A-Z OF SHERRY WINES

Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Pago: A generally large area of cultivated ground encompassing a number of vines which share the same soil and microclimatic characteristics.// Acad. Specific area of land, particularly in vineyards and olive groves.

Pale Cream: One of the Fortified Liqueur Wines defined by the Denomination of Origins Regulations, pale straw yellow in colour, with pungent aroma and residual matter content over 45 gr per litre and below 115 gr per litre.

Palo Cortado: One of the fortified group of sherry wines, aged by a physico-chemical process, without a film of flor, but which along with characteristics typical of olorosos (deep palate and intense colour) develops a typical aroma so that it resembles an amontillado.

Palomino: The main grape variety of those authorised for making sherry.

Pata de Gallina: A type of oloroso, especially smooth and glyceric on the palate.

Paxarete: Very sweet wine produced by blending; dark mahogany in colour and very intensely aromatic, often used to enrich the flavour of spirits such as rum and whisky in drinks.

Pedro Ximénez: One of the grape varieties permitted by the Denomination of Origins Regulations, commonly used for making the sweet wine of the same name.

Peinar: Literally, to comb. To ensure that the dipstick readings for the wine in all the butts in a scale are equal. To draw a rush mat over the earth floor after sweeping.

Peso: Unit of value used in buying and selling wine, and for calculating the value of stocks held.// Acad. Imaginary coin, supposed to be worth 15 reales (about 0.02254 ¬).

Picar: To tip a butt, lying with its long axis horizontal, during decanting and racking operations so that the wine or must below the level of the falsete can continue to flow out.// Mar. To chop something with an axe. // Mar. To set a pump working.

Picón (cisco): Very small pieces of charcoal made with vine canes.// Acad. Charcoal in very small pieces, made with holm-oak, cistus or pine branches, useful only for burning in domestic braziers.

Pie: The mass of trodden grapes packed into a cylindrical shape around the screw of the lagar and wound about with esparto-grass tape for first pressing.// Acad. Cylindrical mass of grapes already trodden in the lagar, tightly bound in a plaited strip and placed beneath the press for expressing the must.

Pierna: A long tier of butts that can not be extended any further on the edge of a nave.

Piquera: An opening halfway down the side of the lagar, with a wooden groove alongside.// Mar. Proximity to something, but more specifically to the mouth of a port or mooring-place; or the mouth itself.// Acad. Hole in one of the two ends of a barrel or still which can be opened to let the liquid out.

Pisadores: Treaders. People who tread the grapes in the lagar.// Acad. Treaders of grapes.

Puya (limpia): Releasing must or wine into a butt through a tube, without using arociador.