Cellaring Sherry

[loose_axle]

Just curious if anyone here puts away or cellars their sherry? I've done a fair amount of googling and most say one should open and drink as soon as possible. An article or two suggesting that it is has been done, one or two that there may be something in it and they are experimenting now, but not any that say yep and here's why. 

As much as I'd like, I cannot always just buy a bottle and crack it open, and with some, like the Equipo Navazos range or VORS statements from other bodegas, they have been hard to get hold of and expensive to boot, so I would like to save those for special occasions, some possibly many years for now. 

If anyone has any experience I'd be delighted to know. Otherwise, I'm going to conduct a few experiments myself, but it may be some years before I'll be able to report back. 

[Ken Gargett]

the expensive stuff from navazos and others can usually be cellared if you want. keep them cool. the popular finos etc, usually designed for immediate drinking. 

[SirVantes]

Guidance from sherry DO website suggests, for unopened bottles:

• fino/manzanilla 1 year 

• oloroso/PX 3 years

• VOS/VORS indefinite

https://www.sherry.wine/enjoying-sherry/conservation-serving

[loose_axle]

Thank you both for the advice. For anyone who's interested I emailed Equipo Navazos and a few other Bodegas a month or two ago. Rather out of the blue I got a reply yesterday from Jesus Barquin of EN with the following info: 

Yes, you can safely store any bottle of oloroso or palo cortado and enjoy it along weeks without fearing it to be spoiled. Take into account that these wines have already gone through a process of oxidation in the ageing, so that any further oxidation after the bottle is open will not affect them in a period of weeks or even a couple months.

Regarding our amontillados, olorosos and palos cortados, all of them will suffer no harm when cellared. Only you must expect sediments (due to the wines having been minimally filtered) and perhaps some bottle/reduction smell after a relevant number of years. Both issues can be solved via decantation. In the case of the sediments, having the precaution to leave the bottle standing for a couple days before opening and decanting it. In general, all these wines, regardless of the producer, tend to be stable after a long cellaring, except for those reduction aromas that can develop.

Regarding our finos and manzanillas, they will evolve in the cellar, gaining some weight and colour with the years. That is the reason they can improve a few days after opening. We are confident that most of our bottlings will be fully enjoyable, although different compared to their 'younger' selves, a few decades after having been bottled. I would not bet equally regarding most finos and manzanillas in the market nowadays.
 

[Ken Gargett]

15 hours ago, loose_axle said:

Thank you both for the advice. For anyone who's interested I emailed Equipo Navazos and a few other Bodegas a month or two ago. Rather out of the blue I got a reply yesterday from Jesus Barquin of EN with the following info: 

Yes, you can safely store any bottle of oloroso or palo cortado and enjoy it along weeks without fearing it to be spoiled. Take into account that these wines have already gone through a process of oxidation in the ageing, so that any further oxidation after the bottle is open will not affect them in a period of weeks or even a couple months.

Regarding our amontillados, olorosos and palos cortados, all of them will suffer no harm when cellared. Only you must expect sediments (due to the wines having been minimally filtered) and perhaps some bottle/reduction smell after a relevant number of years. Both issues can be solved via decantation. In the case of the sediments, having the precaution to leave the bottle standing for a couple days before opening and decanting it. In general, all these wines, regardless of the producer, tend to be stable after a long cellaring, except for those reduction aromas that can develop.

Regarding our finos and manzanillas, they will evolve in the cellar, gaining some weight and colour with the years. That is the reason they can improve a few days after opening. We are confident that most of our bottlings will be fully enjoyable, although different compared to their 'younger' selves, a few decades after having been bottled. I would not bet equally regarding most finos and manzanillas in the market nowadays.
 

jesus was busy yesterday. he was emailing a friend and myself about questions she had for her sherry masters course. he is one of the nicest guys. as well as EN and writing about sherry, he is a professor of criminology at the university of grenada. we have a big sherry tasting in a few weeks. i am looking forward to it. 

he is also, as one of my friends noted, the only jesus i am ever likely to meet. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Sherry declines in the bottle once open. Vintage sherry (all from one year) is a rare category of sherry. Once opened and stored in the fridge; look to finish the bottle within 1.5 months. This is based on my own experience.

How about considering Madeira instead if consumption expiration is a concern?

[loose_axle]

11 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Sherry declines in the bottle once open. Vintage sherry (all from one year) is a rare category of sherry. Once opened and stored in the fridge; look to finish the bottle within 1.5 months. This is based on my own experience.

How about considering Madeira instead if consumption expiration is a concern?

Thank you! I am looking at that as well just out of sheer interest. Consumption after opening isn't an issue, I was more worried about safely being able to leave a bottle for some years prior to opening. 

[Ken Gargett]

2 minutes ago, loose_axle said:

Thank you! I am looking at that as well just out of sheer interest. Consumption after opening isn't an issue, I was more worried about safely being able to leave a bottle for some years prior to opening. 

finos and manzanillas better consumed asap. others, if cellared well, not really an issue. lesser amontillados probably sooner than later. 

[SirVantes]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

finos and manzanillas better consumed asap.

And in the case of en rama bottlings, even sooner.

[loose_axle]

On 10/8/2024 at 6:03 PM, SirVantes said:

And in the case of en rama bottlings, even sooner.

Oh really? I got told en rama was supposed to be a case of try one now, and age the other. Is that not so? 

[SirVantes]

I believe expert opinions vary. One side takes the view that en ramas are released as the maker intended you to taste it, and as they are unfiltered or minimally filtered and may still be biologically active, future evolution is a lottery (and not what they intend). Another side takes the view of “you never know”, hence the drink one age one philosophy. 
 

As a CC smoker, Ive had enough of lotteries 😀

[loose_axle]

On 10/10/2024 at 9:33 PM, SirVantes said:

I believe expert opinions vary. One side takes the view that en ramas are released as the maker intended you to taste it, and as they are unfiltered or minimally filtered and may still be biologically active, future evolution is a lottery (and not what they intend). Another side takes the view of “you never know”, hence the drink one age one philosophy. 
 

As a CC smoker, Ive had enough of lotteries 😀

Got it! I don't see many here but I've been grabbing two for the very reason above. 

Haha, that is an apt description alright