Black Grape Profiles

Question 1

Pinot Noir

• climate
• appearance
• nose and palate (under various climates)
• structure
• winemaking techniques

Answer 1

• Climate: cool or moderate
• Appearance: usually light color due to thin skinned grapes
• Nose and Palate:
  
  • Too cool: excessive vegetal (cabbage, wet leaves)
  • Cool to moderate: red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, cherry), vegetal (wet leaves, mushrooms, game and meat)
  • Hot: excessively jammy, loses delicate flavors.
• Structure: low tannins, dry, high acidity
• Winemaking Techniques: usually oak aged; most are best consumed when young and fruity

Question 2

Cabernet Sauvignon

• Climate
• appearance
• nose and palate (by climate)
• structure
• winemaking techniques

Answer 2

• Climate: moderate or hot
• Appearance: deep color
• Nose and Palate: pronounced aromas
  
  • Moderate climate: black fruit (blackcurrant, black cherry), herbaceous
  • Hot climate: black fruit (blackcurrant, black cherry, blackberry)
• Structure: high tannins, high acidity
• Winemaking Techniques: excellent for ageing in oak (toast, vanilla, smoke, coffee, cedar); often blended with Merlot, Shiraz, and local varieties to add colour, acidity, tannin and fruitiness

Question 3

Merlot

• climate
• appearance
• nose and palate (by climate)
• structure
• winemaking techniques

Answer 3

• Climate: moderate or hot
• Appearance: ruby, with a medium-to-high intensity of colour
• Nose and Palate: less aromatic and intense than Cabernet Sauvignon
  
  • Moderate climate: red fruit (strawberry, red cherry, red plum), herbal (mint), aging releases cedar and tobacco
  • Hot climates: black fruit (black cherries, blackberry, black plum), fruitcake, chocolate
• Structure: medium acidity, medium tannins, medium-to-high body and alcohol; more body and alcohol than Cabernet Sauvignon
• Winemaking Techniques: oak ageing (toast, vanilla, spices, coffee); often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to add softness and body

Question 4

Syrah

• Climate
• appearance
• nose and palate (under various climates)
• structure
• winemaking techniques

Answer 4

Syrah

• Climate: moderate or hot
• Appearance: deep colour due to thick skins
• Nose and Palate:
  
  • moderate climate: black fruit (blackberry, herbs), smoked meat, spice
  • hot climate: produces blackberry, dark chocolate, and sweet spice (liquorice); oak ageing adds leather and vegetal (wet leaves) notes
• Structure: medium acidity, medium-to-high tannins, full bodied
• Winemaking Techniques: oak is often used for ageing (toast, smoke, vanilla, and coconut); Grenache is often added to increase alcohol, lower tannins and acidity, and add fruit

Question 5

Grenache

• climate
• appearance
• nose and palate
• structure
  
  • body
  • alcohol
  • acidity
• winemaking techniques
  
  • kind of wine often used to produce?
  • Best consumed young or old?
  • Is oak typically used?
  • Often blended with what grape to add what?

Answer 5

• Climate: hot
• Appearance: large with thin skins, lighter in color than Syrah
• Nose and Palate: hot climate (strawberry, raspberry, white pepper, liquorice); ageing (leather, toffee)
• Structure: full-bodied, high alcohol, low acidity
• Winemaking Techniques: used for production of rose wines; best consumed young; oak rarely used; Syrah often added to boost colour, tannin and acidity

Question 6

Aglianico

• notable regions
• appearance - Depth of color?
• nose and palate - Aromas and intensity level?
• structure
  
  • acidity
  • tannin
  • body

Answer 6

• Notable Regions: Southern Italy (Campania and Basilicata), Taurasi DOCG (Compania) is 100% Aglianico
• Appearance: deep color
• Nose and Palate: intense floral and balck fruit aromas
• Structure: high acidity, high tannin, full bodied, complex

Question 7

Barbera

• Notable region
• appearance
  
  • Color and intensity level
• nose and palate - aromas/ flavors
• structure
  
  • acidity
  • tannins
  • body
• winemaking techniques
  
  • oak aged?

Answer 7

• Notable Region: Piemonte
• Appearance: medium purple
• Nose and Palate: red cherry and black pepper
• Structure: high acidity, light to medium tannins, medium bodied
• Winemaking Techniques: often oak aged (toast, vanilla, sweet spice)

Question 8

Carmenere

• climate
• regions
• appearance - intensity of color
• nose and palate
  
  • aromas
  • what is displayed when under-ripe?
• structure
  
  • body
  • acidity
  • alcohol
  • tannin
• winemaking techniques
  
  • often blended with what varietals

Answer 8

• Climate: warm, sunny
• Noteable Region: Chile (Aconcagua and Central Valley), Bordeaux variety
• Appearance: deep colour
• Structure: medium to full bodied, medium to high acidity, medium to high alcohol, high tannins
• Nose and Palate: black fruit (blackberry), spice (pepper), when underripe produces notes of green bell pepper and green beans
• Winemaking Techniques: often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Question 9

Gamay

• region
• climate
• appearance - color and intensity level
• nose and palate - aromas and intensity level
• structure
  
  • tannin
  • acidity
  • body
• winemaking techniques
  
  • best consumed when?
  • oaked or un-oaked?

Answer 9

• Region of Note and Climate: Beaujolais; moderate climate
• Appearance: pale ruby
• Nose and Palate: pronounce red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, cherry), spice (cinnamon)
• Structure: low tannin, medium to high acidity, light to medium body
• Winemaking Techniques: best consumed young; usually unoaked

Question 10

Malbec

• regions - origin and introduced into where
• appearance - color and intensity level
• nose and palate - aromas
• structure
  
  • body
  • tannin
• winemaking techniques
  
  • oak or no oak
  • often blended with which varietals

Answer 10

• Noteable Region: Bordeaux variety introduced to Mendoza
• Appearance: deep ruby
• Nose and Palate: black fruit (blackberry, black plum), spice (clove, pepper)
• Structure: full bodied, medium to high tannin
• Winemaking Techniques: suitable for oak ageing; often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Question 11

Montepulciano

• region
• appearance - color and intensity levele
• nose and palate - aromas
• structure
  
  • acidity
  • tannin
  • alcohol
  • body
• winemaking techniques
  
  • Oaked?

Answer 11

• Region: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC (Montepulciano grape)
• Appearance: deep colour
• Nose and Palate: red and black fruits (black cherry, blackberry, plum), spice
• Structure: high acidity, medium to high tannins, medium to high alcohol, medium to full bodied
• Winemaking Techniques: oak aged

Question 12

Nebbiolo

• regions
• appearance - color
• nose and palate - aromas young and mature
• structure
  
  • acidity
  • tannin
  • alcohol
  • body
• winemaking techniques
  
  • usually a varietal or blend
  • suitable for bottle or oak ageing?

Answer 12

• Notable Regions: Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG (Piemonte)
• Appearance: ruby to garnet
• Nose and Palate: red fruit (plum), floral and earthy; maturity (tobacco, mushrooms, tar)
• Structure: high acidity, high tannins, high alcohol, full bodied
• Winemaking Techniques: single varietal, bottle ageing, neutral barrel

Question 13

Pinotage

• region
• climate
• appearance - color and intensity
• nose and palate - aromas
• structure
  
  • body
  • tannin
• winemaking techniques - oak or no oak

Answer 13

• Primary Region and Climate: S. Africa; moderate or hot
• Appearance: medium purple
• Nose and Palate: red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, cherry), vegetal, animal (tar, leather)
• Structure: full-bodied, medium tannins
• Winemaking Techniques: oak often used

Question 14

Sangiovese

• region
• appearance - color and intensity level
• nose and palate - aromas
• structure
  
  • tannin
  • acidity
  • body
• winemaking techniques
  
  • oaked?
  • blended?
  • which type is considered premium?
  • which is always 100% Sangiovese

Answer 14

• Primary Region: Chianti (Central Tuscany);
• Appearance: pale ruby
• Nose and Palate: red fruits (plum, red cherry), earth, herbal (green tea), spice
• Structure: high tannins, high acidity, medium to full body
• Winemaking Techniques: long oak ageing; small portion of other varieties can be added; usually inexpensive, but Chianti Classico DOCG is premium; Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is 100% Sangiovese

Question 15

Tempranillo

• regions
• climate
• appearance - color and intensity level
• nose and palate (by region) - aromas when young and old
  
  • Ribera del Duero DO
  • Catalunya DO
• structure
  
  • acidity
  • body
  • tannin
• winemaking techniques
  
  • oak or no oak?
  • a blending grape or a single varietal

Answer 15

• Regions and Climate: Moderate climate; Rioja DOCa, Ribera del Duero DO, and Catalunya
• Appearance: medium ruby
• Nose and Palate: red fruit (strawberry, plum), but with maturity includes meat, leather, and mushrooms;
  
  • Ribera del Duero DO: premium wines, blackfruit (blackberry, plum, oaked)
  • Catalunya DO: qualtiy, a range of styles blending Tempranillo, Garnacha, and others
• Structure: medium acidity, medium to full bodied, medium tannins
• Winemaking Techniques: aged in oak (softens tannins, sweet coconut, vanilla); often blended with Garnacha, supplying alcohol, spiciness, and lighter tannins

Question 16

Zinfandel (Primitivo in Italy)

• regions
• appearance - color and intensity
• nose and palate - aromas
• structure
  
  • alcohol
  • body
• winemaking techniques
  
  • how do the most intense wines come about?
  • what type of wine is much of the grape used for?

Answer 16

• Notable Region: California & Italy
• Appearance: deep ruby to deep purple
• Nose and Palate: black fruit (blackberry), dried fruit (prune, raisins), sweet spices (cloves, liquorice)
• Structure: rich, high in alcohol, full bodied,
• Winemaking Techniques: most intense wines are from old vines; much is used for off-dry, fruity roses (white zin)