1. Key Choices Affecting Style, Quality, and Price in Fortified Wine

Question 1

What are some key factors affecting the style, quality, and price in fortified wines?

Answer 1

• Grape variety
• Vineyard site
• Timing of harvest
• Skin contact and extraction
• Time of fortification
• The fortifying spirit
• Maturation
• Blending
• Finishing techniques

Question 2

A grape variety may either provide its own aroma and flavor characteristics to a wine or simply be used as a __________ base for the flavors of maturation.

Answer 2

A grape variety may either provide its own aroma and flavor characteristics to a wine or simply be used as a neutral base for the flavors of maturation.

Question 3

What are some wine examples where the grape variety provides the main flavors in the wine?

Answer 3

• Vin Doux Naturels (VDNs) from Muscat
• Rutherglen Muscat

*These flavors are further enhanced by winemaking conditions.

Question 4

Name an example of a relatively neutral grape variety and the characteristics of the wine comes from the winemaking and maturation process.

Answer 4

Palomino in Sherry.

Question 5

What are some structural elements of importance in a grape variety?

Answer 5

• Acidicty
• Color (black grapes)
• Tannin (black grapes)

Question 6

__________ location and climate are important influences on the base material used in the production of fortified wines.

Answer 6

Vineyard location and climate are important influences on the base material used in the production of fortified wines.

Question 7

The vineyards of ______ are scored according to factors such as location, aspect, and altitude, and this score determines how much Port that plot of land can produce.

Answer 7

The vineyards of Douro are scored according to factors such as location, aspect, and altitude, and this score determines how much Port that plot of land can produce.

*Vintage Ports will often be made from the grapes of certain vineyard plots known for their ability to produce outstanding-quality wines that will age well.

Question 8

In order to avoid botrytis, when will a grower harvest their grapes?

Answer 8

The grower will harvest before the increased risk of rain, and hence increased humidity, in the autumn.

Question 9

Name two styles of fortified wine where the grapes are left on the vine to concentrate the sugars.

Answer 9

• Rutherglen Muscat
• Pedro Ximénez (PX)
• Moscatel Sherry

Question 10

The extraction of _______, ________, and ________ from grape skins is a key process in the production of red fortified wines.

Answer 10

The extraction of color, tannins, and flavor from grape skins is a key process in the production of red fortified wines.

Question 11

True or false?

Some sweet wines are made by adding te fortifying alcohol midway through the fermentation process, limiting the period of maceration to as little as 2-3 days. Therefore, in order to age well, there needs to be a very effective extraction techniqur in place to get a high concentration of color, tannin, and flavor.

Answer 11

True.

Question 12

Ports’s industry has developed specialist equipment that permit maximum extraction whist remaining gentle enough to not crush seeds that release bitter tannins. Name two types of port where less extraction is desirable.

Answer 12

Tawny and Rosé Ports are wine styles that would warrent less extraction to create wines with a paler appearance.

Question 13

True or false?

Skin contact is not desirable for biologically aged Sherries, such as Fino and Manzanilla, as the phenolic compounds extracted can restrict the growth of flor yeast.

Answer 13

True.

Question 14

True or false?

The majority of sweet fortified wines are produced by fortifying midway through fermentation, stopping the fermentation by raising the overall alcohol level above that at which yeasts can operate and leaving residual sugar that was present in the grapes.

Answer 14

True.

Producers will usually calculate the timing of fortification according to the level of residual sugar that is desired in the final wine. The greater the amount of sugar, the earlier the fortification.

Question 15

What styles of Sherries are made by fermenting the wine to dryness and then adding a sweetening component?

Answer 15

Pale Cream, Medium, and Cream.

Question 16

How is Cream Sherry made?

Answer 16

A dry Oloroso is blended with PX, combining the characterestics of aged, dry Palomino with raisined PX.

Question 17

The majority of fortified wines are fortified with _____% ABV grape spirit.

Answer 17

The majority of fortified wines are fortified with 95-96% ABV grape spirit.

Spirits with such high alcohol content are neutral in aroma/flavor, and hence these spirits do not mask the characterestics of the wine.

Question 18

Why would a fortified wine producer choose to fortify their wines with a grape spirit with a high alcohol content?

Answer 18

• Spirits with high alcohol content are neutral in aroma and flavor, hence they do not mask the characterestics of the wine.
• The high level of alcohol minimizes the volume of spirit needed to bring the fortified wine to the required alcoholic strength (15-22% ABV, depending on style). This leads to less dilution of the base wine.

Question 19

Although most fortified wine makers fortify their wine with a high ABV grape spirit, what is an example of an exception to this?

Answer 19

Port. They fortify their wines with a grape spirit of ~77% ABV. As the spirit is distilled to a lower level of alcohol, it is more characterful and contributes more of its own aroma and flavor characterestics to the blend.

And due to its lower strength, a significant volume of spirit is required to bring the partially-fermented must up to its required alcoholic strength of 19-22% ABV.

Overall, the style and quality of the spirit has an important influence of the style of and quality of the final wine.

Question 20

Name examples of styles of Port that are released relatively early from the winery with the intention that they should be drunk soon after release.

Answer 20

Ruby, Rosé, and (some) White Ports.

Often, these wines are stored in stainless steel or concrete and are protected from oxygen. They show youthful, primary flavors.

Question 21

Name examples of Port that are released after a short period of aging with the intention that they will improve in bottle.

Answer 21

Vintage and some Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Ports.

Question 22

Name examples of styles of fortified wine that are aged oxidatively.

Answer 22

• Tawny Port
• Madeira
• Rutherglen Muscat
• Some styles of Vin Doux Naturels (VDN) and Sherries

Question 23

Name examples of styles of wine that use a biological ageing technique.

Answer 23

Fino and Manzanilla Sherries.

These wines are aged under a veil of flor yeast which protects the wine from oxidation, while lowering levels of glycol (hence, body) and contributing aromas of hay, apple skin, bread, and nuts.

Question 24

Define maaderization.

Answer 24

The process whereby a wine is headed and oxidized.

Question 25

Define rancio.

Answer 25

Rancio is a tasting term used to descibe a collection of aromas and flavors that are found in some styles of wine. Aromas are varied but typical descriptors include leather, wood varnish, and strong coffee.

The chemistry concerning their origin is not well understood, but it appears that the compounds extracted from wooden vessels, oxygen, and time all play a role.

Question 26

List the key aims of blending fortified wine.

Answer 26

• Balance
• Consistency
• Style
• Complexity
• Volume
• Price

Question 27

For all fortified wines, alcohol is relatively ____ and therefore in wines of good quality and above, this should be integrated within other components of the wine.

Answer 27

For all fortified wines, alcohol is relatively high and therefore in wines of good quality and above, this should be integrated within other components of the wine.

Question 28

Many styles of fortified wines undergo long periods of aging, becoming increasingly concentrated and losing their __________________.

Answer 28

Many styles of fortified wines undergo long periods of aging, becoming increasingly concentrated and losing their primary fruit characters.

Question 29

True or false?

A good balance in a final wine can be achieved by blending some younger wines with older ones, to provide a degree of freshness against developed flavors.

Answer 29

True.

Examples: Certain types of Sherry and Rutherglen Muscat.

Question 30

Define static maturation.

Answer 30

This is where wine of different vintages mature sepatately.

Question 31

What are two examples of how winemakers can create consistency in their fortified wine.

Answer 31

• Wines are statically matured and then blended by skilled winemakers according to taste.
• Fractional blending (Ex. Solera system in Sherry or Rutherglen Muscat).

Question 32

________ are important in most fortified wine categories, and therefore blending is often used to create a certain “house style” across the product range.

Answer 32

Brands are important in most fortified wine categories, and therefore blending is often used to create a certain “house style” across the product range.

Question 33

True or false?

Only a few fortified wines will be stabilized, fined, and filtered before bottling.

Answer 33

False.

The majority of fortified wines are stabilized, fined, and filtered before bottling to ensure they are clean and clear for the consumer.

Question 34

Name some styles of Port that are purposely not filtered so they continue to develop in the bottle.

Answer 34

Vintage, Single Quinta, Crusted, and some Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Ports.

Sediment may be noticed when these wines are opened and poured, and decanting or passing the wine through a funnel and strainer may be necessary.

Question 35

Define en rama.

Answer 35

A Sherry term meaning the wine has undergone a light fining and filtration or not fined or filtered at all. In style they are generally more pronounced and complex than their fined and filtered counterparts.

Question 36

What is the difference in the Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT) between fortified and unfortified wines?

Answer 36

Overall, there is no difference. However, the calibration of what is considered a low or high ABV wine changes.

The scale for alcohol for fortified wine is:

• low: 15-16.4%
• med: 15.5-18.4%
• high: 18.5% and above