C8 - White And Sweet Winemaking (reviewed) Flashcards

1
Q

What considerations need to be made when making white wine?

A
  • Skin contact - little time to reduce risk of oxidation
  • Clarity of the juice
  • Fermentation temperature and vessel
  • Post-fermentation and maturation options
  • Blending
  • Clarification and stabilisation
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2
Q

What happens in white winemaking once the grapes arrive at the winery and are sorted?

A
  • The grapes are crushed
  • Free run juice is separated off
  • Remaining grape mass is sent to the press
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3
Q

Discuss skin contact choices

A

Most of the time, there is little contact to reduce risk of oxidation

Crushed grapes: Grapes are crushed, free run juice is separated off, remaining grap mass is sent to the press

Use of whole bunches: To further limit the contact between skins and juice, whole bunches of uncrushed grapes is loaded in the press

  • The process is gentle
  • It reduces the risk of oxidation
  • It can lead to wines with more purity and delicacy

However, winemaker can leave juice in contact with skins for a short time to increase flavour intensity and texture.

  • It happens at a sufficiently cool temperature to inhibit fermentation
  • It happens for only a few hours
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4
Q

Discuss clarification of the pressed juice

A
  • Untreated, the juice contains fragments of cells from the skin and pulp which can result in unpleasant aromas forming and fermentation can stop prematurely
  • Juice need to be clarified before fermentation using the same techniques as employed for pre-bottling fining (settling, centrifugation, fining and filtration)
  • A winemaker may want to keep some of the particles left after pressing as it is thought to make the wine less susceptible to oxidation and to add complexity and richer texture
  • Wines that are intended to show pure varietal character are rarely fermented with particles because of the risk of off-flavours forming
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5
Q

Discuss fermentation temperature of white wine

A

Optimal temperature range: 12 - 22C

Fermenting at too low temp:

  • Creates pear-drop aromas
  • Fails to capture varietal fruit aromas

Fermenting at higher temp:

  • Encourages more complex, non-fruit aromas to develop
  • Varietal fruit characteristics can be lost

Vessels:

  • Stainless steel is often used as temperature can usually be easily controlled
  • Barrel - Can still be fermented at optimum temperatures in barrels (although at the higher end of the scale) - usually small barrels housed in cool cellars, so they can dissipate their heat easily
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6
Q

What are the three main decision a white winemaker may be faced with directly after fermentation?

A
  • Maturation in vessel (oak, or store in inert vessels, with or without oaks staves/chips)
  • Allow or block MLF
  • Use fine lees for texture and flavour
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7
Q

What are the main reasons why a white winemaker may blend their wine?

A
  • Improve consistency - blending focus of wines are based on primary fruit flavours
  • Enhance the balance - blending focus for winemakers working with non-aromatic varieties
  • Create a certain style - blending can help achieve complexity by using varying amounts of lees contact, MLF and oak treatment on different batches of wine and blending them for complexity
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8
Q

Describe Clarification and stabilisation

A
  • Most wines undergo some form of fining or/and filtration to improve clarity and stability
  • Clarity is more important in white wine than red because their relative paleness makes haze or sediment more apparent
  • Wines with residual sugar are at risk of microbiological infection so the winemaker may chose to sterile filter the wine to remove any yeast or bacteria that may be present
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9
Q

Describe production of high-volume, inexpensive white wines

A

For consumer point of view they present excellent value: easy drinking, from a trusted source, reasonable price

Blending:

  • Some are made from a single variety and state the name of the variety on the label however it can be easier to create high volumes with blends.

Grape variety:

  • Usually using neutral varieties, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
  • Their restrained varietal character means their wines appeal to a wide range of consumers
  • They are both easy to ripen, especially in warm climates
  • In the hotter regions, the grapes can have insufficient acidity, so these needs to be corrected at the winery
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10
Q

Describe the styles of bulk, inexpensive Chardonnay

A
  • Unoaked: with pure fruity flavours of melon and peach
  • Oaked: showing vanilla and toast
  • Both styles may contain some residual sugar
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11
Q

Describe the style of bulk, inexpensive Pinot Grigio

A
  • Unoaked
  • Light pear-drop aromas/flavours
  • Medium acidity
  • Light body
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12
Q

Discuss Sauvignon Blanc for high-volume, inexpensive white wines making.

A
  • Very popular gape so sometimes used to make high volume-inexpensive wines
  • But will rarely be at lowest price points
  • It’s vigorous, leading to high yields
  • But it can be dominated by herbaceous flavours when underripe
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13
Q

What happens to white grapes at the winery for production of inexpensive, high-volume wines?

A

Skim contact and clarification of the juice :

  • Careful handling is important because they are based on primary fruit flavours, which can be lost if oxidised
  • Therefore wines are handled protectively and SO2 levels are monitored throughout
  • They’re destemmed, crushed and pressed

Acidification

  • is the most important adjustment made to these types of wine
  • Chardonnay is usually in most need for acidification as it can be particularly flat and flabby

Clarification:

  • Wines will be clarified to ensure fruity flavours are retained
  • Centrifugation or filtration is usually the choices for clarifying the wines as using gravity may be too slow, tying up valuable tank space for too long

Fermentation:

  • Usually done in Stainless steel.
  • Fermentation will be kept at low temperatures to retain primary fruit characteristics
  • Commercial yeasts are used for a quick, reliable fermentation

Post fermentation

  • Usually MLF will be prevented to retain acidity and fruity aromas; chilling the wine and adding SO2 Racking the wine off immediately after fermentation and storing temporarily in another inert vessel
  • Chardonnays may undergo MLF is want to create a soft, buttery style
  • Toasty flavour if any, will come from use of oak chips or staves in a stainless steel vessel - barrel is too expensive and too slow
  • Sweetness levels will be precisely controlled by adding under melted grape juice or RCGM after fermentation
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14
Q

What is the appearance expectation of bulk wine consumers? How is this achieved?

A
  • That they are clear, bright and without sediment
  • They are stabilised, fined and sterile-filtered
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15
Q

How will bulk white wines be treated prior to bottling?

A

With SO2

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16
Q

What is the main focus of the premium white winemaker?

A

To make high-quality wine, often at the expense of volume

The best winemakers will adapt the techniques according to

  • Vintage conditions
  • Vineyard plot
  • Style of wine they want to make
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17
Q

What are aromatic grape varieties?

A

Wines made from these varieties have pronounced aromas and flavours

  1. Sauvignon Blanc
  2. Riesling
  3. Muscat
  4. Gewurztraminer
  5. Torrontés
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18
Q

What is the role of a winemaker using aromatic grape varieties?

A

To retain and enhance the primary fruit character and aromatic potential of these grapes in the final wine

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19
Q

Discuss production of premium Sauvignon Blanc

A
  • In the vineyard: Early ripening so suitable for cooler climates
  • Style: Highly aromatic, High acidity
  • Climate: requires cool climates to retain the grape’s refreshing characteristics
  • Famous areas: Loire Valley and Marlborough, also South Africa, Chile
  • Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé: Show elegance and restraint aromas / flavours of green apple and asparagus with a hint of wet pebbles
  • Marlborough: long hours of intense sunlight create very vibrant flavours powerful aromas of gooseberry, elderflower, grapefruit and passion fruit
    • Some may have herbaceous notes
    • Best drunk young, when intense fruity flavours is still fresh
  • Style: can be made is less aromatic fashion: ex: Margaret River, Australia by blending it with Semillon or using methods more associated with non-aromatic varieties e.g, Pessac-Léognan, California, New Zealand
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20
Q

How is Sauvignon vinified in Pessac-Léognan? What effect does this have?

A
  • It is fermented and matured in at least a proportion of new oak as well as being blended with Sémillon
  • It gives a rounder body and spicy, toasty notes
  • Sémillon further adds to the body and richness of the wine
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21
Q

Discuss Riesling grape.

A
  • In the vineyard: Buds late, mid to late-ripening, can accumulate sugar without losing acidity
  • Climiate: Tolerant of cold winters
  • Cooler Flavours: Green fruit flavours and floral notes
  • Warmer climate: Richer flavours, predominantly citrus and stone fruit
  • Wine making: Ideal for sweet wine because of its ability build sugar levels and retain its acidity
  • Used for botrytised dessert wines
  • Renowned for its ability to mature for sometimes decades in bottle and still retain its freshness and develop flavours of honey, toast, sometimes petrol-like aromas and retainted high acidity
  • Top producers of Riesling in Europe: Germany, Alsace, Austria
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22
Q

How are Germany’s sweetest Rieslings made?

A

Using botrytised grapes

23
Q

What is important in white sweet premium wines making ?

A

The sweetness needs to be balanced with acidity, so that they are as refreshing as they are concentrated

24
Q

Describe the Rieslings of Austria

A
  • Full range of sweetness levels
  • Either very sweet or very dry
25
Q

Describe the Rieslings of Alsace

A
  • Mainly specialises in dry Rieslings
  • Late harvest and botrytised Rieslings are made when conditions permit
26
Q

Name Australia’s top Riesling producing areas and style

A

Regions:

  • Clare Valley
  • Eden Valley

Style

  • Often bone dry
  • Refreshing, high acidity
  • Aromas of lime
27
Q

List three Riesling producing regions in the new world other than Australia

A
  • Washington State
  • Finger Lakes AVA, New York State (Fruity and off-dry)
  • New Zealand (Fruity and off-dry)
28
Q

List the different ways in which a wine can be made sweet

A
  1. Stopping the fermentation
  2. Adding a sweetening component
  3. Concentrating the sugars
  • Noble rot
  • Drying grapes on the vine
  • Drying grapes after picking
  • Freezing grapes on the vine
29
Q

Discuss sweet wine making by stopping the fermentation

A

Different methods to stop fermenation:

  1. Traditional way is via fortification
    • Adding grape spirit that kills the yeast
    • It radically alters the structural balance of the wine
  2. By adding a high dose of SO2
  3. By chilling the wine as it ferments

Wine making (SO2 or Chilling)

  • Winemakers have to filter out any remaining yeast after fermentation has stopped
  • Need to ensure that the wine does not come into contact with any further yeast, or fermentation may resume
  • Wines will have low alcohol levels
  • Example of stopping fermentation: German Kabinett and Spätlese, sweet sparkling wines such as Asti
30
Q

Discuss sweet wine making by adding a sweetening component

A
  • RCGM (Rectified Concentrated Grape Must) or unfermented grape juice is added
  • Unfermented grape juice is created by filtering it before fermentation or by adding SO2
  • Germany is well knows for this method - unfermented juice is called Süssreserve
  • High volume, inexpensive sweet wines are often sweetened with RCGM
31
Q

Discuss sweet wine making by concentrating grape sugars as a means of achieving sweeter wines?

A

It also concentrates acids and flavour

32
Q

Discuss sweet wine making by noble rot

A
  • Botrytis is caused by the fungus Botrytis Cinerea (which can also cause grey rot)
  • Noble rot concentrates acids, flavours and sugars and generates its own unique flavours (Honey, Apricot, Citrus zest, Dried fruit)
  • Conditions required:
    • The grapes must be fully ripe first
    • They must be grown in a region that provides humid, misty mornings to allow the rot to develop, followed by sunny dry afternoons.
    • After the fungus has punctured the grapes’ skins with microscopic filaments, the warm sunny conditions slow the development of the rot and cause water to evaporate through the puncture holes
    • If conditions are too damp, Grey rot may be caused, splitting the berries and encouraging infection
  • Several hand-pickings be needed to select the best botrytised grapes because the spread of the fungus is never uniform, which increases the workforce cost related to picking
  • Famous wines using Botrytis in their production: Sauternes, Tokaji. Beerenauslesen, Trockenbeerenauslesen
33
Q

Name an area where the onset of botrytis is not annually reliable

A

Sauternes

34
Q

Discuss sweet wine making using drying grapes on the vine method.

A
  • It is called Passerillage
  • After the grapes have fully ripened, they begin to dehydrate and turn to raisin on the vine, increasing sugar concentration in the juice
  • The conditions must be dry and warm (or grey rot may develop)
  • Wines have an over-ripe fruit character (dried fruit, tropical fruits) and a richly textured mouthfeel
  • Wines are sometimes labelled late harvest
35
Q

Discuss sweet wine making using ‘drying grapes after picking’ method?

A
  • Need dry and warm conditions
  • This method gives a Raisiny quality to the wine
  • Need to remove rotten grapes (or rot will spread)
  • It is practiced in Italy and called Passito - e.g. Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
36
Q

Discuss sweet wine making using ‘Freezing grapes on the vine’ method?

A
  • They are very pure varietal character
  • Grapes are frozen by leaving healthy grapes hanging on the vines into the winter months
  • The grape-pulp turns to ice when temperatures are freezing
  • When pressed, the ice remains in the press
  • Sugar concentration in the resulting juice is increased
  • Examples: Germany - Eiswein and Canada - Icewine Icewine can also be made by freezing the grapes at the winery
37
Q

Why does fermentation naturally stop quite early when wines are made using sugar concentration methods?

A

Because yeast struggle to survive in very sugary environments

38
Q

Describe winemaking for aromatic grapes varieties

A
  • Need to be handled carefully to retain the fruit and floral aromas of the freshly picked grapes
  • Need to monitor SO2 levels throughout the process
  • Crushed fruit or whole bunches will be loaded into the press either immediately or after a little skin contact
  • Wine juice just prior to fermentation must be relatively clean to ensure there is nothing in the juice that could mask the fruit flavours, clarified gently using settling
  • Usually inert vessels are used so there is minimal extraction of flavour from the vessel
  • Cool fermentation - Slow, steady fermentation and help formation of primary fruit aromas and flavours
39
Q

What kind of vessel is sometimes used in Alsace for Riesling? Why?

A

Large old oak vessels (foudres) to allow a small amount of oxidation, for addition of texture complexity without unwanted oak aromas

40
Q

How is fermentation generally stopped for the sweetest Rieslings made from botrytised grapes?

A

Fermentation stops naturally

41
Q

List two reasons why MLF is avoided in Rieslings and Sauvignons

A
  • Acidity is desirable in these wines
  • The buttery aromas can overpower the wines’ fruit aromas
42
Q

Which post-fermentation process may Riesling undergo? Why?

A
  • Lees stirring/contact to add texture and flavours
43
Q

Describe the other style of Sauvignon Blanc. How is it created?

A
  • Creamy and spicy
  • Barrel fermented
  • Ambient yeasts (for complexity)
  • Matured on Lees for several months
  • Undergo MLF
  • New oak for a portion of time
44
Q

Discuss less aromatic grapes wine making

A
  • Winemakers are able to have a bigger influence on the flavour of the wines
  • Wine makers aim to enhance the base material provided by the grapes
  • Base material can be enhanced:
    • By doing very little and keeping the grape flavours in relatively pure form
    • By using a range of techniques to add more complexity and texture
45
Q

Discuss Chardonnay winemaking

A
  • Particularly prone to spring frost as it buds early
  • Can ripen easily in a wide variety of climates In hot climates, timing of harvest is very important as it can lose acidity quickly in these climates
  • Most go through MLF, and extended lees ageing
  • Flavours:
    • Cool climate: green fruit and citrus
    • Moderate: white peach and melon (fleshy fruits)
    • Warm/hot: banana and pineapple (tropical fruits)
  • Aromas in the best Burgundian Chardonnays - Nuts and/or mushrooms
  • Emerging trend in vinification of Chardonnay is to move away from heavy oaking
46
Q

List some regions which have built a reputation for Chardonnay wines

A
  • California: Russian River Valley, Los Carneros
  • Australia: Adelaide Hills, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula
  • New Zealand: Gisborne, Marlborough
  • Chile: Casablanca Valley
47
Q

What are the key viticultural characteristics of Pinot Gris?

A
  • Early budding
  • Early ripening
  • Can accumulate high sugar levels, but lose much acidity
48
Q

Describe Alsatian Pinot Gris

A
  • Dry/off-dry
  • Oily texture
  • Ripe tropical fruit flavours
  • Hint of ginger and honey
  • Medium acidity
  • Deep coloured grapes/golden wines
49
Q

Name a region other than Alsace which labels its wines as Pinot Gris (as opposed to Grigio)

A
  • New Zealand
  • Compared to Alsace: More pure fruit flavours and slightly more residual sugar
50
Q

Which areas make Pinot Gris in a rich and usually dry style

A
  • Alsace
  • New Zealand
  • Tasmania, Australia
  • Oregon, USA
51
Q

Name areas of Italy which make high-quality Pinot Grigio in a dry style

A
  • Alto Adige
  • Trentino
  • Friuli-Venezia Giulia
52
Q

What is the difference between Italy’s premium Pinot Grigios and the cheaper, high-volume versions made in the plains of Veneto?

A

More depth of flavour from the premium regions

53
Q

Describe the Pinot Gris clones used in the northerly alpine regions of Italy vs. plains of the Veneto for high-volume, inexpensive wines

A

Northerly alpine regions of Italy: Same clones as typically found in

  • Germany and France
  • Small berries
  • Greater flavour concentration

Plains of the Veneto:

  • Pale skin Large, fleshy pulp
  • Neutral wines (especially with high yields and early harvesting)
54
Q

Describe winemaking choices for non aromatic varieties.

A

Using whole bunches in the press (same as aromatic)

Controlled exposure to oxygen (for some) (as opposed to for aromatic grapes)

Gentle clarification (e.g., settling)

  • Winemaker may chose to leave some solid matter for added complexity and texture

Fermentation vessel - Large range

  • Stainless steel/concrete e.g. Chablis, PG northeast Italy
  • Large aok vessels - Alsace
  • Small new oak barrels to give toasty and rounder texture - Cote d’Or

Fermentation temp/yeast vary

Even greater range of options for post fermentation

  • Substantial amount of flavours can be added Oak maturation
    • small new oak barrel (Cote D’or),
    • old larger barrels (Chablis, Pinot Grigio) for gentle oxidation
  • MLF may be encouraged to give the wine a rounder creamier feel (used in most of Burgundy even in Chablis to help soften the sharp acidity) but it diminishes perception of acidity and fresh fruit flavour
  • Lee aging / steering - to give a richer, rounder mouthfeel