Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xi

Preface xiii

1. The Sherry Country 1

2. Origins 5

3. Sherry Sack 19

4. The Eighteenth Century 37

5. The Growth of Trade 53

6. The Sherry Boom 79

7. The Twentieth Century and Forwards 103

8. Vines and Vineyards 121

9. From Grape to Juice 159

10. From Juice to Wine 173

11. The Young Wine 185

12. The Wine Matures 197

13. Manzanilla 219

14. The Final Blend 229

15. Into the Glass 255

16. The Shippers Today 265

Appendices

I Spanish Names 283

II The Chemical Effects of Plastering 284

III Measures of Strength: Baumé, abv, Gay-Lussac and Sikes 287

IV Selected Historical Export Statistics 288

V Marking Casks in the Bodega 292

VI Climatic Statistics 293

VII The Regulations 295

VIII Sherry Vinegar 298

IX Tourism 299

Glossary 301

Sources and Bibliography 311

Index 321