Amontillado facts for kids
Amontillado (say it like ah-MON-tee-AH-doe) is a special type of sherry wine. It's darker than a "fino" sherry but lighter than an "oloroso" sherry. This wine gets its name from the Montilla region in Spain, where it was first made way back in the 1700s. Sometimes, the name "Amontillado" is used just to describe any sherry that's in between a fino and an oloroso in color. You might have heard of it from the famous short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe.
An Amontillado sherry starts out as a "fino" sherry. This means it's a fortified wine, which is a wine that has extra alcohol added to it, usually around 15.5% alcohol. It also has a special layer of flor yeast that grows on top of it. This flor layer protects the wine from too much air.
A fino wine becomes an Amontillado when this flor layer doesn't grow well, is removed on purpose, or dies off. Without the flor layer, the wine needs more alcohol, usually around 17.5%, so it doesn't spoil too quickly from being exposed to air. After this extra alcohol is added, the Amontillado slowly mixes with a little bit of oxygen through the wooden barrels it's stored in. These barrels are often made from American or Canadian oak. This slow exposure to air gives Amontillado its darker color and richer taste compared to fino sherry.
Amontillado is known for its unique smell and taste. It often smells like nuts, tobacco, and fresh herbs. You might also notice a smooth, woody scent from the oak barrels. This special taste comes from two different ways the wine is aged, which blend together to create its distinct flavor.
Types of Amontillado
Amontillado can be made in a few different ways. A fino amontillado is a wine that has just started changing from a fino to an Amontillado. It hasn't been aged long enough to become a full Amontillado. Amontillado del puerto is a type made in El Puerto de Santa María.
Amontillado wines are naturally dry, meaning they are not sweet. In the past, some were sold with a little bit of sweetness added. However, since April 12, 2012, new rules were put in place for sherry wines from the Montilla-Moriles and Jerez-Xérès-Sherry regions. These rules say that sweet Amontillado can no longer be called "Amontillado." If it's sweetened, it must be labeled as "Medium Sherry" or something similar.
Serving Amontillado
Amontillado is usually served a little bit chilled. You can enjoy it as an apéritif, which is a drink you have before a meal. It also tastes great with food like chicken or rabbit. Traditionally, it was often served with a light soup, like a beef consommé.
Storing Amontillado
Because of how it's aged, Amontillado is quite stable. This means you can store it for a few years before you open the bottle. Once you open it, you can keep it for up to two weeks if you put the cork back in and keep it in the refrigerator.
See also
In Spanish: Amontillado para niños
