Appellations

Question 1

Languedoc

Answer 1

generic appellation covers all from Spanish border to Nimes.

Question 2

Cotes du Roussillon

Answer 2

mountainous, bright sunlight, low rainfall and particular

Question 3

Grenache

Answer 3

late ripening, needs a lot of heat, warm weather; thin skin, low in tannin, red fruit and spicy flavour; high tolerance for drought

Question 4

Pinot Gris

Answer 4

early budding, early ripening; in warm region or when left on the view it can accumulate high level of sugar but lose much acidity.

Question 5

Pinot Grigio

Answer 5

Alsace - dry or off dry; oily texture, ripe tropical fruit flavors, and a hint of ginger and honey. deep golden color.
New

Question 6

Alsace

Answer 6

100% must be from the named variety.
Reserve personnelle and Cuvee are NOT legal status.
Blends tend to be inexpensive. Most grape varieties are aromatic. - large old oak barrels for traditional maker ( 100 years with thick tartrate deposit which prevent the wood from having any influence on the wine. MLF is normally NOT encouraged
Pinot Noir is the only black variety permitted in Alsace
Pinot blanc - non-aromatic, light simple and refreshing.

Question 7

Vendanges Tardives

Answer 7

“Late Harvest” The wine can only be made from one of the four noble varieties - Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. Must have a specific minimum sugar ripeness depending on grape variety. Passerillage and nob rot.
can be dry to medium sweet

Question 8

Selected De Grains Nobles (SGN)

Answer 8

can only be made from one of the four noble varieties and must have a specific ripeness levels. Minimum sugar ripeness levels are higher than those for VT, usually achieved with noble rot. Not produced every year and only in small quantities.
always sweet

Question 9

Riesling - Alsace

Answer 9

medium to full body, dry with medium alcohol, high acidity and display citrus and stone fruits, often with a pronounced stony/steely character. Now many wines are made with residual sugar. In comparison - do not show as much floral character as those from Germany .

Question 10

Pinot Gris - Alsace

Answer 10

rich, full body and high in alcohol, more acidity than gewürztraminer. Similar color but less aromatic than gewurztraminer. Rich textured and pronounced flavour intensity with fresh and dried stone and tropical fruits. Honey

Question 11

Gewurztraminer - Alsace

Answer 11

pungent aromatic spicy notes. Lychee, rose and sweet baking spice. Skin 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.

Question 12

Muscat - Alsace

Answer 12

Muscat Blanc a pitits Grains. Intensely aromatic with flavours of orange blossom, rose and grape. Light to medium body, low to medium acidity.

Question 13

Grenache

Answer 13

Thin skin - lower in tannin
Sugary - high alcohol, full body
Low acidity
Primary : red fruits (red plum, red cherry, strawberry). white pepper
with age: caramel, dried fruits, hazelnut

Question 14

Cabernet Sauvignon

Answer 14

thick skin - a lot color, falvour, tannin
late ripening, need warm weather. If not fully ripen, can have astringent tannins and herbaceous flavours
Haut-Mecoc: grippy tannin when young, cedar, blackcurrant leaf.

Question 15

Cabernet Sauvignon

Answer 15

Haut-Medoc: usually blend with Merlot to provide juicy plum fruit and smoother texture. South France, Italy (blend with Sangiovese) and Spain ( blend with Tempranillo)
Napa Valley, Australia (Coonawarra and Margaret river), New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay; South Africa - Stellenbosch; Chile- Colchagua Valley, very ripe black fruit, herbaceous characters.
in new world, warmer weather and long hours of bright sunlight gives full bodied, ripe blackcurrant and black cherry and smooth tannins.

Question 16

Cabernet Sauvignon

Answer 16

Wine making:
destemmed and crushed
cold - soaking - maximise the extraction of colour from the thick grape skins by leaving the grapes to macerate before fermentation begins.
fermentation at 26 - 30 degree, High temperatures and extractive cap management is avoided towards the end of fermentation because the grape has high levels of tannin.
post-fermentation maceration may be used to gently extraction of tannin and soften existing tannins.
New oak may be used because of high tannins, intense flavours, medium to full body. French oak, small barrel is widely used. Typically oak age for 12-18 months
Typically blended with Shiraz in AUSTRALIA

Question 17

Merlot

Answer 17

Buds and ripen earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon.
International style - harvest as late as possible to maximise the level of purple color, concentrated blackberry and plum fruit, and soft, velvet-textured tannins. Matured in new oak to add toasty flavours.

Bordeaux style - harvest early, medium body and alcohol, but higher acidity and more fresh red fruit and some vegetal, leafy aromas.

12-18 months oak is common to add toast, vanilla and clove notes.

Question 18

Pinot Noir

Answer 18

early budding, early ripening - cool to moderate cliamte
thin skin - Important to maximise extraction of color and tannin without overworking the juice.
light and fruity with red cherry notes,
earthy with spice and forest floor flavour

Question 19

Pinot Noir

Answer 19

Burgundy 
Cote d'Or
Baden - Germany 
CA - Los Carneros and Sonoma
New Zealand - Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago
Australia - Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania 
South Africa - Walker Bay
Chile - Casablanca Valley

Question 20

Pinot Noir

Answer 20

Wine making
1. destem and crushed, pre-fermentation maceration to maximise color and flavour extraction from the skin.
2. whole bunch fermentation is increasingly popular - enhance red fruit and floral characters
- whole bunch are gradually crushed by a series of punch down operations and fermentation continues on the skins once the grapes have been broken up.
common for temperature rise to above 30C. cooler ferments may be used for lighter, fresher styles but warm temperature enable more colour, flavour and tannin to be extracted from the skin.
Post fermentation maceration is not widely used.
12-24 month oak barrel is commonly used but new oak can be overpowering. Many wine makers use second and third fill barrels and only a small proportion of new barrels
bottle age - forest floor and mushroom.

Question 21

Chile

Answer 21

warm Mediterranean, dry sunny growing season.
cold Humboldt current, fog in the vineyard close to the coast.
Vineyard in the foothill of the Andes, another cooling effect caused by cold air descends from the mountains overnight and cause large diurnal range

Question 22

Chile - black varieties

Answer 22

Cabernet Sauvignon - very ripe black fruit and herbaceous notes;
Merlot - medium body and fruity, inexpensive
Carmenere - late ripening, most successful in the warmest and sunniest sites. Full bodied, high levels of tannin. -Chile’s signature wine. overtly herbaceous if not fully ripen.
Syrah - cooler coastal or northern regions, lighter in body with peppery notes (Elqui Valley); Colchagua Valley - intensity of black fruit flavours and fuller body
Pinot Noir - cooler regions (San Antonio and Casablanca Valley)

Question 23

Chile - White varieties

Answer 23

Sauvignon Blanc - cooler sites (Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys) high acidity and intense fruity - ripe apple, citrus and tropical fruits, herbaceous notes. Some may have lees stirring and oak
Chardonnay - modern international style (ripe fruit, oak) Limari Valley, Aconcagua Valley, Casablanca Valley
Muscat - Alexandria (Pisco brandy)

Question 24

Cinsault

Answer 24

high acidity, like Grenache, perfumed

Question 25

Carignan

Answer 25

Maule, high acidity, high tannin

Question 26

Coquimbo
brilliant sunshine
cooling influence of sea breezes and mountain air, vineyards at high altitudes.
Lack of water

Answer 26

Elqui Valley - sauvignon blanc and syrah

Limari Valley - Chardonnay

Question 27

Aconcagua Region

Answer 27

Aconcagua Valley - steep slope, cooling effect from the ocean and the Mountains. classic red - cabernet sauvignon, Syrah, Carmenere
rich ripe fruit flavor
Casablanca Valley - Syrah (warm vineyards, well structured, peppery), Pinot Noir (red berry fruit and herbal notes)
San Antonio Valley - Sauvignon blanc, Leyda Valley; Chardonnay

Question 28

Central Valley
south from Santiago - capital to Itata Valley
warm flat region

Answer 28

Maipo Valley - surrounded by mountains, very little costal influence. premium sites located at the Andean foothills, cooled by the descending mountain air.
Minty Cabernet Sauvignon
Rapel Valley - Calchapoal and Cochagua Valley
Curico Valley
Maule Valley