1 standard options in sparkling winemaking Flashcards
What is a ideal climate condition for sparkling wines?
- cool climate where grapes struggle to ripe
- grapes where just-ripe in flavour, but still has its acidity
- sugar accumulates slowly (base wines with low alcohol around 9-11% abs; second fermentation adds additional 1-2% abv)
Where should grapes for sparkling wines grow?
- greater latitude like Champagne, England or Tasmania
- local cooling influences like coast (Sonoma) or high altitude (Trentodoc)
Why should grapes not be grown in warm climates?
grapes tend to have riper fruit flavours and lower acidity (possible for short-aged wines where fruity aromas dominate)
Where can grapes for cheap sparkling be produced?
- in cheap areas and easy to cultivate (e.g. on flat, fertile sites)
- in areas where still wines can’t be produced suitable
Which are the most common grape varieties for premium or super-premium sparkling wines?
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
What makes Chardonnay suitable as a sparkling wine grape variety?
- suited for autolytic styles of sparkling wine
- fresh apple and citrus aromas and flavours
- aromas do not compete with biscuit or pastry (teigig) aromas from yeast autolysis
- early ripening of flavours is an advantage in cool conditions
- retaining high levels of acidity and low levels of alcohol while avoiding under-ripe flavours
- high yields without a loss of quality
What makes Pinot Noir suitable as a sparkling wine grape variety?
- suited to cool climates (Early Budding & Early Ripening)
- more moderate yield than Chardonnay
- quality drops if the yield is to high
- brings body to the blend
Name grape variety factors that influence the style of the wine
- intensity of aromas (aromatic or neutral grape variety)
- ability to retain acidity while ripening
- how the base wine responds to autolysis where applicable
Why do grapes for sparkling wine do often grow at higher yields?
- higher acidity
- low potential alcohol
- delicate flavours
Why are health grapes so important for sparkling wine production?
to minimize off-flavours from diseased fruits (e.g. botrytis or oxidation)
Why are the grapes be picked in a more early status than compared with still wine grapes?
- to achieve a high acidity, low alcohol and delicate flavours (unripe flavors are become more prominent as the wine matures)
What are the harvesting techniques for sparkling?
- hand harvesting
- machine harvesting
Which pressing technique is often used for premium traditional method sparkling?
whole-bunch pressing
Why is whole-bunch pressing a common technique for premium sparkling?
- one of the gentles forms of pressing
- providing delicate juice
- juice is low in solids an phenolics
- stems create channels for the juice to flow easily
What is a disadvantage of whole-bunch pressing?
it is more time consuming than pressing crushed grapes
Why should the grapes be pressed as fast as possible?
to minimize the extraction of colour and tannins from the skin
Which presses are used?
- pneumatic presses
- basket presses
Name the different juices at pressing
- free run juice
- press juice
Why are free run juice and press juice be separated at pressing?
to have more blending options
What is the characteristic of juice from press fraction?
higher in:
- phenolics
- solids
- pH
- faster maturation (used for wines with a short maturation)
What is a typical primary fermentation temperature and why?
- 14-20°C
- it is used to retain fruit flavours but it’s not too cold for the yeast
Which juice conditions are stressful for the yeast?
low pH
Why are most primary fermentations in stainless steel?
- possible for large volumes
- temperature control
- easy to clean
Why are cultured yeasts mostly used?
they ferment reliably to dryness in high acid and low pH conditions
For which kind of sparkling, yeasts producing thiols or esters are used?
for tank method sparkling that are based on fruity flavours
For which kind of sparkling, neutral yeasts are used and why?
- for autolytic styles sparkling wines that pronounced primary fruit characters are not wanted in general, and neutral yeasts won’t enhance primary fruit character which could compete with the flavours from autolysis
Which are the issues for the yeast in the second fermentation?
start fermenting:
- in alcohol conditions (10% abv it too high for many yeasts)
- low pH
continue fermenting:
- at low temperatures
- high pressure
- poor nutrient availability
Name a most common yeast for sparkling wine production
Prise de mousse (EC1118)
For traditional method sparkling wines, which additional yeast attributes are desirable?
- rapid autolysis
- easy flocculation
Why are butter flavours (diacetyl) from MLC not found in the finished sparking wine?
it is metabolised by the yeast during second fermentation