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| ==In popular culture== | ==In popular culture== | ||
| Amontillado is known outside of wine circles almost solely for its use in the title of ]'s short story, "]".<ref>{{Cite news|last = Poe|first = Edgar|author-link = Edgar Allan Poe|title = ]|newspaper = ]|year = 1846|postscript = .}}</ref> It is also used in works such as ]'s '']''<ref>{{cite book|last = Dinesen|first = Isak|authorlink = Karen Blixen|title = Anecdotes of Destiny|publisher = Random House|year = 1958|location = New York}}</ref> and ] '']'' novel series.<ref>{{cite book|last = Bova|first = Ben|authorlink = Ben Bova|title = Mars|publisher = Bantam Books|year = 1992|location = New York|isbn = 0-553-07892-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Bova|first = Ben|authorlink = Ben Bova|title = ]|publisher = Bantam Books|year = 1992|location = New York|isbn = 0-8125-7940-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Bova|first = Ben|authorlink = Ben Bova|title = ]|publisher = Bantam Books|year = 1992|location = New York|isbn = 0-7653-1787-7}}</ref> | Amontillado is known outside of wine circles almost solely for its use in the title of ]'s short story, "]": Fortunato exclaims "Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry."<ref>{{Cite news|last = Poe|first = Edgar|author-link = Edgar Allan Poe|title = ]|newspaper = ]|year = 1846|postscript = .}}</ref> It is also used in works such as ]'s '']''<ref>{{cite book|last = Dinesen|first = Isak|authorlink = Karen Blixen|title = Anecdotes of Destiny|publisher = Random House|year = 1958|location = New York}}</ref> and ] '']'' novel series.<ref>{{cite book|last = Bova|first = Ben|authorlink = Ben Bova|title = Mars|publisher = Bantam Books|year = 1992|location = New York|isbn = 0-553-07892-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Bova|first = Ben|authorlink = Ben Bova|title = ]|publisher = Bantam Books|year = 1992|location = New York|isbn = 0-8125-7940-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last = Bova|first = Ben|authorlink = Ben Bova|title = ]|publisher = Bantam Books|year = 1992|location = New York|isbn = 0-7653-1787-7}}</ref> | ||
| In Lincoln Child's and Preston Douglass novel Cold Vengeance, Special Agent Pendergest enjoys Amontillado while pondering his next move, at his Louisiana mansion, Penumbra. | In Lincoln Child's and Preston Douglass novel Cold Vengeance, Special Agent Pendergest enjoys Amontillado while pondering his next move, at his Louisiana mansion, Penumbra. | ||
| In the animated comedy Archer, when Mallory Archer believes her resident scientist, Dr. Krieger, has kidnapped her granddaughter, she threatens to shoot him and watch him die while drinking Amontillado. | In the animated comedy Archer, when Mallory Archer believes her resident scientist, Dr. Krieger, has kidnapped her granddaughter, she threatens to shoot him and watch him die while drinking Amontillado. | ||
Revision as of 14:25, 6 June 2015
Amontillado is a variety of Sherry wine characterized by being darker than Fino but lighter than Oloroso. It is named for the Montilla region of Spain, where the style originated in the 18th century, although the name 'Amontillado' is sometimes used commercially as a simple measure of color to label any sherry lying between a Fino and an Oloroso. An Amontillado Sherry begins as a Fino, fortified to approximately 13.5 percent alcohol with a cap of flor yeast limiting its exposure to the air. A cask of Fino is considered to be Amontillado if the layer of flor fails to develop adequately, is intentionally killed by additional fortification or is allowed to die off through non-replenishment. Without the layer of flor, amontillado must be fortified to approximately 17.5 percent alcohol so that it does not oxidise too quickly. After the additional fortification, Amontillado oxidises slowly, exposed to oxygen through the slightly porous American or Canadian oak casks, and gains a darker color and richer flavor than Fino.
Varieties
Amontillado can be produced in several different manners. A Fino Amontillado is a wine that has begun the transformation from a fino to an Amontillado, but has not been aged long enough to complete the process. Amontillado del Puerto is an Amontillado made in El Puerto de Santa María. Naturally dry, they are sometimes sold lightly to medium sweetened but these can no longer be labelled as Amontillado. On 12 April 2012, the rules applicable to the sweet and fortified Denominations of Origen Montilla-Moriles and Jerez-Xérès-Sherry were changed to prohibit sweet Amontillado. They have to be labelled as Medium Sherry: Blend of Amontillado or suchlike.
The classification by sweetness is:
| Fortified Wine Type | Alcohol % ABV | Sugar content (grams per litre) |
|---|---|---|
| Amontillado | 16–17 | 0–5 |
| Medium | 15–22 | 5–115 |
Serving
Amontillado is usually served slightly chilled, and may be served either as an apéritif, or as an accompaniment to food such as chicken or rabbit. Classically it was served with a fine, or thin, soup, such as a beef consommé.
Storing
Due to its oxidative aging and preparation, Amontillado is more stable than Fino and may be stored for a few years before opening. After opening, it can be kept for up to two weeks, if corked and refrigerated.
In popular culture
Amontillado is known outside of wine circles almost solely for its use in the title of Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Cask of Amontillado": Fortunato exclaims "Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry." It is also used in works such as Isak Dinesen's Babette's Feast and Ben Bova's Grand Tour novel series. In Lincoln Child's and Preston Douglass novel Cold Vengeance, Special Agent Pendergest enjoys Amontillado while pondering his next move, at his Louisiana mansion, Penumbra. In the animated comedy Archer, when Mallory Archer believes her resident scientist, Dr. Krieger, has kidnapped her granddaughter, she threatens to shoot him and watch him die while drinking Amontillado.
References
- PLIEGO DE CONDICIONES DE LA DENOMINACIÓN DE ORIGEN «JEREZ-XÉRÈS-SHERRY»
- "Boletín Oficial de la Junta de Andalucía (BOJA)" (PDF). 12 April 2012. p. 52.
- How long can you store / drink a bottle of sherry?
- Poe, Edgar (1846). "The Cask of Amontillado". Godey's Lady's Book.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - Dinesen, Isak (1958). Anecdotes of Destiny. New York: Random House.
- Bova, Ben (1992). Mars. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-07892-5.
- Bova, Ben (1992). Venus. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-8125-7940-2.
- Bova, Ben (1992). Mars Life. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-7653-1787-7.