Bordeaux - Red Winemaking

Question 1

SORTING - who does not tend to sort grapes?

Answer 1

• top estates in the best vintages owing to uniformity of high quality fruit
• producers of inexpensive wines
• winemakers with grapes that may have been damaged in transit from the vineyard

Question 2

SORTING - Makers of expensive wines tend to sort where?

Answer 2

• In the vineyard when handharvesting or on a vibrating conveyor belt
• At the winery using manual or optical sorting

Question 3

SORTING - What is optical sorting?

Answer 3

Expensive high tech sorting which uses digital imaging and reference samples provided from the sorting batch to analyse and reject any MOG or grapes which are not within the same range of quality as the sample

Question 4

How and why do high quality producers treat plots differently?

Answer 4

• plots may be harvested at different times in pursuit of optimum ripeness
• different plots harvests may be sorted and stored separately in small vessels
• some producers believe different plots may require differences in fermentation times and so treat each differently

Question 5

What extraction method is used in red wine making here?

Answer 5

typically pump overs in a closed vessel (wood, concrete or steel) with temperature control

Question 6

What yeasts are typically used?

Answer 6

Cultured yeasts as they are reliable and is a stable element here where vintage variation is the norm

Question 7

How might an inexpensive wine and expensive wine differ in their fermentation choices?

Answer 7

• inexpensive made for early drinking so mid - temperature (17-25oC) fermentation and little post maceration contact (5-7 days)
• expensive made for ageing so more tannins, color and flavor intensity needed. Higher fermentation temps (mid to high : 17-32oC) and long 14-30 days skin contact

Question 8

What happens after post fermentation racking in red wines?

Answer 8

-pressing in a pneumatic or gentler vertical or hydraulic presses

Question 9

What does press wine add to the free run wine?

Answer 9

-additional structure and tannin

Question 10

What do some vintners claim is the advantage of MLF in wood instead of stainless steel?

Answer 10

Better integration of wood into the final wine

Question 11

When would a winemaker inoculate to hasten the onset of MLF in red Bordeauxs?

Answer 11

-if there is an en primeur tasting set for the Spring following harvest

Question 12

What else can be done in the cellar to encourage efficient MLF?

Answer 12

heat the cellar

Question 13

Maturation in simple and high quality wines differ how?

Answer 13

• simple wines are matured in neutral vessels (4-6mnths)
• high quality wines are matured in 225L barriques of new 3 year old oak for 14-24 months (the most prestigious may use 100% new oak but this is on the decline)

Question 14

Which reds need longer maturation in the barrel?

Answer 14

-high tannin and or wines of high concentration

Question 15

How often are wines racked during maturation period?

Answer 15

once every 3 months

Question 16

If racking is used for oxygenation during maturation, what is an alternative way of introducing oxygen

Answer 16

Micro-oxygenation which is cheaper than barrel maturation and usually happens in stainless steel

Question 17

What is the role of oxygenation during maturation in red bordeauxs?

Answer 17

• softens tannins
• converts primaries to tertiaries and therefore adds complexity
• removes unripe herbaceous flavors
• stabilises color
• integrates oak chip/stave flavors in the wine

Question 18

Is micro oxygenations restricted to inexpensive wines?

Answer 18

-once only inexpensive and mid priced used it but now premium and super premium winemakers are adopting it

Question 19

In which circumstances does early blending (winter months) occur?

Answer 19

-in reds subject to en primeur barrel tastings the Spring after harvest