1- Base wine
2- Ageing
3- Soleras
4- Bottling
5- Market
b) Ageing
The ageing process varies depending on the type of generoso wine:
Finos: These begin as pale, light wines; the barrels in which they age are one-sixth empty and they are placed in the coldest and most humid part of the cellar. Inside the barrel, the wines undergo biological ageing, that is, through the action of yeasts that accumulate on the surface of the wine forming a velo de flor (literally, veil of flower). They are also known generically as vinos de crianza en flor. Their alcohol content is between 15 and 16º.
Olorosos: These start as fortified base wines with more colour and somewhat more body than those used for the preparation of amontillados. The barrels are completely filled and placed in the highest areas or in those places most affected by heat. They undergo a physical-chemical or oxidising ageing process in which the wine evolves due to the action of the oxygen that enters through pores in the barrel. This type of wine has an alcohol content of between 18 and 19º.
Amontillados: These come from fortified fino wines with a deeper colour. They are, therefore, fino wines whose normal development has been altered for some reason. They are fortified a second time, until the alcohol content reaches between 18 to 19º, and then continue ageing like oloroso wines.
The other generoso wines (manzanilla, palo cortado, palido, raya...) originate in these three types, or are the result of their blending with sweet wines.
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