1 Standard Options in Sparkling Winemaking Flashcards
What are the two main methods employed in sparkling winemaking?
traditional method and tank method
What climate is ideal for sparkling wines?
Cool climates where grapes struggle to ripen
In cool climates where grapes struggle to ripen what wine is usually made?
Sparkling
What is the typical flavour of grapes for sparkling wine?
Just ripe
What is the main growing goal for high quality sparkling wines?
Retain acidity and accumulating sugar slowly
What is the abv in the base wine for the production of sparkling wine?
9-11%
Why is the base wine for production of sparkling wine has low alcohol percentage?
Because the second fermentation adds 1-2% more abv
Name three countries, regions with greater latitude for the growing grapes for sparkling wine
England
Champagne
Tasmania
Name a region with high altitude for production of sparkling wines
Trentodoc, Trentino Italy
Name a region that have local cooling influences that makes it suitable for sparkling wine production
Sonama - being near the coast
What is the fruit condition in warmer areas that produce sparkling wines?
grapes tend to have riper fruit flavours and lower acidity compared to the cooler sites
What is the desirable fruit condition for short-aged wines?
riper fruit flavours and lower acidity
What are the methods of production for short-aged wines?
tank method
with short time on the lees in transfer or traditional method
What is the dominant flavour in short-aged wines?
fruit
What kind of fruit flavours are desirable in the making of elegant, balanced, long-lees-aged sparkling wines?
Less intense fruit flavours
Less expensive sparkling wines may be grown in areas where —
land is cheaper and easier to cultivate, flat fertile plains
In some cases, grapes for sparkling wines are
grown in places that are simply less suitable or unsuitable for still wines. True or False
True - Here grapes would not
achieve the concentration and/or ripeness needed for good-quality still wines
What are the most commonly used grape varieties for making premium and super- premium sparkling wines?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What is the best grape for the production of autolytic styles of sparkling wines?
Chardonnay
What are the main aromas and flavours of chardonnay?
subtle apple and citrus aromas (these aromas compliment rather than compete with yeast autolytic styles)
What are the main flavour and aromas of yeast autolytic styles of sparkling wines?
biscuit or pastry
What are the characteristics that make chardonnay an ideal grape variety for sparkling wine making?
early ripening of flavours in cool conditions
it retains the high levels of acidity
it has low levels of alcohol needed
it’s also easy to avoid under-ripe flavours in chardonnay
Chardonnay is vulnerable to —
spring frost
Why is chardonnay vulnerable to spring frost?
Because it is early budding
What are the diseases that affect chardonnay?
coulure and millerandage
Chardonnay is susceptible to what diseases in wet periods before harvest?
powdery mildew
grapevine yellows
botrytis bunch rot
between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which one has more disease resistance?
Chardonnay
Why chardonnay is an attractive option for growers?
Yields can be high in the best years without loss of quality
Why Pinot Noir is suited to cool climate?
This variety is also an early budding and early ripening variety
Name two varieties that are prone to spring frost?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What disease is Pinot Noir susceptible to?
coulure
How do the yields of Pinot Noir compare to those of Chardonnay, and how does the quality of Pinot Noir change if the yield level becomes too high?
The yields are more moderate than Chardonnay and the quality drops if the yield level is too high.
Why is Pinot Noir more disease prone than chardonnay?
Because it is thin skinned
Pinot Noir is susceptible to:
downy mildew especially,
powdery mildew,
botrytis bunch rot,
fan leaf,
and leaf roll
What does Pinot Noir do in a blend?
lends body
What are the grape varieties in Cava?
Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada
What is the grape variety in Prosecco?
Glera
Factors within the grape variety that can influence the style of the wine are:
1- intensity of aromas (aromatic or neutral grape variety)
2- ability to retain acidity while ripening
3- how the base wine responds to autolysis where applicable, for example, Chardonnay
becomes creamy, whereas Xarel-lo becomes toasty and smoky.
Grapes for sparkling wines are often grown at —– yields than for still wines.
higher
High acid levels, low potential alcohol levels and delicate flavours are desirable in ——
most sparkling wines
How do sparkling winemakers achieve high acid levels, low potential alcohol levels and delicate flavours?
by high yields
In cool, relatively rainy climates, such as Champagne, what can provide some assurance that even if some damaged fruit has to be removed, a reasonable sized crop can still be harvested.
high yields
The perception of any off flavours from diseased fruit can be enhanced by the effects of ——- in the wine.
effervescence
A priority in all sparkling wine producing areas will be to obtain ——-.
clean, healthy fruit
The enzyme laccase released by botrytis-infected grapes can cause serious —— in sparkling wines.
oxidation
What are the reasons behind early picking of the grapes for sparkling wines?
The grapes are less likely still to be on the vine as rainy autumn weather starts, reducing risk of fungal disease.
Although low potential alcohol and high acidity is desirable, unripe flavours are not, because
are thought to become more prominent as the wine matures.
Hand harvesting and machine harvesting are both used for sparkling wine production, depending on location and local wine laws. True or False?
True
Hand harvesting permits
1- sorting at picking and
2- post-harvest selection to exclude disease-infected grapes
phenolics include extraction of
colour and tannin
What are the downsides of hand harvesting?
slow, labour-intensive and can be expensive
What is the downside of machine harvesting?
rupture the skin of the grapes, resulting in phenolic extraction and oxidation
What are the benefits of machine harvesting?
is faster, so for large estates the grapes are more likely to all be picked at the desired point of ripeness, and it is cheaper. It also permits night-time harvesting, thus delivering cooler grapes> oxidation is slowed down, resulting in fresher wines.
What procedure add costs to machine harvesting?
Removing diseases or damaged grapes by hand just prior to machine harvest
What method of pressing is often practised for premium traditional method sparkling wines.
Whole-bunch
What is the benefits of whole bunch press?
the gentlest forms of pressing, providing a delicate juice that is low in solids and
phenolics (including tannins and the anthocyanins that provide colour). The stems also help to create a network of channels through which the juice can flow easily, minimising the pressure required.
What are the drawbacks of whole-bunch press?
fewer bunches can be loaded into the press at any one time compared to
crushed grapes, and therefore this process is more time consuming.
