24. Sparkling Wines Flashcards
What characteristics does the base wine for sparkling wines usually have?
Dry
High acidity
Low in alcohol
Blend of different wines
What is the equation for the process of making sparkling wines?
Sugar + Base wine + Yeast = Alcohol + Carbon Dioxide
How are the bubbles typically formed in a sparkling wine?
During a second fermentation carbon dioxide is released as the yeast converts the sugar to alcohol.
The carbon dioxide is trapped in a sealed vessel and therefore creates bubbled in the wine.
How many fermentations take place in most sparkling wines?
Two - one to create the base wine and one to create the bubbles
How much ABV does the second fermentation add to sparkling wines?
1.5% ABV
What are the two main types of second fermentation to make sparkling wines?
Bottle fermentation
Tank fermentation
What are the six stages of bottle fermenting a sparkling wine?
- Secondary fermentation
- Yeast autolysis
- Riddling
- Disgorgement
- Dosage
- Resealing
What happens during the second fermentation of sparkling wines made by the traditional method?
Base wine, sugar and yeast added to a bottle and sealed with a crown cap.
Bottle stored on its side.
Yeast converts sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide (bubbles)
Dead yeast sinks to form lees.
Why are champagne bottles laid on their side to bottle ferment?
Increased contact with the lees to gain lots of flavours
What is yeast autolysis?
Lees breaking down imparting flavours to the sparkling wine
What characteristics does yeast autolysis add to a sparkling wine?
Biscuit
Bread
Brioche
What is riddling?
Moving the lees deposit to the neck of the bottle when making a sparkling wine by bottle fermentation
Bottle is slowly moved from a horizontal to an inverted vertical position.
Done by hand or gyropalette
What are the two methods of riddling?
Hand riddling on an A frame
Using a gyropalette to process hundreds of bottles at a time
What is disgorgement?
When the neck of a sparkling wine bottle is frozen to trap the lees in a plug of ice. Once the crown cap is removed the pressure forces the plug out the bottle.
What is dosage (process)?
Adding wine, and usually sugar into a sparkling wine after disgorgement to top up the bottle.
The amount of sugar added (dosage) determines the sweetness of the wine.
What is liqueur d’expedition?
The sugar and wine mixture added to a sparkling wine during the dosage process.
What different levels of dosage are common?
Brut nature - 0 sugar added
Brut - dry, some sugar added
Demi Sec - medium sweetness
What two sparkling wines are traditionally made using bottle fermentation?
Champagne
Cava
What does the wine labelling term Methode traditionnelle mean?
A sparkling wine made in the traditional bottle fermentation method, e.g. Champagne
Why are the lees typically removed from bottle fermented sparkling wines?
Otherwise the wines would be hazy/cloudy
What three grapes are typically blended to form Champagne?
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
Chardonnay
What is the climate in Champagne?
Cool climate
What is a Non Vintage champagne and why is this commonly made?
A blend of various base wines from different vintages.
To create consistency
What is the minimum legal amount of time for Champagne to age on lees?
12 months
What flavours can be expected from a very good quality champagne?
Green apple
Lemon
Toast/biscuits
What is a Vintage Champagne and what is different about the way it is produced?
Only made in exceptional years out of the best grapes from that harvest.
Aged with lees contact for longer and also bottled ages after disgorgement
Nuts and honey flavours present due to bottle age
Where does the majority of Cava come from?
Catalunya
What grapes are used to make Cava?
Mainly local varieties, sometimes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What is the climate in Catalunya?
Warm climate
What wine is commonly produced in Catalunya?
Cava
What flavours are common in Cava?
Green apple
Pear
Very subtle autolytic characteristics
What countries around the world produce traditional method sparkling wines?
France - Champagne Spain - Cava California South Africa Australia New Zealand
What does Methode Cap Classique on a bottle label signify?
A sparkling wine from South Africa.
Why may tank fermentation be used instead of bottle fermentation for sparkling wines?
Cheaper and simpler process
Less labour intensive
Preserves the flavours of the grapes
What are the stages of the tank fermentation process for sparkling wines?
- Yeast and sugar added to a base wine
- Sealed in a tank for second fermentation
- Lees removed by filtration
- Bottled under pressure
What grapes is Prosecco made from?
Glera
What are the characteristics of Glera?
Light to medium bodied
Dry to off dry
Apple and melon flavours
What flavours are typical in a Prosecco?
Apple Melon Pear Citrus Florality
What are the stage of the asti method of making sparkling wine?
Grape juice is partially fermented in a pressurised tank.
Tank is sealed to retain carbon dioxide
Filtration of the yeast to stop fermentation
What are the key characteristics of an Asti wine?
Low alcohol
Sweet
Produced by one fermentation
What is the key different between the Asti method and tank fermentation for other wines?
Asti method begins with grape juice not base wine - only one fermentation for Asti
Where is Asti made?
Piemonte, Italy
What grapes is Asti made from?
Moscato / Muscat
What sparkling wine is commonly made from Muscat/Moscato?
Asti
What flavours are common in an Asti wine?
Grape
Pear
Blossom
Peach
Why should sparkling wine be well chilled before opened?
Reduces the pressure in the bottle
What are the four stages of opening a bottle of sparkling wine?
- Chill the bottle
- Remove foil and keep thumb on cork
- Unscrew cage
- Turn bottle keeping hold of the cork and cage
What wine has the following characteristics: Off dry Light to medium body Sparkling Light apple, pear and melon flavours?
Prosecco
What wine has the following characteristics: Dry Light body Simple flavours of green apple and pear Short finish Sparkling?
Cava
What wine has the following characteristics:
Dry
Pronounced flavours
Sparkling
Flavours of green apple, lemon, toast and biscuits
Medium-long finish?
Champagne
What wine has the following characteristics: Sweet Low alcohol Flavours of grapes and peaches Short finish Sparkling?
Asti
