Ch.1 Introduction to Fortified Wines Flashcards
1
Q
Define a fortified wine
A
- A wine that has had additional alcohol added
- either before fermentation is complete or
- after fermentation has finished
2
Q
What is the WSET SAT (systematic approach to tasting) alcohol scale for fortified wines?
A
- LOW = 15-16.4% abv
- biologically aged sherries
- some youthful styles of VDN
- MEDIUM = 16.5% - 18.4% abv
- oxidised styles of sherry
- some Madeira
- some aged VDNs
- Rutherglen Muscat
- HIGH = 18.5% abv and above
- Port
- older, oxidised styles of Sherry & Madeira
3
Q
How do different grape varieties play a part in fortified wine?
A
- Provide aromas and flavours
- Muscat VDNs (protective wine-making/early release)
- Even Rutherglen Muscat (despite warm, oxidative)
- Provide neutral base
- Palomino: all sherry aromas from maturation process
- Provide structure: acidity
- Madeira (esp Sercial/Verdelho)
- nb bone-dry/high alcohol makes some sherry seem acidic, but palomino low acid!
- Provide structure: colour and tannins
- Touriga Nacional and Sousão in vintage port
4
Q
How does vineyard site and climate affect fortified wine?
A
- Influence base materials eg
- Vineyards in Duoro scored for location, aspect and altitude to determine how much port that land can make. Vintage ports made from vineyards with proven history
- Muscat de Frontignon (Languedoc) fuller, riper wines from low altitude v high altitude Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois
5
Q
Factors affecting the timing of harvest in fortified wines generally
A
- Before rain, as humidity risks botrytis which is never desirable in fortified wine (even noble rot)
- As long as grapes healthy and no unripe flavours, some styles pick as soon as reaches legal min level of pot alcohol eg sherry made from Palomino
- For rich, high resid sugar styles like Ruthergen Muscat, PX and Moscatel sherry, grapes left longer to concentrate sugars
6
Q
Do producers of fortified wines let white grapes macerate on their skins?
A
- Yes: Madeira, muscat-based VDNs and White Port for a limited time to increase body, texture and extract additional flavours
- NO for biologically aged sherries (eg Fino, Manzanilla) as phenolic compounds restrict growth of flor yeast.
7
Q
What is the specific challenge in terms of colour with red fortified wines for long ageing?
A
- Red wines for long ageing need high concentrations of colour, tannins and flavours.
- These wines (eg port) are us sweet and made by adding fortifying alcohol midway through fermentation, limiting maceration to as little as 2-3 days.
- Therefore extraction techniques need to be very effective. Port has done this (mimicking feet) whilst remaining gentle enough not to crush seeds (bitter tannins)
- Obvs tawny & rosé ports need less extraction!
8
Q
WHEN are fortified wines fortified?
A
- Either before (if sweet wanted eg port)
- or after (if want dry eg sherry)
- For most sweet, stop fermentation by raising the alcohol above which yeasts can operate and leaving (desired level of ) residual sugar that was in the grapes. Earlier = sweeter.
- Some sherries - Pale Cream, Medium & Cream fermented to dryness then sweetening component added (creating a diff style than if merely stopped midway). Cream sherry is often dry Oloroso blended with PX, combining aged dry Palomino with raisined PX.
9
Q
Why is port’s fortifying spirit more important than most other wines?
A
- Most fortified wines use grape spirits of 95-6% abv
- such high alcohol means
- not much vol needed to reach required strength (us 15-22% abv) - less dilution of base wine
- neutral aromas & flavours do not mask characteristics of the base wine
- Port must use grape spirit 77% (+/- 0.5%)
- It has more character to impart and need significant volume to reach 19-22% required.
- Therefore spirit influential and many choose aromatic styles, esp in red ports. But delicate for rosé port.
10
Q
What are the four methods/ styles of maturation in fortified wines?
A
- Unaged eg VDNs like Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, ruby /rosé ports (NOT sherries) - primary fruit/ youthful style, often stored in stainless steel/ concrete
- Aged in bottle eg Vintage port/ unfiltered LBV. Stored in old oak for few years before bottling. Made to age in bottle, so concentrated and tannic on release. Fresh fruit becomes dried, savoury, tannins soften/integrate.
- Oxidative ageing eg Tawny ports, madeiras, some VDNs & sherries (Oloroso, PX, amontillado, palo cortado) usually small wooden barrels: managing oxygen exposure: top up or not. Warm conditions (maderisation = heated/oxidised) accelerates. Aromas of nuts, caramel, dried fruits.
- Biological Ageing eg Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado (also bases for cream sherries) Aged under a layer of flor yeast, protects wine from oxidation, lowers glycerol (and hence body) and contributes hay, acetaldehyde (bruised apple), bread dough, iodine, seaweed, almonds
11
Q
What is Rancio
A
- Rancio is a tasting term used to describe aromas and flavours found in some styles of oxidised, fortified wines - oak/oxygen/time/sunlight interaction creates leather, wood, varnish, strong coffee
- Found in Grenache VDNs & older Rutherglens
12
Q
If a wine has a stopper, not a cork?
A
It is ready to drink; and not suitable for future ageing
13
Q
Why you blend fortified wines
A
- Balance Alcohol (high) must be integrated. Ageing concentrates wine/ loses primary fruit. Blend in younger wines for freshness eg Sherry, Rutherglen muscat
- Consistency Esp NV. Static maturation (diff vintages mature separately). Sherry - solera system = fractional blending. Modified solera system for Rutherglen muscat.
- Style Port blend of varieties for colour, tannin, flavour, ability to age. Sherries sweetened by PX. House styles
- Complexity
- Volume Small vineyards, diff producers. Small barrels for maturation
- Price Most wines need to meet specific price point.
14
Q
What is en rama?
A
“on the vine” = raw.
When a sherry is very lightly fined or filtered or not at all. Usually more pronouced and complex.
15
Q
The majority of fortified wines are stabilised, fined and filtered before bottling to ensure clean and clear. Which are not?
A
- Ports designed to develop further in bottle: Vintage, Single Quinta, Crusted and unfiltered LBVs.
- May need decanting
- Sherries “en rama”
