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CILSOMM > 4: 24 Sparkling Wines > Flashcards

4: 24 Sparkling Wines Flashcards

1
Q

Where do the bubbles in sparkling wine come from?

A

The bubbles are dissolved carbon dioxide gas
(CO2)

They get into the wine in one of several ways:

  • Injection method (low quality, inexpensive wines);
  • As a by-product of secondary fermentation, which can take place in tank or bottle (used for quality wines, e.g. Prosecco or Champagne).
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2
Q

What are the 2 types of secondary fermentation used for quality sparkling wines. Give examples. :)

A
  1. The Tank Method (Prosecco)- 2nd fermentation in a tank before bottling
  2. The traditional Method- (bottle fermentation) (Cava and Champagne)
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3
Q

What liquid is used for the 2nd fermentation? What is this?

A

A dry base wine.

A still wine that is a result of primary fermentation.
(usually low in alcohol (10-11%) and high in acid because grapes are intentionally picked barely ripe).

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4
Q

Base wines are often blends…..blends of what?

A
  1. Grape varieties
  2. Vintages
  3. Villages/terroirs
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5
Q

What stops the CO2 from escaping in the secondary fermentation?

A

Sealed containers (either tank or bottle)

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6
Q

How’s the secondary fermentation initiated?

A

Yeast and sugar are added to the dry base wine and fermentation begins again. As the container is sealed the CO2 is trapped and is dissolved into the liquid..

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7
Q

What flavors are sought in bottle fermented, or Traditional Method, sparkling wines?

A

Autolytic flavors, such as bread, toast, and biscuit.
Traditional method sparkling wines take on these bread-like flavors from their aging on the lees.

The process is autolysis.

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8
Q

In the Traditional Method (Methode traditionelle), what step happens after the sugar and yeast are added to the base wine?

A

The bottle is sealed with a “soda pop” crown cap, and left to age for several months for autolytic compounds to develop.
The secondary fermentation occurs inside the bottle - capturing CO2, which dissolves in the wine since it can’t escape.

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9
Q

What is riddling?

A

The lees need to be removed form the finished wine before sale. The bottle is inverted to a vertical position so the lees slide into the bottle neck. Originally done by hand, now the process is automated in a gyropalette.

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10
Q

What is disgorgement?

A

Once riddling is complete, the neck of the bottle (with the lees) is frozen. The crown cap’s removed and an ice plug, containing the lees shoots out.

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11
Q

What’s Dosage?

A

After disgorgement, the bottle’s not full. Wine is taken from another bottle to fill up the disgorged bottle. Often SUGAR is added to balance acidity.

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12
Q

What’s liqueur d’expedition?

A

The mixture of wine and sugar used for the dosage.

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13
Q

What 3 grapes are used in Champagne?

A

Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier

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14
Q

What determines the final sweetness of the wine?

What are 2 terms indicating varying levels of sweetness?

A

The amount of sugar in the liqueur d’expedition.

Brut (a small amount of sugar is used - this is most common designation, producing a dry wine)

Demi-Sec (more sugar is used. The wines are medium sweet)

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15
Q

What is re-sealing?

A

The bottles are corked and a wire cage is used to secure the cork, as the contents are under pressure.

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16
Q

What is the climate of Champagne?

A

Cool

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17
Q

Describe the reasons why Champagne’s climate s ideal for producing the style of wine we associate with Champagne.

A

Cool climate causing grapes to struggle with ripening
* Acidity is higher - thus, INVERSELY, the amount of grape sugar is low (er).
* Less sugar means less food for the yeast….resulting in lower alcohol wines

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18
Q

Are the majority of champagnes a blend of base wines across many vintages? Why?

A

Yes
Because it allows production of a consistent house style every year, sold as Non-vintage (NV)

19
Q

What’s the minimum time requirement for Champagne to remain on the lees? (Least expensive Champagnes).

Describe the style of these wines.

A

12 months

High acid
Green Fruit (apple, pear)
Light autolytic flavors

20
Q

How do the production methods and style differ with more expensive versions of Champagne?

A

Made from riper grapes and aged for longer periods on the lees.

Complex flavors of green fruit (apple), Citrus (lemon) and autolytic notes (toasted bread, bicuit)

21
Q

What is a Vintage Champagne?

Describe its aroma/flavor profile.

A
  • A champagne that is 100% made from grapes harvested in the year on the bottle (Only made in exceptional years)
  • Extended lees aging, followed by bottle aging
  • Complex and age-worthy
  • Dry
  • High acid
  • Citrus
  • Green fruit (apple, sometimes bruised apple)
  • Medium to pronounced autolytic aromas /flavors (bread, biscuit)
  • Nuts
  • Honey
  • Very much age-worthy

Produced in small quantities , only in excellent years. Expensive.

22
Q

What’s the term for Spanish traditional method sparkling wine.

A

Cava

23
Q

Where does the majority of Spanish Cava come from (region)

A

Catalunya (NE Spain)

24
Q

What’s the climate of Catalunya?

A

Warm

25
Q

How is acidity retained in Cava production?

A

Early harvest

26
Q

Describe the aroma/flavor profile of Cava.

A

Light favors of apple and lemon in the base wine, and as it spends less time on the lees than Champagne, very light autolytic characteristics

27
Q

What grapes are used in Cava production?

A

Mostly indigenous Spanish varieties, but recently, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have also been approved for use (adding both fruit flavors and acidity).

You don’t need to know, but…..
the Spanish grapes are Xarel-lo, Parellada & Macabeo

28
Q

Describe the average Cava producer.

A

Big brands like Freixenet

But smaller producers exit and often offer higher quality

29
Q

Outside France, which countries produce traditional method sparkling wine?

A

South Africa
USA
Australia
New Zealand

30
Q

What’s Cap Classique?

A

South African traditional method sparkling wine

31
Q

What grapes are used in Cap Classique?

A

Chardonay
Pinot Noir
and…
Chenin Blanc

32
Q

How are non-French regions producing sparkling wine climatically different from the region of Champagne? What impact does this have on the profile of the wines produced?

A

The regions are warmer, although the coolest available sites tend to be selected…..

Riper fruit flavors.

33
Q

Describe the tank method.

A

Base wines are created, removed into a large tank that can be completely sealed where additional sugar and yeast are added and the secondary fermentation occurs. The lees are removed by filtration and the wine is bottled under pressure.

34
Q

Why would a winemaker choose to use the tank method?

A
  1. The wine is made from aromatic grapes, whose delicate aromas would be overshadowed by autolytic aromas.

Or
2. It’s cheaper

35
Q

Describe the Asti method.

A

It’s a Tank Method variation.
It starts with grape juice rather than dry base wine and produces sweet, low alcohol sparkling wines.

36
Q

Where in Italy is Asti DOCG?

A

Piemonte (NW Italy)

37
Q

What grape is used in Asti DOCG wines?

A

Moscato

38
Q

How is the tank method different from the Asti Method? What styles does each produce?

A

Tank Method
* Starts with dry, low alcohol, high acid base wine
* The base wine goes through secondary fermentation in sealed tank, where bubbles are created and captured
* Once secondary fermentation complete, wine is filtered off its lees and bottled under pressure
* Final sparkling wine ~11-12% abv and dry

Asti Method
* Starts with grape juice and yeast - put into tank to initiate fermentation, and bubbles allowed to escape
* Partly through fermentation tank is sealed to capture the CO2 being created
* Yeasts filtered out before fermentation complete leaving residual sugar in the wine
* Final sparkling wine ~8% abv and off-dry/sweet

39
Q

Where is Prosecco DOC produced?

A

Veneto (NE Italy)

40
Q

What grape’s used to make Prosecco DOC?

A

Glera

41
Q

How is Prosecco DOC made?

In what styles?

A

Tank Method

Dry (Brut)
Off-dry (Extra Dry)
Rose (a small amount of Pinot Noir’s used to create the color)

42
Q

Is Glera an aromatic grape?

A

SEMI- aromatic. It still shows better when produced using the tank method.

43
Q

What do Champagne and Cava have in common with respect to labeling?

A

Neither Champagne nor Cava has to have its PDO/DO/AOC status on the label.

It will just say “Cava” or Champagne”, without AOC, DO, etc.

44
Q

How are Traditional Method and Tank Method bottles usually enclosed?

A

Mushroom cork and wire cage

CILSOMM (22 decks)

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