11 - Aromatised Wines Flashcards
List the three most important types of aromatised wines
Vermouth
Quinquina/Chinato
Americano
How do all aromatised wines begin?
As wine
Briefly describe the process of creating aromatised wines
The wine is flavoured with botanicals
It’s fortified with spirit/distilled alcohol
Typically then sweetened
Sometimes coloured
Can any colour of grape be used for aromatised wine?
Yes
What are the most popular characteristics for aromatised wine grapes? Why?
Neutral, high acid, white varieties
A neutral, dry base wine allows botanicals to shine through
What other choice of grape might be used for aromatised wine? For what purpose?
Aromatic white varieties such as Muscat might be used
The maker may want more character from the base wine
Black varieties for red or rose might be used for the same reasons
What are the main methods for processing botanicals in aromatised wines?
Individual re-distillation
Macerating all botanicals together
What flavours can be used when making aromatised wine?
Any (unlimited)
What is the one flavour feature that all aromatised wines have in common?
Bitterness from one or more of the botanicals
Name some bitter botanicals which may be used for aromatised wines
Wormwood
Quinine
Gentian
Certain types of aromatised wines must contain…
One bitter botanical
Describe sweetness in aromatised wines
They are made with varying levels of sweetness
Rarely truly dry
Why are aromatised rarely dry?
Sweetness is needed to balance the bitterness
Where might sweetness come from?
Sugar which has been added to the dry base wine
The grapes
How might grape sweetness be created when required for aromatised wine? What is the resulting liquid called?
By halting fermentation with spirit
Mistelle
What must be added to aromatised wine?
Distilled alcohol
What must the final abv of aromatised wine be?
Between 14.5% abv and 22% abv
Aromatised wines are technically a type of …
Fortified wine
What are the advantages of fortifying the base wine?
Longer shelf life
Stabilises the wine
How many aromatised wines are sweet?
Most
What is mostly used to fortify aromatised wine? What is the other option?
Neutral alcohol
Low-strength, characterful distillates
What is the advantage of using neutral spirit for aromatised wine?
It does not contribute any flavours that could compete with the botanical flavours the producer is trying to showcase
When does blending of AW take place?
At the end of production
What is blended?
Dry base wine
Distilled alcohol
Flavoured distillates and tinctures
Sugar or mistelle
Colouring (if required)
What kinds of colouring are used in AW?
Caramel and others
What will happen once an AW has been blended?
It will be stored for a few weeks in stainless steel to allow flavours to integrate prior to bottling and release
Some producers use oak barrels for extra complexity
Aromatised wines can be made where?
Anywhere in the world
Where are the vast majority of AW made?
In an area straddling the Alps, which incorporates south-east France and north-west Italy
What is the most important type of aromatised wine?
Vermouth
What must be used in vermouth?
Wormwood
What may cause variation in vermouths?
Aromatic intensity of the base wine
The level of sweetness
The use of caramel colour
What other purpose may be served by using caramel colour in red vermouth?
It may add caramel aromas and some bitterness
What must be used in Quinquina/Chinato?
Quinine
Several examples of chinato are made using…
Red wines
Why are either quinquina or chinato used?
Quinquina=France
Chinato=Italy
With what must Americano be flavoured?
Wormwood
Gentian
How may americano appear?
Either yellow or red
Where might the red colour come from in americano?
Added colour
Red base wine
