Definition: Flor

Fleur in Spanish. A veil of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces beticus) that develops on contact with the air on the surface of the wine to produce sherry in southern Spain. The barrels are only filled to 5/6 full. The same process is used to make Vin Jaune from the Savagnin grape variety in the Jura region, a legacy of the Spanish occupation of Franche-Comté. Veil wine from the Mauzac grape variety is also produced in the Gaillac vineyards in south-western France. The thickness of the veil and its activity determine the quality of the wine produced. See fleur.