Sherryfest Seminar: The Evolution of Flor
Monday 7 October 2013
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Hosted by Hidalgo-La Gitana & González Byass
Fino and manzanilla are defined by their long aging under flor, a layer of yeasts that grows on the surface of the wine in barrel. But what effect, exactly, does flor have on the wine, and how is the wine transformed?
This seminar is hosted by two special guests, both experts on the subject of flor: Javier Hidalgo of Hidalgo-La Gitana, one of Sanlúcar’s most renowned houses, and Antonio Flores, head winemaker and master blender of the legendary Jerez firm of González Byass. These two will guide us through the evolution of a flor solera, illustrating the wine’s development with cask samples from various criaderas in addition to bottlings of finished wine. We’ll talk about the environmental conditions that influence the proliferation of flor, and we’ll compare the characters of manzanilla and fino, discussing their similarities and differences.