41. Sparkling Wine Production Flashcards
What should be the properties of the grapes used for making sparkling wines?
- Should be low in sugar to be able to produce a base wine with a 10-11 % alcohol (second fermentation adds 1.2-1.3 %)
- Should have high acidity for the refreshing style
- Despite low sugar and high acid, the grapes should be ripe with no herbaceous flavours
What is the advantage of whole-bunch pressing and fermentation for making sparkling wines? (E)
- The spaces created in bunches by the stems act as drainage channels within the press
- The grape juice picks up few of the phenolic compounds and potassium (which acts as a buffer to acidity) from the grape skins
- Unless hard pressure is applied, the juice remains relatively clear and very light
- Stems in the ferment also absorb color
What are the properties of the base wine?
- Completely dry
- High acidity
- Neutral flavours
In what aspects, blending is important in making sparkling wines?
- To achieve particular house style
- To balance (Chardonnay brings citrus fruit, finesse and longevity, Pinot Noir brings body and red fruit aromas)
- To increase the complexity (old reserve wines bring dried fruit flavours, oaked wines bring broader texture and spicy flavours)
What is the composition of “liqueur de tirage”?
- Wine
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Yeast nutrients
- Clarifying agent
How much is the alcohol percentage increase after second fermentation?
1.2-1.3 %
What is the pressure in the bottle after second fermentation?
5 - 6 athmospheres
What are the advantages of keeping the lees in contact with the wine? (E)
- Giving bread, biscuit and toasty notes
- Protection against oxidative effect (maintain wine’s freshness for years)
- Help prevent the formulation of sulphur-smelling compounds
What is riddling?
Moving the bottle very slowly from horizontal position to inverted vertical position
What is pupitre?
It is an A-shaped frame in which Champagne bottles are placed for riddling
What are the disadvantages of traditional riddling method?
- Labour intensive (more cost)
- Long (8 weeks)
What is the name of the device used for mechanized riddling?
Gyropalette
What are the advantages of using gyropalettes for riddling?
- Less labour intensive
- Short (a few days)
The fluid used to top up the sparkling wine after disgorgement is called:
Liqueur de expedition
What is the composition of liqueur de expedition?
Wine and sugar
What is dosage?
The amount of sugar in liqueur de expedition
Why are the sparkling wines aged further few months after being corked?
So that the liqueur de expedition is integrated with the wine
Name the 5 methods for producing sparkling wine
- Traditional
- Transfer
- Tank
- Asti
- Carbonation
In which methods of sparkling wine production, wine spend time on lees?
- Traditional
- Transfer
For which grape varieties and styles, tank method is ideal for making sparkling wine? Why?
Aromatic grapes like Riesling and Muscat as well as fruity style sparkling wines like Prosecco, because the tank method helps to retain the flavours of the base wine.
Is it possible to give an autolytic character to a tank method sparkling wine?
Yes, by using the paddles to stir up the lees during second but most producers choose not to, to retain the primary fruit flavours.
For which grape varieties and styles, carbonation method is ideal for making sparkling wine?
Grapes with strong varietal flavours like Sauvignon Blanc
Name the EU labeling terms for sweetness in sparkling wines and the corresponding residual sugar amount in g/L.
Brut Nature/Bruto Natural/Naturherb/Zero Dosage: 0-3
Extra Brut/Extra Bruto/Extraherb: 0-6
Brut/Bruto/Herb: 0-12
Extra-Sec/Extra-Dry/Extratrocken: 12-17
Sec/Secco/Dry/Trocken: 17-32
Demi-Sec/Semi-Seco/Medium Dry/ Abbocato/Halbtrocken: 32-50
Doux/Dulce/Sweet/Mild: >50
What are the techniques to make rose wine?
- Blending white and red wines
- Short maceration
