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Sherry craddle is the region made up of a vast triangle between Guadalete and Guadalquivir rivers. It is also made up of municipalities like "Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Chipiona, Trebujena, Rota, Puerto Real, Chiclana de la Frontera" and certain cultivated land of "Lebrija". Climate of this area and "Albariza" land make possible characteristics both of wine and fruit it comes from. At anywhere else, it takes place a fortunate combination of climate and land so that vineyards like those from Jerez are cultivated. Final quality of Sherry is climate, land, time, tradition and care. Sherry and Manzanilla from Sanlúcar de Barrameda are protected by corresponding "Jerez-Xérès-Sherry and Manzanilla de Sanlucar" guarantee of origin and quality.
Process begings by cutting grape by hand in September.Then, it is transported at perfect state to presses or plants in which it is squeezed and transformed into must. As a new wine, it goes into a first phase of fermentation at big aluminium tanks.
Sherry aging takes place in oak American barrels containing up to 600 litres capacity.
A space is left at barrels and an orifice at the upper part is covered not adjusting too much, so that it allows wine contact with air.
From here, climate of the area of Jerez and time do take care of sherry aging. Such a process takes place through "solera" sistem. Wine cellers are spread along the whole town.
As it is a non-contaminant industry, it can perfectly coexist with man.
Classical arquitecture of wine cellers. In general, wine cellers structure has a rectangular plant with masonry walls. It also presents ceiling with saddle roof held by pillars. Those elements are sometimes combined through arcades.
Coffered ceiling composed by joists, "alfajías" and planks are covered by traditional Arabian tile at the exterior part.
At the inner part, they are high, they contain both several naves with even number and windows. These windows are covered by coarse blinds at the upper part. Air and just a little light goes in through windows.
Ground is made up of "albero" and it is frequently watered. All this allows to keep an almost constant temperature for the whole year.
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