Jerez de la Frontera

Definition - What does Jerez de la Frontera mean?

Jerez de la Frontera is a community located in the region of Andalusia, Spain. It is a famous region known for its Jerez (sherry) wine, only made within the "Sherry Triangle." The wines are unique and fermented in vats via a local yeast, called flor. It is this yeast which gives the local sherry its unique structure, flavor and aroma.

WineFrog explains Jerez de la Frontera

Jerez de la Frontera is located in a region which is known as the "Sherry Triangle," that includes two other communities; El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda. It is here that a variety of sherry wines are traditionally produced from Palomino grapes.

Winemaking began here in 1100 B.C.E., by the Phoenicians. It was the Moors who introduced distillation in 711 C.E. Its local sherry quickly became popular and was a major export to Great Britain.

The region is designated as a Denominación de Origen (DO), officially, D.O. Jerez-Xeres-Sherry. The wines are aged in vats in a solera system and only filled 75-percent, so the flor can introduce itself and slowly micro-oxidize the wine. This is the only region in the world where this occurs.