7. Common Elements in Winemaking and Maturation

Question 1

What is fermentation?

Answer 1

The process in which yeast coverts the sugars in the grape juice to alcohol.

Question 2

What are natural wines?

Answer 2

Wines made with minimal human intervention. Sometimes have a different taste profile.

Question 3

What is oxidation?

Answer 3

When oxygen reacts with grape juice and the component parts of a wine during the winemaking and maturation process. Can be positive or negative.

Question 4

What is the role of the seeds and stems?

Answer 4

Contain tannins
Seeds: Bitter oils
Stems: Only available through hand harvesting

Question 5

What is the role of the skins?

Answer 5

Contains high concentration of flavor compounds, tannins, color.

Question 6

What are tannins?

Answer 6

A large number of chemical compounds in grapes that taste very bitter and astringent after veraison. After ripening, bitterness and astringency falls.

Oak can also contribute to tannins

Question 7

What is the bloom and what is its role?

Answer 7

The waxy surface that overs the skins of the grapes and contains yeast that an be used to ferment the wine.

Question 8

What is the largest single component in a grape’s pulp (and thus wine)? Second largest?

Answer 8

Largest: Water

Second largest: Sugar

Question 9

What is the most abundant acid found in the pulp? What other acid is found in the pulp?

Answer 9

Tartaric acid, then malic acid

Question 10

What 3 steps can a winemaker take to sure the wine is dominated by a primary fruit characters? What is this called?

Answer 10

“Protective Winemaking”
“Anaerobic Winemaking”

Prevent oxidization

1. Antioxidants like sulfur dioxide
2. Pick grapes at night (cooler, slower chemical reactions)
3. Filling airtight winery equipment with carbon dioxide or nitrogen before its used

Question 11

What 2 types of maturation vessels are used in anaerobic winemaking?

Answer 11

1. Stainless steel

2. Cement lined with epoxy resin

Question 12

What maturation vessel is used in aerobic winemaking?

Answer 12

1. Wood, typically oak

may be watertight, not airtight

Question 13

Name 4 effects of maturing wine in oak.

Answer 13

1. Softens tannins
2. Add complex flavors
3. Fades primary flavors, add tertiary flavors (leather, earth)
4. Changes color (tawny, brown, orange)

Question 14

When the oak vessels are smaller, what is the effect on the wine? Why? What does that mean about aging time?

Answer 14

Greater oxidative effect (barriques) as they present a proportionately larger surface area of wood to the wine.
-Aging time rarely greater than 2 years.

Question 15

What happens if the oak vessel is not completely full? What is the result on the wine? Which types of wines is this technique user for?

Answer 15

Greater oxidative effect.
Pronounced tertiary flavors: caramel, toffee, nuts
Oloroso Sherry, Tawny Port, Rutherglen Muscat

Question 16

What is the name for wines that have had too much exposure to oxygen? What are these wines like?

Answer 16

Oxidized

-Lost fruit flavor, smells stale, vinegar (extreme case)

Question 17

What are the 2 uses of sulfur dioxide in winemaking? What are the 3 downsides?

Answer 17

1. Antioxidant: protects the grape juice from effects of oxidation
2. Antiseptic: can kill unfavorable yeasts and bacteria in the wine

Downsides:

1. Can cause allergic reactions
2. Can be toxic at light levels
3. Wine can seem harsh and lacking fruit at high levels