a Flashcards
Tell me the merit and demerit of three types of irrigations
- drip irrigation
- The most common technique
- Each vine has its own dripper that can be computer controlled to ensure that each vine gets the optimun amount of water.
◎can adjust the amount of water
▲very expensive to install
- sprinkler
- Pump water and shower it over the vines
◎if correctly designed, sprinklers can also be used for frost protection.
▲like rain, they create damp conditions in the vineyard, increasing the risk of rot
- not expensive
- fungus may happen, frost, too much water
- flood irrigation
◎cheap
▲is only possible in vineyards that are flat or very gently sloping and where there is access to large quantities of water
How do you stop the herbaceous flavors?
make them riper = canopy managemet.
- plant on a south facing slope with river
- don’t extract too much
what is the natural factors of Alsace wine?
- cool to moderate continental climate
- The Vosges Mountains shelter the vinyards from the prevailing westerly winds with rain and the lack of clouds results in sunny summers and dry autumns.
- The best vinyards are located on the steepest slopes with east and south east aspects.
- The vinyards lie on the plane has a risk of frost, and lesser quality.
- Alsace has a great variety of soils in the vinyards (that lies on the foothills of the Vosges). This geological complexity is a key factor that contributes to the variety styles of wines produced.
- Many growers face a key logistical challenge at harvest time because they have a number of small plots of vines. (because the varieties ripen at diffent times, the harvest may be spread over quite a long period)
Tell me the palete of best Riesling
- The best are medium- to full bodied, dry with medium alcohol, high acidity and display citrus and stone fruit aromas often with a pronounced stony/steely charactor.
However, many wines are now being made with some residual sugar. As a comparison these wines do not typically show as much floral character as those from Germany.
(German one has more floral aromas)
Palete of GEWURZTRAMINER
- Gewurztraminer is renowned for its pungent aromatic spicy nose, reminiscent of lichees, roses, and sweet baking spices. The skin of the grape has a light pink tinge, (giving a golden color to some of the wines).
- Gewurztraminer tend to be full bodied with a rich oily texture, low to medium acidity and high alcohol: wines of 14% abv are not uncommon.
palate of Pinot Gris
- The best Pinot Gris are rich, full bodied and high in alcohol, but often with more acidity and less aromatoc than Gewurztraminer.
- On the palate, they can be richly texutured and have a pronounced flavor intensity with fresh and dried fruits and a honeyed character.
Muscat
- The best wines come from Muscat a Petits Grains, and are intensely aromatic with flavors of orange blossom, rose and grape.
They tend to have a light to medium body and low to medium acisity.
Unfortunately, Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains is prone to poor fruit set and rot, and so less aromatic. Muscat Ottnel is more widely planted because it can be relied on to crop more regularly.
Natural factors of Bordeaux
- moderate maritime climate that benefits from the effect of the Gulf Stream.
- The vinyards are protected from the worst of the Atlantic storms by the Landes forest and the coastal sand dunes that lie to the west of the region.
- Rainfalls throughout the year
what is the effect from having moderate maritime in bordeaux?
This warming ocean current extends the growing season: spring frosts are rarely a problem and grape ripening can continue well in October.
Explain the impacts of the Atlantic to Bordeaux
And describe how to deal with the impacts
(demerit)
The Atlantic brings high levels of rainfall and humidity.
rainfalls can disrupt flowering and fruit set, promote rot and dilute the flavors in the grapes at harvest.
→ Consequently, vintage variation is an important consideration in Bordeaux although the top producers can greatly reduce the different in style and quality between the vintages by rejecting unhealthy and unripe grapes.
→ It can be very risky to rely too heavily on one variety. The different varieties permitted in Bordeaux flower and ripen at different times, meaning that one bad frost or heavy shower is unlikely to ruin an entire crop.
→ Changes in canopy management techniques have resulted in healthier grapes, a decline in the use of sprays, and a market rise in the levels of sugar and flavor development by harvest time.
what is the soil in Bordeaux and the impact for grape growing?
- High stone/gravel content means the soils here are warm and well drained and can aid the ripening of late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly in the coolest, wettest sites and years.
which grape variety is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux?
The wines are usually blended with a proportion of Merlot, which ripens earlier and gives juicy plum fruits flavors and a smoother texture to the wine.
why blend?
- Enhance complexity
- Blending different grape varieties can add layers of flavour, aroma and texture to the wine, resulting in a more complex and interesting final product. - Provide balance
- Blending allows winemakers to balance the characteristics of different grape varieties.For example, Merlot can provide a soft texture and engaging fruitiness. It is ideal for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, which can bring firmness and aromatic complexity to proceedings. A winemaker can then add a touch of Petit Verdot to provide the blend with greater power, weight and tannins.
3.Maintain consistency
- Blending can help to maintain consistency from one year to the next. Weather conditions often vary from one growing season to the next, affecting the quality and characteristics of grapes. By blending grapes from different vineyards or regions, winemakers can mitigate the impact of these disparities and ensure a consistent flavour profile.
4.Meet market demand
- Blending allows producers to tailor their wines to meet consumer preferences or capitalise upon market trends. For instance, a blend might be created to appeal to a specific target demographic or to deliver a particular style that is popular in a specific market.
How is Vintage Port made?
Back (Answer):
- Harvest – Hand-picked top-quality grapes from Douro Valley
- Ferment – Short fermentation (2–3 days), intense extraction
- Fortify – Add grape spirit (77% abv) to stop fermentation (sweet, ~20% abv)
- Age briefly – 2 years in large oak or tanks (not filtered)
- Bottle & Mature – Bottled young, ages for decades in bottle
Key Traits: Sweet, full-bodied, high tannin & alcohol, ages to complex flavors
What is an autovinifier and how does it work?
Definition: A closed fermentation vessel that uses natural CO₂ pressure to pump juice over the grape cap.
How it works:
• CO₂ from fermentation builds pressure.
• Juice is pushed into a holding tank.
• Pressure releases, juice flows back over the cap.
• This repeats automatically—no mechanical pumps.
Why it’s used:
• Efficient extraction of color and tannin
• Low labor alternative to foot treading
• Common in Port production
