1 Standard Options in Sparkling Winemaking

Question 1

What are the two main methods employed in sparkling winemaking?

Answer 1

traditional method and tank method

Question 2

What climate is ideal for sparkling wines?

Answer 2

Cool climates where grapes struggle to ripen

Question 3

In cool climates where grapes struggle to ripen what wine is usually made?

Answer 3

Sparkling

Question 4

What is the typical flavour of grapes for sparkling wine?

Answer 4

Just ripe

Question 5

What is the main growing goal for high quality sparkling wines?

Answer 5

Retain acidity and accumulating sugar slowly

Question 6

What is the abv in the base wine for the production of sparkling wine?

Answer 6

9-11%

Question 7

Why is the base wine for production of sparkling wine has low alcohol percentage?

Answer 7

Because the second fermentation adds 1-2% more abv

Question 8

Name three countries, regions with greater latitude for the growing grapes for sparkling wine

Answer 8

England
Champagne
Tasmania

Question 9

Name a region with high altitude for production of sparkling wines

Answer 9

Trentodoc, Trentino Italy

Question 10

Name a region that have local cooling influences that makes it suitable for sparkling wine production

Answer 10

Sonama - being near the coast

Question 11

What is the fruit condition in warmer areas that produce sparkling wines?

Answer 11

grapes tend to have riper fruit flavours and lower acidity compared to the cooler sites

Question 12

What is the desirable fruit condition for short-aged wines?

Answer 12

riper fruit flavours and lower acidity

Question 13

What are the methods of production for short-aged wines?

Answer 13

tank method
with short time on the lees in transfer or traditional method

Question 14

What is the dominant flavour in short-aged wines?

Answer 14

fruit

Question 15

What kind of fruit flavours are desirable in the making of elegant, balanced, long-lees-aged sparkling wines?

Answer 15

Less intense fruit flavours

Question 16

Less expensive sparkling wines may be grown in areas where —

Answer 16

land is cheaper and easier to cultivate, flat fertile plains

Question 17

In some cases, grapes for sparkling wines are
grown in places that are simply less suitable or unsuitable for still wines. True or False

Answer 17

True - Here grapes would not
achieve the concentration and/or ripeness needed for good-quality still wines

Question 18

What are the most commonly used grape varieties for making premium and super- premium sparkling wines?

Answer 18

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Question 19

What is the best grape for the production of autolytic styles of sparkling wines?

Answer 19

Chardonnay

Question 20

What are the main aromas and flavours of chardonnay?

Answer 20

subtle apple and citrus aromas (these aromas compliment rather than compete with yeast autolytic styles)

Question 21

What are the main flavour and aromas of yeast autolytic styles of sparkling wines?

Answer 21

biscuit or pastry

Question 22

What are the characteristics that make chardonnay an ideal grape variety for sparkling wine making?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Chardonnay is vulnerable to —

Answer 23

spring frost

Question 24

Why is chardonnay vulnerable to spring frost?

Answer 24

Because it is early budding

Question 25

What are the diseases that affect chardonnay?

Answer 25

coulure and millerandage

Question 26

Chardonnay is susceptible to what diseases in wet periods before harvest?

Answer 26

powdery mildew grapevine yellows botrytis bunch rot

Question 27

between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which one has more disease resistance?

Answer 27

Chardonnay

Question 28

Why chardonnay is an attractive option for growers?

Answer 28

Yields can be high in the best years without loss of quality

Question 29

Why Pinot Noir is suited to cool climate?

Answer 29

This variety is also an early budding and early ripening variety

Question 30

Name two varieties that are prone to spring frost?

Answer 30

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Question 31

What disease is Pinot Noir susceptible to?

Answer 31

coulure

Question 32

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?

Answer 32

The yields are more moderate than Chardonnay and the quality drops if the yield level is too high.

Question 33

Why is Pinot Noir more disease prone than chardonnay?

Answer 33

Because it is thin skinned

Question 34

Pinot Noir is susceptible to:

Answer 34

downy mildew especially, powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot, fan leaf, and leaf roll

Question 35

What does Pinot Noir do in a blend?

Answer 35

lends body

Question 36

What are the grape varieties in Cava?

Answer 36

Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada

Question 37

What is the grape variety in Prosecco?

Answer 37

Glera

Question 38

Factors within the grape variety that can influence the style of the wine are:

Answer 38

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.

Question 39

Grapes for sparkling wines are often grown at ----- yields than for still wines.

Answer 39

higher

Question 40

High acid levels, low potential alcohol levels and delicate flavours are desirable in ------

Answer 40

most sparkling wines

Question 41

How do sparkling winemakers achieve high acid levels, low potential alcohol levels and delicate flavours?

Answer 41

by high yields

Question 42

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.

Answer 42

high yields

Question 43

The perception of any off flavours from diseased fruit can be enhanced by the effects of ------- in the wine.

Answer 43

effervescence

Question 44

A priority in all sparkling wine producing areas will be to obtain -------.

Answer 44

clean, healthy fruit

Question 45

The enzyme laccase released by botrytis-infected grapes can cause serious ------ in sparkling wines.

Answer 45

oxidation

Question 46

What are the reasons behind early picking of the grapes for sparkling wines?

Answer 46

The grapes are less likely still to be on the vine as rainy autumn weather starts, reducing risk of fungal disease.

Question 47

Although low potential alcohol and high acidity is desirable, unripe flavours are not, because

Answer 47

are thought to become more prominent as the wine matures.

Question 48

Hand harvesting and machine harvesting are both used for sparkling wine production, depending on location and local wine laws. True or False?

Answer 48

True

Question 49

Hand harvesting permits

Answer 49

1- sorting at picking and 2- post-harvest selection to exclude disease-infected grapes

Question 50

phenolics include extraction of

Answer 50

colour and tannin

Question 51

What are the downsides of hand harvesting?

Answer 51

slow, labour-intensive and can be expensive

Question 52

What is the downside of machine harvesting?

Answer 52

rupture the skin of the grapes, resulting in phenolic extraction and oxidation

Question 53

What are the benefits of machine harvesting?

Answer 53

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.

Question 54

What procedure add costs to machine harvesting?

Answer 54

Removing diseases or damaged grapes by hand just prior to machine harvest

Question 55

What method of pressing is often practised for premium traditional method sparkling wines.

Answer 55

Whole-bunch

Question 56

What is the benefits of whole bunch press?

Answer 56

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.

Question 57

What are the drawbacks of whole-bunch press?

Answer 57

fewer bunches can be loaded into the press at any one time compared to crushed grapes, and therefore this process is more time consuming.