2. Types and Styles of Wine Flashcards
What are the three Types of Wine?
- Still
- Sparkling
- Fortified
Describe a ‘Still’ wine.
- Still, not sparkling(!)
- Between 8 - 15% ABV, with the majority between 11.5% and 14% ABV.
- May be named after the region in which they were produced, or after the grape variety used to make them (eg. Pinot Grigio).
Give some examples of still wines from:
i. France
ii. Spain
iii. Italy
i. France: Sancerre, Burgundy
ii. Spain: Rioja
iii. Italy: Chianti
Describe a ‘Sparkling’ wine.
- Bubbly or fizzy wines
- The fizz is caused by Carbon Dioxide gas that is produced during fermentation and trapped in the wine.
- When the bottle is opened, the gas escapes as bubbles in the wine.
List some examples of sparkling wines from:
i. France
ii. Spain
iii. Italy
i. France: Champagne
ii. Spain: Cava
iii. Italy: Prosecco
Where are sparkling wines made?
All over the world!
Describe a ‘Fortified’ wine.
- These wines have had extra alcohol added to them and therefore have higher levels of alcohol (ranging from 15% - 22% ABV).
List some examples of fortified wines from:
i. Spain
ii. Portugal
i. Spain: Sherry
ii. Portugal: Port
Which features might contribute to a wine’s style?
The style of a wine is generally a combination of its colour, structural characteristics, and aromas and flavours.
What determines the colour of a wine?
- Grape variety used
- The way the wine is made
Which grapes are typically used to make White wine?
White grapes BUT it is possible to make a white wine from black grapes. The colour in black grapes is in the skins. Therefore, if the skins are separated from the juice before fermentation, a white wine can be made.
List some examples of white wine.
- Chablis from France
- Wines made from the Riesling grape
Which grapes are used to make red wine?
Black Grapes: The coloured grape skins stay with the grape juice during fermentation, bringing colour to the wine.
List some examples of Red wine.
- Rioja from Spain
- Wines made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape
Which grapes are used to make Rosé wine?
Black grapes: The grape juice is left in contact with the grape skins for a short period before the juice is drained.
The juice is only lightly coloured by the skins as a result.
Give an example of Rosé wine.
White Zinfandel
What is sweetness in a wine caused by?
The presence of sugar in a wine.
- Dry wines have no sugar, or very low levels.
- Sweet wines have high levels of sugar.
What makes a ‘dry’ wine dry?
In order to make a dry wine, the yeast need to convert all the sugar in the grape juice into alcohol.
Give an example of dry white wine.
- Chablis from France
- Wines made with Sauvignon Blanc
Give an example of dry red wine.
- Côtes du Rhône from France
- Chianti from Italy
- Wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon
Which wines tend to have a ‘medium sweetness’?
- Most wines that have a medium level of sweetness are either white or rosé.
What are the 2 key ways to make a wine with a medium level of sweetness?
- The yeast are removed before all of the sugar is converted to alcohol.
or
- Unfermented grape juice is added to dry white wine.
Give some examples of wines with a medium level sweetness.
- Riesling from Germany
- some Sherries
- White Zinfandel (Rosé) from California.
What are the key characteristics of a Sweet Wine?
Sweet wines have so much sugar in them that they can feel thick and syrupy.
Describe the 2 key ways of making a sweet wine.
- The grapes are so high in sugar the yeast stop fermenting before they eat all of the sugar
OR
- In the case of fortified wines, the yeast are killed by the addition of high-strength distilled alcohol before they have eaten all the sugar.
Give some examples of sweet wine.
- Sauternes from France
- some Riesling wines from Germany
- Sweet fortified wines include Port and some Sherries.
Where does the acidity in a wine come from?
Acidity in wine comes directly from the grape juice.
Why is acidity in a wine important?
Acidity in a wine gives wines a refreshing characteristic.
How might you recognise acidity in a wine?
It will make your mouth water.
How does the level of acidity in a wine affect taste?
- Too much acidity can make a wine taste unpleasantly acidic.
- If there is too little acidity, a wine loses its refreshing characteristic.
Give some examples of wines with high acidity.
- Chablis
- Chianti
- Wines made from grape varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.
Why is acid very important in sweet wines?
Acid in sweet wines balances out the sweetness, stopping a wine from being unpleasantly sweet.
What is ‘tannin’?
Tannin is a characteristic of red wines that comes from the skins of the grapes. The level of tannin in a wine depends on the grape variety that is used and how the wine is made.
What do Tannins taste like?
Tannins can taste bitter, but mostly they are a structural characteristic of a wine that you feel rather than taste. Tannins cause your mouth to feel dry.
Give 2 examples of red wines with high tannin levels.
- Bordeaux from France
- Chianti from Italy
Give 2 examples of red wines with low tannin levels.
- Beaujolais from France
- Wines made from Pinot Noir
What range of %ABV do the majority of still and sparkling wines have?
Between 11.5 - 14% ABV
However, some wines can reach as high as 15% abv, whilst others can be as low as 8% abv.
Give an example of:
i. Wine with a high level of alcohol
ii. Wine with a low level of alcohol
i. High: Châteauneuf-du-Pape from France
ii. Low: White Zinfandel from California
What does the term ‘body’ mean in the context of wine?
Body is a term that is widely used to describe the overall feel of a wine in your mouth.
There are many factors that contribute towards this effect and so it is easier to ask yourself how ‘mouth-filling’ the wine is.
Full-bodied wines feel viscous and mouth-filling.
Light-bodied wines feel more delicate.
List 2 examples of light-bodied wines.
- Pinot Grigio from Italy
- Beaujolais
Give 2 examples of medium-bodied wines.
- Sancerre
- Côtes-du-Rhône
Give 2 examples of full-bodied wines.
- Cabernet Sauvignon from California
- Sauternes
Where do the aromas and flavours in wines come from?
- Some flavours come from the grapes themselves
- Other flavours develop during winemaking and maturation.
A wine is made with the grape variety Cabernet Sauvignon. What aromas might you expect?
- Blackcurrant
Fruit flavours / aromas in a wine are influenced by the ripeness of grapes.
How might these differ in the Chardonnay if:
i. grapes were grown in a cool climate?
ii. grapes were grown in a warm climate?
Chardonnay Wine flavours / aromas
i. Cool climate grapes: Wine = green fruits (apple) and citrus fruits (lemon)
ii. Warm climate grapes: Wine = stone fruits (peach) and tropical fruits (pineapple).
Wine can be fermented and/or matured in oak barrels. Oak gives wine flavours. List 4 of these flavours.
- Cedar
- Cloves
- Coconut
- Vanilla
What ‘other’ aromas / flavours might be found in wines?
- Grass
- Flowers
- Herbs
- Vegetables
- Earth
- Mushroom
- Leather
