1. Key choices in affecting style, quality and price in fortified wines Flashcards

1
Q

What is an example of a grape variety and two corresponding styles of fortified wine where the grape provides the main flavours to the wine?

A

1) Muscat.
2) Vin Doux Naturels (VDNs)/Rutherglen Muscat.

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2
Q

How are the fruity flavours of Muscat enhanced in the winemaking of VDNs?

A

Protective winemaking and early release.

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3
Q

Madeira is notable for what key structural attribute?

A

High acidity.

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4
Q

How is the high acidity in Madeira achieved?

A

It is made with a number of grape varieties that have naturally high levels of acidity including Sercial and Verdelho.

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5
Q

The acidity levels in Fino and Palomino is generally what level?

A

Low.

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6
Q

What three attributes of Fino and Manzanillo give the sensation of high acidity?

A

1) Bone-dry palate
2) Low glycerol
3) Acetaldehyde pungency

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7
Q

Is Port usually made from a single grape or a blend?

A

A blend.

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8
Q

To achieve a deep colour in Vintage Port, what grape varieties might be used?

A

Touriga Nacional
Sousao

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9
Q

How are the vineyards of the Douro scored (3 factors)?

A

1) Location
2) Aspect
3) Altitude.

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10
Q

What does the score of a Douro vineyard determine?

A

If and how much Port wine that plot of land can produce.

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11
Q

What style of wine does Muscat de Frontignan (Languedoc) produce when compared with Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois?

A

Fuller wines with riper flavours.

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12
Q

What altitude are the vineyards of Muscat de Frontignan (Languedoc)?

A

Low.

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13
Q

What style of wine does Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois produce?

A

Lighter wines with less ripe flavours.

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14
Q

What altitude are the vineyards of Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois?

A

High.

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15
Q

Is botrytis a desired attribute in fortified wine?

A

No.

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16
Q

When will growers of fruit destined for fortified wines seek to harvest?

A

Before the increased risk of rain and humidity that comes in the autumn.

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17
Q

In the case of Sherry made from Palomino what is most important with respect to the fruit and the timing of harvest?

A

Its potential alcohol and health (disease-free).

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18
Q

For what styles are grapes typically left on the vine for longer than would normally be required?

A

Rutherglen Muscat
PX
Moscatel Sherry

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19
Q

Why might grapes typically left on the vine for longer than would normally be required for certain styles?

A

To achieve the higher concentration of sugars that comes with extra maturity.

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20
Q

The period of maceration for fortified red wines typically lasts how long?

A

2-3 days.

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21
Q

Why is the period of maceration for fortified red wines typically short?

A

The wines are fortified while grape sugars remain to give a sweet final wine.

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22
Q

For what styles of white fortified wine might a winemaker allow the skins to remain in contact with the juice?

A

Madeira
Muscat-based VDNs
White Port

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23
Q

Why might a winemaker allow the skins to remain in contact with the juice for certain styles of white fortified wines?

A

To increase body and texture.
To extract more flavours.

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24
Q

Why is skin contact undesirable for the production of biologically aged Sherries?

A

The phenolic compounds can restrict the growth of flor yeast.

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25
Q

At what stage are dry fortified wines fortified?

A

Once fermentation is complete.

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26
Q

At what stage are sweet fortified wines fortified?

A

Midway through fermentation.

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27
Q

What two effects does fortifying a wine midway through fermentation have?

A

1) Raises the overall alcohol level above that at which yeasts can operate.
2) Leaves residual sugar.

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28
Q

What three styles of wine are fermented to dryness and sweetened with a sweetening component?

A

1) Pale Cream
2) Medium
3) Cream

29
Q

How is Cream Sherry produced?

A

A dry Oloroso is often blended with PX.

30
Q

What effect does adding PX to dry Oloroso have in the creation of Cream Sherry?

A

Combines the characteristics of oxidatively aged, dry Palomino with raisined PX.

31
Q

The majority of fortified wines are fortified with what % ABV grape spirit?

A

95-96%.

32
Q

95-96% grape spirit is (characteristic)?

A

Neutral in aroma and flavour.

33
Q

Why should a high ABV grape spirit be used in the fortification of most wines?

A

The high alcohol minimises the amount required and so prevents dilution of the base wine.

34
Q

What % ABV grape spirit is used to fortify Port?

A

77% (+/- 0.5%).

35
Q

The grape spirit used to fortify Port has what effect on the final wine?

A

It is more characterful and contributes more own its own aromas and flavours.

36
Q

The lower ABV of grape spirit used to fortify Port means what (2)?

A

1) More by volume is required to fortify to the required strength.
2) The style and quality influences the style and quality of the final wine.

37
Q

What are four styles of fortified wine often released early from the winery?

A

1) VDNs
2) Rose Port
3) Ruby Port
4) White Port

38
Q

What two vessels might VDNs, Rose, Ruby and White Ports be matured in?

A

Stainless steel
Concrete

39
Q

What aroma and flavour profiles might VDNs, Rose, Ruby and White Ports show when matured in their typical vessel types?

A

Youthful, primary, fruit-forward.

40
Q

Why might VDNs, Rose, Ruby and White Ports be matured in inert vessels?

A

To protect from oxygen and preserve youthful, primary fruit.

41
Q

What two styles of Port might be released after a short period of ageing with the intention they’ll improve in bottle?

A

1) LBV Port
2) Vintage Port

42
Q

What type of vessel might LBV and Vintage Ports be matured in?

A

Large oak.

43
Q

What effects might small wooden vessels have on Tawny Port, Madeira, Rutherglen Muscat and some styles of VDNs?

A

An oxidative effect encouraging the development of nuts, caramel, dried fruits and a paler colour.

44
Q

What impact might warm or heated conditions have on the oxidation, evaporation and maturation?

A

Quickens the process.

45
Q

What characteristics does biological ageing create in Fino and Manzanilla Sherries?

A

Creates aromas of hay, apple skin, bread dough and nuts.

46
Q

What is Madeirisation?

A

The process whereby a wine is heated and oxidised.

47
Q

What is Rancio?

A

A tasting term used to describe a collection of aromas and flavours such as leather, wood varnish, strong coffee.

48
Q

What are three ways that rancio flavours might be achieved?

A

1) Compounds extracted from oak.
2) Oxidation.
3) Length of maturation.

49
Q

The blend of a fortified wine may comprise of different parcels of fruit, must or wine. What are four examples?

A

Different:
1) Grapes/must/wine
2) Vintages
3) Vineyards
4)Handled differently in the winery

50
Q

What are the six key aims of blending?

A

1) Balance
2) Consistency
3) Style
4) Complexity
5) Volume
6) Price

51
Q

The relatively high alcohol of fortified wines means that wines of good quality and above must show what?

A

Integration of the alcohol with other components of the wine.

52
Q

How might a better balanced final wine be achieved and why?

A

Blending younger wines with older wines to provide a degree of freshness.

53
Q

What are two styles that typically blend younger wines with older wines?

A

1) Sherry
2) Rutherglen Muscat

54
Q

Many fortified wines are NV products and so are expected to show what year on year?

A

Consistency.

55
Q

What is ‘static maturation’?

A

Where wines of different vintages are matured separately.

56
Q

When might wines in static maturation be blended?

A

When skilled blenders taste a variety of wines from different vintages to create a blend.

57
Q

What is a solera system?

A

A method of fractional blending that ensures consistency among vessels of a particular age.

58
Q

Where is a modified version of the solera system used?

A

Rutherglen Muscat.

59
Q

In Port, the blend of grape varieties is an important factor in what three components of a young wine?

A

1) Colour
2) Tannin
3) Flavour concentration

60
Q

What might the colour, tannin and flavour concentration in young Port determine?

A

Its ability to age.

61
Q

Brands are important in fortified wine categories so blending is often used to what?

A

Create a certain house style.

62
Q

How might complexity be achieved?

A

By blending wines of different ages or that have been treated differently in the winery.

63
Q

What two reasons might make it necessary to blend grapes from a number of different producers?

A

1) Vineyard holdings are small in most regions producing fortified wines.
2) A number of fortified wines are matured in small vessels so blending is required to make up sufficient volumes of consistent wines.

64
Q

In order to obtain a best value product, the producer might what?

A

Decide to add a small amount of older wine to a younger wine to give complexity.

65
Q

What four styles of Port might not be filtered?

A

1) Vintage
2) Single Quinta
3) Crusted
4) Some LBVs

66
Q

What effect might a light or no fining or filtration have on en rama Sherry?

A

Produce a more pronounced, complex style.

67
Q

The SAT scale of alcohol for fortified wine is:

A

Low - 15-16.4%
Medium - 16.5-18.4%
High - 18.5 and above

68
Q

Why is the potential alcohol and fruit health of Palomino more important than range of flavours?

A

Palomino is a neutral variety and Sherries produced from this grape derive their flavours from maturation processes rather then the fruit itself.