17. Specific options for producing wines with residual sugar Flashcards
What are the 4 options for concentrating the grape must?
- Drying the grapes on the vine
- Drying grapes off the vine
- Noble rot
- freezing grapes on the vine.
In general, how is grape must concentrated?
-by the reduction of water in the grape. The process not only concentrates the sugar, but also acidity and flavors.
What is needed to allow grapes to dry on the vine?
-Dry autumns
If a wine is made from grapes dried on the vine, what is it called?
-Late harvest, Vendanges Tardives, Spatlese
Describe the two methods of drying grapes on the vine.
- Leave them on the vine to dry.
2. Cut the cane of the vine with grapes attached.
Describe drying grapes off the vine
-in the case of italy, this is a passito wine. Grapes left on racks in temperature controlled rooms.
What conditions must be present to develop Noble Rot?
-must be grown in a region with humid mornings and warm, sunny, dry afternoons. - Sauternes, France
How does Noble Rot affect grapes?
Rot punctures skin, warm sun causes evaporation which concentrates sugars, acids, flavors.
Describe the method of freeing grapes on the vine.
- grapes left on the vine until late autumn or winter
- Water in grapes pulp turns to ice
- grapes must be harvested according to local laws around ice wines as they are protected terms.
If grapes are picked and frozen off the vine, what is the process called?
cryoextraction.
-this may NOT be called an ice wine.
Why does stopping the fermentation result in wines with RS?
Because fermentation is stopped before all sugar is converted into alcohol
Advantages of stopping fermentation?
- winemaker has control over RS
- Quick process, however does not have same results as other methods. The exception is fortified wine
Most common method of stopping fermentation?
chilling fermentation to below 50F or high dose of SO2
What is the easiest way to produce a wine with RS?
Blending in a sweetening component such as RCGM
Advantages of blending a sweetening component?
- Dry wine (before blending) less susceptible to spoilage
- winemaker has more control
- may increase final volume of wine
