solera

American  

[soh-lair-uh, saw-le-rah] / soʊˈlɛər ə, sɔˈlɛ rɑ /

noun

1. (especially in Spain) a series of casks, graded according to age, in which sherries and brandies are stored while maturing.

2. a classification for the sherries or brandies having the greatest maturity in a solera.

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solera British  

/ səˈlɛərə /

noun

1. 1. a system for aging sherry and other fortified wines, in which younger wines in upper rows of casks are used to top up casks of older wines stored below in order to produce a consistently aged blend

   2. a blend of sherry produced by this system

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Etymology

Origin of solera

< Spanish: literally, supporting beam, base (for uprights) < Vulgar Latin *solāria, equivalent to Latin sol ( um ) base, ground (> Spanish suelo ) + -āria -ary; Cf. vino de solera mature wine (presumably from the bottom range of casks) used to fortify younger wine

Example Sentences

It’s something Weber and his crew will draw from and add to each year to create a solera, or Spanish method of aging that blends younger wine with more mature wine.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 23, 2022

A solera is a blend of several vintages; each year, a portion is used to add complexity and an aged character to the new blend, while some fresh wine is added.

From Washington Post • Dec. 6, 2019

These wines exhibit some similarities to sherry, but they come from a different place, are made with different grapes, are not fortified, and they are not aged as sherry is, in a solera.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2019

Where it excels is its focus on esoteric styles, mostly Belgian- and French-influenced, such as this barrel-aged golden ale blended in the solera method.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 25, 2018

The Otaheite sugar-cane was carried from the island of Trinidad to Caracas, under the name of Cana solera, and it passed from Caracas to Cucuta and San Gil in the kingdom of New Grenada.

From Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America, During the Year 1799-1804 — Volume 1 by Ross, Thomasina