Ch. 7 - Fortified Wine Production

Question 1

What are the major differences in fortified wine?

Answer 1

The differences among the numerous fortified wines come from the following:
• The grape varieties used
• The timing of fortification
• The aging regimen applied after fortification.

Question 2

What are the types of fortification?

Answer 2

Fortified wines are usually divided into two types,
defined by when the fortification takes place, which
may be either before or after the wine has finished
fermenting on its own.

Question 3

What style of wines does fortification during fermentation produce?

Answer 3

Sweet style wines such as Port.

Question 4

What style of wines does fortification after fermentation produce?

Answer 4

Dry style wines such as Fino Sherry.

Question 5

What is mutage?

Answer 5

The process of adding alcohol to the wine before or
while it is still fermenting and still has a significant
amount of sugar in it is called mutage.

Question 6

Describe Banyuls.

Answer 6

Banyuls - France - Sweet - Grenache.

Question 7

Describe Commandaria.

Answer 7

Commandaria - Cypus - Sweet - Xynisteri, Mavro.

Question 8

Describe Madeira [sweeter styles].

Answer 8

Madeira - Portugal - Sweet - Malvasia, Boal, Tinta Negra Mole.

Question 9

Describe Madeira [drier styles].

Answer 9

Madeira - Portugal - Dry - Sercial, Verdelho, Tinta Negra Mole.

Question 10

Describe Malaga.

Answer 10

Malaga - Spain - Sweet - Pedro Ximenez, Muscat.

Question 11

Describe Marsala.

Answer 11

Marsala - Italy - Sweet - Grillo, Catarratto, lnzolia, and others.

Question 12

Descibe Maury.

Answer 12

Maury - France - Sweet - Grenache.

Question 13

Describe Mavrodaphne of Patras.

Answer 13

Mavrodaphne of Patras - Greece - Sweet - Mavrodaphne.

Question 14

Describe Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.

Answer 14

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise - France - Sweet - Muscat.

Question 15

Describe Muscat de Riversaltes.

Answer 15

Muscat de Riversaltes - France - Sweet - Muscat.

Question 16

Describe Port.

Answer 16

Port - Portugal - Sweet - Touriga Nacional , Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cao.

Question 17

Describe Rasteau.

Answer 17

Rasteau - France - Sweet - Grenache.

Question 18

Describe Rutherglen.

Answer 18

Rutherglen - Australia - Sweet - Muscat.

Question 19

Describe Muscat de Setubal.

Answer 19

Muscat de Setubal - Portugal - Sweet - Muscat.

Question 20

When does fortification usually take place when fortifying during fermentation?

Answer 20

The fortification during fermentation will typically take place when the remaining sugar level of the wine reaches the 8%-12% range.

Question 21

Which wine is the closest to Sherry?

Answer 21

Montilla-Moriles - Southern Spain Andalucia.

Question 22

What contributes to the color of Fino sherries?

Answer 22

Fino Sherries are pale in color and light-bodied, due to

a process known as biological aging.

Question 23

What is Biological Ageing?

Answer 23

The ageing of wine under a layer of yeast, known as flor is called biological ageing.

Question 24

What is the alcohol % of Fino sherry?

Answer 24

15% alcohol beyond which the flor will not develop.

Question 25

What kind of base wines are used for Fino Sherry?

Answer 25

Sherry winemakers select the best-quality batches of pale, clear, fresh wine to which they add grape spirits mixed with an equal amount of older Sherry in order to bring the overall alcohol level up to 15% to 15.5%, but no higher.

Question 26

What does the flor consume to survive?

Answer 26

The flor survives mainly on oxygen but consumes the remaining sugars and glycerol in the wine, as well as a small amount of alcohol along with acetic acid,
thereby lowering acid levels in the wine.

Question 27

Which chemicals does the flor produce during biological ageing?

Answer 27

While using oxygen from the atmosphere for metabolizing the flor produces chemicals such as acetaldehyde that create a characteristic “flor aroma” often described as “nutty” or “bruised apple.”

Question 28

What kind of base wines are used for Olorosso Sherry?

Answer 28

Oloroso Sherries are generally produced from base wines that are not considered to have the quality or delicacy to be made into fino.

Question 29

What is the alcohol % of Olorosso sherry?

Answer 29

Olorosso is fortified to 17% to 18% alcohol, which is too high for the development of flor. Without flor, these wines do not build up the high levels of acetaldehyde that characterize finos.

Question 30

What kind of ageing does Olorosso sherry go through?

Answer 30

Oloroso Sherries are allowed direct exposure to air in the partially filled barrels of the solera, where they
experience oxidative aging.

Question 31

What happens during oxidative ageing?

Answer 31

During oxidative aging, alcohol and acid levels increase , and the color of the wine deepens. The result is a fuller-bodied, darkened, flavorful wine dominated by oxidative and caramelized aromas.

Question 32

How do alcohol levels increase during oxidative ageing?

Answer 32

Water evaporates during oxidative aging, an old oloroso can rise in alcoholic strength to as high as 24%.

Question 33

How long does a flor last while ageing Fino Sherries?

Answer 33

The longest that flor may be maintained is six to seven

years.

Question 34

What is the minimum ageing required for Fino Sherry?

Answer 34

2 years is the minimum ageing time required by law.

Question 35

What kind of oak is used for ageing sherries in Solera?

Answer 35

A solera consists of several groups of butts: large (600 L) American oak barrels.

Question 36

How much wine is allowed to be bottled from a solera every year?

Answer 36

At least once a year after each vintage, wine is bottled from the solera row or one of the criaderas, with no more than one-third of the volume removed each year. This is followed by an intricate process known as running the scales.

Question 37

What is a Vins Doux Naturel?

Answer 37

Vins doux naturels are lightly fortified sweet wines produced throughout the South of France.

Question 38

What is a Mistelle?

Answer 38

A wine which is made by fortifying grape must before or just slightly after it begins to ferment. A wine made in this style is known in France as a mistelle.

Question 39

What is the name for Mistelle in Spain?

Answer 39

In Spain, Mistelle goes by the name mistela (when the
must is unfermented) or Vino Licor (when a small
amount of fermentation is allowed).

Question 40

What is the other name for Mistelle in France?

Answer 40

Vins de liqueurs.

Question 41

Name a few examples of Mistelle from France.

Answer 41

• Pineau de Charentes; produced in the Cognac region, is usually produced from Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche , and Colombard, and is fortified with Cognac.
• Floc de Gascogne, produced in the Armagnac region, is most often produced in a white version (using mainly the Colombard, Gros Manseng, and Ugni Blanc varieties).