying on top of each other in a bodega usually all contain the same criadera level. When filling, hoses and pumps are used to transfer the barrels of a criadera to those of the next stage. This is the only way to ensure that 10 or more criadera levels are often involved in the production of a sherry.
Solera process in whiskey production
The Glenfiddich distillery has been selling a bottling with the addition of "Solera" for several years. This is a 15-year-old whiskey, the production of which is based on the Solera process. Three different types of oak barrels are used.
- Ex-sherry barrels
- Ex bourbon barrels
- new barrels (new oak)
The whiskey is stored in these barrels for 15 years. Then they are "married" in a large solera barrel (Oregon pine Solera vat). Here they get time to connect harmoniously with one another. A maximum of half of the keg content is used for filling, the other half is refilled.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Data sheet ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.6 MB), "Caballo Loco" from the Chilean Valdivieso winery is mixed with roughly the same amount from the previous edition after it has been matured in barriques. Half of this will be marketed and the other half will be returned to the barrels for the next edition.
