Chapter 24 - Sparkling wines Flashcards
1
Q
What are the two first steps in sparkling wine production
A
- Base wine: create a base wine that is dry, high in acidity, low in alcohol
- Second fermentation: sugar and yeast are added to base wine. Yeast converts sugar into alcohol and CO2. ABV goes up by 1.5%. Must take place in sealed bottle (bottle fermentation) or sealed tank (tank fermentation) to keep CO2
2
Q
What is bottle fermentation?
A
- Traditional methods
- Most famous wines: Champagne and Cava
- Second fermentation takes place inside the bottle
- Flavour added to wines.
- Label Méthode traditionelle
3
Q
How does the traditional method work?
A
- Second fermentation and yeast autolysis: base wine, yeast and sugar added to bottle closed with a crown cap. Yeast breaks down - yeast autolysis. Biscuit and bread flavour
- Riddling: Lees must be removed (would make wine hazy). remove deposit in wine. Bottle moved very slowly from horizontal to inverted position. Gyropalette with hundreds of bottles. Yeast deposit ends in the neck
- Disgorgement (removal). Neck of bottle is frozen, lees are trapped in plug of ice. Crown cap is removed, forcing the plug of ice and lees out of the bottle
- Dosage: Wine is topped up with a mixture of wine and, usually sugar. Mixture is called liqueur d’expédition. Brut label (small amount of sugar), demi-sec (medium sweetness)
- Resealing: bottle resealed with thick cork and wire cage
4
Q
What are characteristics of champagne?
A
- Typically blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier
- Cool climate in Champagne
- Base wines with low alcohol and high acidity
- Non-vintage wines common, blend of different vintages
- Legal minimum: 12 months of ageing (inexpensive champagnes). Dry, high acidity, notes of apple, light autolytic flavours
- Riper grapes: aged longer in contact with lees. Complex flavours of green fruit (apple), citrus fruit (lemon) and autolytic notes (toasted bread, biscuit)
- Vintage Champagne: Very complex, more bottle ageing. Pronounced apple, citrus-fruit and autolytic characters with notes of honey and nuts
5
Q
What are the characteristics of Cava?
A
- Majority comes from Catalunya
- Grapes: mainly Spanish local varieties, but Chardonnay and Pinot Noir also permitted
- Warm climate leads to early harvest to keep acidity of grapes
- base wine: light flavours of apple and pear
- Production dominated by a small number of large brands who make high volume of NV wines
6
Q
Labeling of champagne
A
- Champagne and Cava exempt form mentioning PDO status on label
- Vintage wines are more expensive typically
7
Q
What are the characteristics of South African, Californian, Australian and New Zealand sparkling wines?
A
- usually produced in the coolest regions
- Champagne grape varieties (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) used for base wines
- Best wines are intense and complex with a long finish
- Slightly riper fruit flavours than champagne due to more sunlight
- South Africa: Méthode Classique as labeling term for methods classique
8
Q
What is tank fermentation?
A
- Used if wine producer does not want to add autolytic flavours to the wine (e.g. in the case of aromatic grape varieties)
- Simple process: base wine put into sealed tank with yeast and sugar. Second fermentation creates bubbles. Lees are removed by filtration and wine is bottled with a thick cork and wire cage
- Wine tastes like the base wine
- Less expensive and less about intensive than bottle fermentation
9
Q
What is the Asti method?
A
- Variation on the tank method
- Used to make Asti DOCG, a sweet, low-alcohol sparkling wine
- Juice instead of a base wine is used
- Result is a low alcohol, sweet and sparkling wine
- Made with Moscato (Muscat) grape variety, flavours of grapes, peaches and pears
10
Q
What is Prosecco?
A
- Prosecco DOC is a sparkling wine from north-east Italy
- Grape used: Glera
- White variety that produces light to medium-bodied wines
- Light apple and melon flavours
- Prosecco DOC is typically dry to off-dry
