Chapter 1 - Wine Composition And Chemistry Flashcards
What are the major components of wine?
Water Alcohol Acid Sugar Phenolic compounds
80-90% of wine
Water
10-15% of wine
Alcohol, primarily ethyl alcohol/ethanol
What other types of alcohol occur in wine?
Glycerol, methyl alcohol/methanol, and fusel alcohols (fusel oils) or higher alcohols
What can result in tears or legs in the glass?
High levels of alcohol or residual sugar
How is a wine’s aroma carried to the nose?
Ethanol, a volatile compound, evaporating easily
0.5% to 0.75% of wine
Acids
Principal acids found in wine
Tartaric Malic Citric Lactic Acetic Succinic
Grape acids
Tartaric
Malic
Citric
Succinic
Fermentation acids
Lactic
Acetic
Succinic
Which acids are found in minute quantities in grapes?
Citric
Succinic
What are wine diamonds?
Solid crystals formed from tartaric acid at low temperatures that do not redissolve in wine, lowering the acidity of the wine.
What is the strongest acid in wine in terms of pH?
Tartaric
What is the flavor profile of Malic acid?
Sharp tasting, green apples
What grapes are high in Malic acid?
Underripe and cool-climate grapes
What acid may be added to increase the total acidity of a wine?
Citric