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WSET Diploma D5 > 4 Madeira > Flashcards

4 Madeira Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the terroir of Madeira

A

CLIMATE

  • Warm summers 20-22c and mild winters 16-17c –> winter dormancy on warmer sites = problem
  • Rainfall in autumn and winter
  • Mountains up to 1,800m
  • North and centre of island are cool and wet (>3000mm ) –> vigour
  • South - drier and warmer

Topography
- Altitudes up to 800m

SOIL
- Volcanic soil with high nutrients –> vigour

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2
Q

How large is Madeira?

A

74,000 ha of which 540ha are planted

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3
Q

What impact did powdery mildew and phylloxera have on the grape varieties grown?

A

Devasted vineyards in c19th

Producers replaced afflicted VV with American and hybrid vines –> quality

EU schemes encouraged replanting of VV

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4
Q

How are grape varieties classified?

A

Recommended - tend to be VV, includes Tinta Negra which was introduced post-phylloxera

Authorised - mainly varieties introduced post-phylloxera

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5
Q

Describe Tinta Negra and which wines it is used to make.

A
  • Most planted
  • Introduced post-phylloxera
  • High yielding, easy to grow
  • Can state variety on label since 2015 - mainly used for wines with sweetness label, not varietal label
  • Makes wine of all sweetness
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6
Q

Describe Sercial and which wines it is used to make.

A
  • Limited plantings
  • Late ripening - often picked last esp. on cool sites
  • Resistant to powdery mildew, vulnerable to botrytis bunch rot
  • Liable to poor fruit set
  • High acid
  • Driest styles
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7
Q

Describe Verdelho and which wines it is used to make.

A
  • 2nd most planted VV
  • Susceptible to botrytis, coulure, downy + powdery mildew
  • High acid
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8
Q

Describe Boal and which wines it is used to make.

A
  • Umbrella for number of varieties –> Boal Cachudo = Malvasia Fina
  • Likes warm sites - altitude, south
  • Susceptible to drought - irrigation
  • Semi-sweet wine
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9
Q

Describe Malvasia and which wines it is used to make.

A

Umbrella term

Malvasia Candida historically the most important
- MC very susceptible to powdery mildew - yield –> only small plantings

Malvasia de São Jorge most planted

  • Relatively high yields
  • Susceptible to botrytis
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10
Q

Describe Terrantez and which wines it is used to make.

A
  • Limited planting
  • Susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis
  • Picked early to avoid the above, when it reaches 9% potential ABV
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11
Q

How are vineyards planted, trained and trellised?

A

Planted on terraces - steep slopes

Trained and trellised on pergola –> air flow –> fungal disease in humid climate

  • -> other crops can be grown on land underneath
  • -> some vineyards use cordon-trained, VSP-trellised
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12
Q

Which diseases are prevalent and why?

A

Fungal diseases - downy mildew, botrytis, Phomopsis

Humid and warm climate

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13
Q

Describe how and where irrigation is used

A

Rainwater collected in centre of island and channelled to the drier south

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14
Q

What are the typical yields and why?

A

150 hL/ha - high due to fertile soil and irrigation

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15
Q

When is harvest? How is it carried out? What is the min potential alcohol?

A

Set by IVBAM - end of August / start of September

By hand due to topography

Min 9% ABV, an average of no more than 11% ABV

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16
Q

Describe the typical winemaking process.

A
  • Grape sorting –> weight, health, potential alcohol, rep from IVBAM present
  • Destemmed and crushed
  • Skin contact: depends on producer and style
  • Fermentation: stainless steel with ambient yeast
  • Fortification
  • -> timing depending on desired sweetness
  • -> 96% ABV grape spirit –> neutral
  • -> May be purchased on open market but quality checked by IVBAM
  • -> fortified to 17-18% ABV
  • Fined - usually with either bentonite, gelatine, albumin
  • Filtered - usually with diatomaceous earth
  • Tasting: to determine quality and choose route for maturation
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17
Q

What styles are more likely to see skin-contact before and during fermentation?

A

Medium sweet + sweet styles

Tinta Negra

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18
Q

Describe the Estufagem maturation process.

A
  • Wine heated in temp controlled SS vessels - estufas
  • Heated to 40-50c using heating coil or water jacket for min of 3 months
  • IVBAM seal vessels and break seal at end of maturation
  • Some ullage usually allowed to allow oxidation
  • Cool, filtered, rested for 6-12 months
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19
Q

Describe the style of wine produced by the Estufagem process and the min period before the wine may be sold.

A

Baked or stewed, relatively fast and wine isn’t as complex as canteiro process but quality has improved significantly

Mainly used for 3 and 5 year old Tinta Negra wine

May not be sold until 31st of October in two years after harvest

20
Q

Describe the Canteiro maturation process.

A
  • Old oak vessels in warm environment e.g. loft or warehouse heated by sun
  • Temp between 25-40c
  • 400-700L with some ullage –> oxidation
  • Young wines in warmer conditions then moved to cool area when older
  • Evap despite high humidity due to temps –> slow increase in ABV to 19-20%
  • -> concentration of sugar, acid, aromas
  • -> higher VA
  • -> barrels topped up to managed oxidation
  • Longer, resource-heavy process
21
Q

What is min period before Canteiro wine may be sold?

A

Three years from the 1st of Jan following harvest

22
Q

Describe the IVBAM regulated process of additional ageing.

A

May be aged beyond minimum in SS, large wood vessels or demi-johns –> oxidation

5 years extra ageing = EU subsidy, IVBAM seals and unseals vessel

Producers may check and adjust wine with IVBAM supervision

Can apply for an additional extension to subsidy in five-year increments

23
Q

Describe the impact of the maturation process on Madeira.

A

Colour goes brown gradually
Primary –> tertiary dried fruit
Warm conditions –> speed oxidation –> caramelisation of sugar
Range of flavour, dependent on style, age and quality –> apricot, raisin, caramel, chocolate, nuts, smoky

24
Q

Describe the role of blending.

A

Vintage, vineyard sites and barrels blended

Consistency - minimise vintage and barrel variation

Balance - balance structure via different vineyards and ages

Complexity - wines of different ages or maturation techniques

25
Q

What adjustments may be made before bottling?

A
  • Fining and filtration - carbon fining can strip colour
  • Caramel used to add colour for inexpensive and mid-priced wines
  • RCGM added for sweetness or blending with drier wine to reduce
26
Q

Which terms are used to describe sweetness levels?

A
  • extra dry
  • dry (some sweetness)
  • medium dry
  • medium sweet (or medium rich)
  • sweet (or rich)

Overlap so producers may used different terms for same level of RS

27
Q

Describe the sweetness associated with varietal labelling of the following:

  • Sercial
  • Verdelho
  • Terrantez
  • Boal
  • Malvasia
  • Tinta Negra
A 
Sercial - dry or extra dry
Verdelo - med dry
Terrantez - med dry / med sweet
Boal - med sweet
Malvasia - sweet
Tinta Negra - any level
28
Q

Describe a varietally labelled Sercial

A

Extra dry or dry
Lightest colour
Lightest body
Citrus peel and nuts

29
Q

Describe a varietally labelled Verdelho

A

Medium dry
Darker colour than Sercial
More body and texture than Sercial
Candied fruit

30
Q

Describe a varietally labelled Boal

A

Med sweet
Darker in colour than Verdelho
Fuller bodied than Verdelho
Caramel, chocolate, candied nuts

31
Q

Describe a varietally labelled Malvasia

A 
AKA Malmsey 
Sweet
Brown 
Full-body
Raisins and caramel
32
Q

Describe a varietally labelled Terrantez

A

Medium dry / med sweet
Delicate despite sweetness
Citrus peel, caramel, floral

33
Q

Describe a varietally labelled Tinta Negra

A

Any sweetness

34
Q

Does Maderia require a sweetness level and bottling date on the label?

A

Sweetness - not for varietally labelled wines

Bottling date - yes since 2015

35
Q

What does an age indication indicate?

A

5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 and “more than 50 years old”

Style - not average or min age

Verified by tasting panel

36
Q

Describe the rough differences in style and quality for different age indications

A

Quality and price tend to increase with age indication

Five y/o = mainly Tinta Negra, most aged in estufagem, good-very good, mid-priced

10 y/o and older = usually with white varieties (some producers may use Tinta Negra), aged in canteiro, increasingly complex and concentrated with time and higher levels of acid

20 y/o and older = outstanding and premium / super-premium

37
Q

Describe a standard blend.

A

Doesn’t qualify for age indication
- 2-3 y/o when sold
- categorised as corrente
Labelled with brand of producer e.g. Blandy’s Duke of Clarence or style description e.g. Henriques & Henriques’ Full Rich Madeira

38
Q

Describe Rainwater

A

Light style - ABV, body, concentration
Med dry
Around 18%
Max age indication of 10 y/o

39
Q

Describe Frasqueira (Garrafeira)

A
  • Vintage Madeira aged in wood for min 20 years
  • Prescribed varieties, named on label
  • Vintage and bottling date on label
  • Quality assessed by tasting panel
  • Complex with lots of tertiary flavour - sweetness balance with acid
40
Q

Describe Colheita

A
  • Vintage Madeira aged in wood for min 5 years
  • Blend or single variety, does not need to be stated
  • New category: popular due to lower ageing requirement
41
Q

Describe the structure of production

A

Grapes –> fragmented –> 1000 growers, average holding of 0.3ha
Winemaking + maturation –> consolidated –> eight producers
- Justino’s, Madeira Wine Company and Henriques & Henriques are three largest
- Only two own any vineyards and these represent tiny % of production
- Producers used agents to source grapes and coordinate harvest

42
Q

Outline the role for the IVBAM (Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira)

A
  • Sets harvest dates
  • Monitors grape quality - present at reception
  • Seal and unseal vats during ageing process
  • Tasting panel and lab checks for age indication and vintages
  • Provide technical support and advice
  • Sets regulations for production and labelling
43
Q

Describe sales trends for Madeira

A
  • 3.2 million litres in 2019 (roughly 4.2m 705ml bottles)
  • Stable over past few decades
  • Most sales from corrente made with TN
  • 5-10 y/o are most widely sold age category
  • Colheita and Fraquiera more common than older age-indicated e.g. 20- and 5- year old

Gradual increase in sales value driven by Colheita and Fraquiera

44
Q

Where is Madiera sold?

A

France, Madeira (tourism), Germany, Japan

  • France and Ger for inexpensive Madeira
  • Japan for premium and super-premium
45
Q

Describe Madeira used for cooking

A
  • Big vols (20% of sales)
  • Heated in estufagem and released after few months
  • May have salt and pepper added

WSET Diploma D5 (6 decks)

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