Aromatised Wines Flashcards
The long history of using aromatized wines for drinking or cocktail production is the focus of this deck, which looks at the various styles within this category. (90 cards)
1
Q
What is Americano?
A
An Aromatized Wine that must be made using wormwood and gentian - can be yellow or red.
2
Q
An aromatized wine from Bordeaux, France?
A
Lillet
3
Q
Aromatized wine made with quinine?
A
Quinquina Wine
4
Q
Aromatized Wine sweetness level: Extra Dry?
A
Less than 30 g/L.
5
Q
Aromatized Wine sweetness level: Semi-Dry?
A
Ranges from 50 g/L to less than 90 g/L.
6
Q
Aromatized Wine sweetness level: Semi-sweet?
A
Ranges from 90 g/L to less than 130 g/L.
7
Q
Aromatized Wine sweetness level: Sweet?
A
130 g/L or more
8
Q
Aromatized Wine sweetness level: Dry?
A
Less than 50 g/L.
9
Q
Aromatized Wines are referred to legally in the US as?
A
Aperitif Wines
10
Q
Base for Vermouth made in Jerez, Spain?
A
Sherry, since Jerez is the home of Sherry wines.
11
Q
Benefits of using neutral alcohol to fortify wines?
A
Does not add any flavor or textures, and does not dilute the product’s flavor as less volume is needed.
12
Q
What is Blanco/Bianco Vermouth?
A
Type of white Vermouth in Italy with a sweeter style.
13
Q
What is Bonal?
A
Quinine-based Aromatized Wine from France that includes gentian and has a bracing bitterness.
14
Q
What is Byrrh?
A
Quinine-based Aromatized Wine from France that uses a rich red mistelle with sweet spices and citrus.
15
Q
Can artificial sweeteners be used to sweeten aromatized wines?
A
No
16
Q
The character of Gentian?
A
Damp-leaf, earthy, and vegetal aromas>
17
Q
The character of Quinine?
A
Not too aromatic, but it is spicy and drying.
18
Q
The character of Wormwood?
A
Distinctive herbaceous aroma and bitter taste.
19
Q
Characteristics of Vermouth?
A
- Fortified and aromatized wine
- Taste comes from wormwood
20
Q
Characteristics of Americano?
A
Flavors from gentian and wormwood, colored yellow or red.
21
Q
Characteristics of Bitter Aromatized Wines?
A
Fortified and Aromatized, with a distinctive bitter flavor - plus other certain attributes per style.
22
Q
Characteristics of Bitter Vino?
A
Main flavoring with gentian, colored either red or yellow.
23
Q
Describe Cocchi Americano Rosa:
A
Americano Aromatized Wine from northwest Italy made using a red wine base.
24
Q
Definition of Vermouth in the US:
A
An Aperitif Wine that has the taste, aroma, and attributes of Vermouth.
25
What is **Fortification**?
The process of adding **neutral alcohol spirit** to a grape juice either before or during fermentation in order to keep **natural** **sugars** from fermenting.
26
How can **botanicals** be used in the production of **aromatized wines**?
Either by **macerating** directly in the wine or by using the botanicals to make a flavored spirit that is then **blended** with the wine.
27
How does a producer make the **final** aromatized wine?
By **blending** the wine with flavored spirits and then fortifying with distilled alcohol.
28
How many **styles** of **Lillet** are there?
**Three**: **White**, **Rosé**, and **Red** - each made from the respective style of wine.
29
In winemaking, when does **fermentation** stop?
When the **yeast** consumes **all** of the **sugar** in the juice - both for red and white wine.
30
**Legal** alcohol content of Aromatized Wines in the **EU**?
**14.5%** to **22% abv**
31
The main ingredient of **Quinquina** and **Chinato** wines?
**Quinine**
32
**The minimum** alcohol content of Aperitif Wines in the **US**?
**15% abv**
33
What is **Mistelle**?
The product created by the **addition** of alcohol to **unfermented** grape juice.
34
What is **Noilly Prat**?
**French vermouth** made near the Mediterranean using a **blend** of **oxidatively aged dry white wines** and **mistelles**.
35
**The principal role** of fortifying Artomatized Wines?
To help keep the wines **stable**.
36
**Quinine** is derived from?
The bark of the **cinchona tree.**
37
**Quinquina Wine** flavoring?
**Quinine**
38
Required ingredient for all **Vermouth**?
**Wormwood**
39
The product created by the **addition** of alcohol to **unfermented** grape juice?
**Mistelle**
40
The process of **adding** a **neutral alcohol spirit** to an unfermented or partially fermented grape-must?
**Fortification**
41
The two **broad styles** of Aromatized Wines found in the **EU**?
1. Wines that have been **Flavored only**
2. Wines that have been **Flavored** and **Fortified**
42
The **type** of **base wine** used for many aromatized wines?
**White wines** with low aroma intensity.
43
**Three** types of **Bitter Aromatized Wines**:
1. **Quinquina Wine**
2. **Bitter Vino**
3. **Americano**
44
**Today**, what is aromatized wine primarily used for?
By bartenders for the addition to cocktails of **flavor**, as well as sometimes **color**, **bitterness**, and **sweetness**
45
# **True / False:**
Aromatized wines are rarely truly dry
**True**
## Footnote
*They almost always come in a range of sweetness levels but generally do contain some sweetness.*
46
# **True / False:**
Many aromatized wines are colored with **caramel coloring.**
**True**
## Footnote
*Many red vermouths are made with caramel coloring and a white base wine.*
47
# **True / False:**
Nearly all aromatized wines are **sweetened**.
**True**
## Footnote
*Even dry vermouth is sweetened to a certain degree.*
48
# **True / False:**
Producers of Aromatized Wines are **required** to use neutral spirit for **fortification**.
**False** - for both the US and the EU.
49
# **True / False:**
Red wines are pressed off the skins prior to fermentation.
**False**
## Footnote
*Red wines are generally pressed **after** fermentation so that the juice has time to extract as much color and flavor from the skins.*
50
# **True / False:**
**White** grapes are pressed immediately after picking in order to keep the skins from coming in contact with the juice.
**True**
## Footnote
*Skin contact for whites is generally not desired as the skins have compounds that can discolor or add tannin, which can affect the delicate nuances of the white wine.*
51
Type of base wine used for **Vermouth di Torino**?
**Moscato**
52
Type of vessel **commonly** used for the **maturation** of base wines?
**Old oak vessels** of various sizes.
53
Typical style of Aromatized Wine used by **bartenders**?
**Fortified** and **Flavored**
54
What is **Vermouth de Chambéry**?
**Vermouth** made using a less aromatic white wine known for having a **fruity**, **floral** aroma from the botanical ingredients.
55
What are the **two** most obvious **factors** affecting the **style** of aromatized wines?
* **Choice of the base wine**
* **Botanical recipe**
56
What are two simple ways to **sweeten** a wine?
* Using the natural sweetness in the grape juice and either **stopping fermentation** before it is complete or **not letting it happen** at all
* In either case, a neutral alcohol spirit may be added to the juice to halt the yeast activity
57
What can a white wine **provide** in the production of aromatized wine?
Two things:
1. Essentially a **blank canvas** to showcase the **botanicals** used for flavoring, although some wines do have a natural fruitiness that needs to be accounted for in the final blend
2. **Acidity** - used to balance the sweetness
58
What can be done to help **maintain freshness** in an **opened** bottle of aromatized wine?
**Put in the refrigerator** in order to slow deterioration.
59
What can be done with a tincture or distillate to **increase complexity** in the product?
**Age the tincture** or **distillate** to increase flavors and/or texture.
60
What can **brown** or **caramelized** sugars add to an Aromatized Wine?
Can add...
* **flavor**
* **sweetness**
* as well as supporting **bitterness**
61
What can happen to sweetened wines **without** fortification?
The presence of sugar can cause **fermentation** to occur in the bottle. ABV over 15% typically helps prevent this.
62
What can **impact** the level of **perceived** bitterness or aroma a core botanical may have in an Aromatized Wine?
* **Sugar Level**
* **Amount** of the core botanical used
* **Other** botanical ingredients
63
What do **Quinquina** / **Chinato** style wines from France often include?
**Mistelle** as part of the base wine, and as such these can be very individualistic in style and branding.
64
What does **macerating** botanicals in wine accomplish?
The **infusion** of **flavors** and sometimes **color** into the wine.
65
What does the addition of **Mistelle** to an Aromatized Wine do?
Contributes **sweetness** as well as **grape** aromas/flavors.
66
What does the addition of **white sugar** generally add to an Aromatized Wine?
Sweetness **only**.
67
What happens with most aromatized wines **after** blending of ingredients?
They are allowed to **rest in inert vessels** - for a few weeks or longer, depending on the style and producer - some can rest for years, in fact.
68
What is **Mistelle** used for?
The production of some **aromatized wines in France** (often for sweetness).
69
What is often the case with many **recipes** for beverages flavored with botanicals?
The recipes can be **complex** and often kept a **secret**.
70
What is **optional** for Aromatized Wines in the EU?
* Adding **color**
* Adding **sweetness**
* **Fortification**
71
What is the brand **Byrrh** aged in, why, and for how long?
Large oak vessels called ***Foudres***, to **develop complexity**, for **several years**.
72
What is used to color many **Americanos**?
**Vivid red** coloring.
73
What may the winemaker choose to store the wines in **after fermentation**?
Typically either **oak** vessels or **stainless steel** tanks.
74
What style of base wine do **Moscato** grapes offer?
Notably **floral** and **fruity** wines.
75
What three countries are the **historical heartland** of aromatized wines?
* North-west **Italy** \>
* Alpine and Mediterranean **France** \>
* North-east **Spain**
76
What type of product is used for the **fortification** of aromatized wines?
Typically **neutral alcohol** is used.
77
What was the addition of botanicals to wine **originally** used or intended for?
Drinks to be enjoyed **in their own right**.
78
What would **no addition** of sugar to an Aromatized wine achieve?
An almost **undrinkable** beverage due to too much **bitterness**.
79
**When** should a bottle of aromatized wine be **consumed**?
Within about **two weeks** of opening - it is similar to regular wine despite having a higher alcohol content.
80
Where are aromatized wines made, **today**?
**Around the world** by a growing number of enthusiastic producers.
81
Where does **balance** come from in an Aromatized Wine?
Balance is achieved through...
* the amount of **sweetness** working against the **bitter** components of the botanicals
* a producer will work to make these elements work in harmony
82
Where does **Chinato** often originate?
**Italy**, made from **Barolo** wine in Piedmont - ***Barolo Chinato****.*
83
Where does **Lillet** originate?
**Bordeaux** region of France.
84
Which are **sweeter** - **red** or **white** vermouths?
**Red Vermouth** is almost always more heavily sweetened.
85
Why are Aromatized Wines sometimes referred to as **Aperitifs**?
There is a **bitter** element in many that make them **refreshing** and a **palate cleanser** - perfect to have before a meal.
86
Why are oak flavors **not desired** in the production of Aromatized Wines?
They could easily **cover** or **overwhelm** delicate botanical aromas and flavors.
87
**Why** are **old** **oak vessels** commonly used for the maturation of base wines?
They allow for the **interplay of oxygen** with the wine, while **not adding** new oak flavors.
88
Why are **tinctures** utilized by smaller producers?
Because they do not incur the **added cost** of a still.
89
In the EU, what **color** can **Americano** be?
**Yellow** or **Red**
90
In the EU, what must **Vermouth** be **flavored** with?
**Wormwood**
