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WSET Level 2 in Spirits > Chapter 4 > Flashcards

Chapter 4 Flashcards

1
Q

What types of stills are used in the production of fruit spirits?

A

Both pot and column

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2
Q

True or false?
Italian grappa are typically unaged.

A

True

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3
Q

All fruit contain ————

A

sugar
juice
seeds

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4
Q

What are the two ways of processing fruit for spirits?

A

Crushed and pressed to create a sugary liquid that is fermented and distilled
Some fruits are macerated in a neutral spirit, which is then re-distilled

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5
Q

What are the best grapes for producing spirits?

A

Highly acidic
White grapes
Not possess a great deal of aromas

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6
Q

What does distillation do to wines that are highly acidic with faint aromas?

A

Concentrates their delicate floral and fruity aromas

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7
Q

What spirit uses a highly aromatic grape variety?

A

Pisco

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8
Q

What does a distiller do to the wine before distillation?

A

Store the wine, it will remain fresh because of the acidity and alcohol

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9
Q

What do distillers do with the mass of grape skins discarded by winemakers?

A

Make pomace brandy

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10
Q

How is pomace brandy made?

A

The discarded grape skin retain some juice, so it will be mixed with water and the resulting liquid can be fermented

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11
Q

What are the most common fruits that are used for fruit spirits?

A

Cherries
Raspberries
Plums
Strawberries
Apples
Pears

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12
Q

Why a producer may choose to macerate fruits?

A

Some fruit don’t have enough juice for fermentation
To avoid some aromas created during fermentation

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13
Q

How are high quality vodkas produced?

A

Maceration

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14
Q

What type of still is used for distillation of fruit spirits?

A

Pot stills

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15
Q

What is the grape variety used for producing cognac?

A

Ugni Blanc

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16
Q

True or false
Most grape and apple brandies are matured in oak barrels.

A

True

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17
Q

What is the most important phase of producing an oak matured brandy?

A

Blending

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18
Q

Is pomace brandy oak matured?

A

No, similar to fruit brandies (except Calvados)

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19
Q

How are the best fruit brandies matured?

A

For a number of years in inert vessels

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20
Q

What is the purpose of maturing unoaked fruit brandies?

A

To help the flavors round out and become more complex

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21
Q

What is the heat source for the production of cognac?

A

Direct heat by means of gas burners

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22
Q

What is Chapiteau?

A

Still head is the upper part of the olive shaped still

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23
Q

What is col de cygne?

A

Swan neck or the curving tube that links the still head to the condenser

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24
Q

What kind of condenser is used in the production of cognac?

A

Worm tube

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25
Q

What are the three most important fruit brandies of France?

A

Cognac
Armagnac
Calvados

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26
Q

What is the most widely recognized grape brandy?

A

Cognac

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27
Q

Where is the cognac region?

A

North of Bordeaux

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28
Q

What are the main aromas of cognac made from ugni blanc?

A

Raisins and Violets

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29
Q

When is the distillation of ugni blanc wines that are produced for cognac making done?

A

By the end of March the year after the harvest

30
Q

What are the requirements for distilling cognac?

A

Double distilled in copper pot still

31
Q

What are the oak aging requirements for cognac?

A

Matured in oak for a minimum of two years
Start maturation in new oak and finish in older oak barrels

32
Q

What are demijohns are used for?

A

Decanting very aged spirits from barrels into demijohns for reserves when the distiller considers that there is no further benefit to be gained from either oak or oxygen

33
Q

True or false?
Most cognac are slightly sweetened before bottling for sale.

34
Q

Where is Armagnac?

A

A region south of Bordeaux

35
Q

What are the three grape varieties of Armagnac?

A

Ugni Blanc
Baco (smells like prune)
Folle Blanche (pronounce floral aromas)

36
Q

What kind of still is used in the production of Armagnac?

A

Traditional short Column still

37
Q

What are the two notable points of difference between Cognac and Armagnac ?

A

Armagnac commonly Vintage dated (if vintage dated the product is NOT a blend)
Armagnac can be sold unaged (Blanche)

38
Q

What is the grape variety used in the making of Armagnac Blanche?

A

Folle Blanche/ the product does have an expressive fruity quality

39
Q

Where is Calvados made?

A

Specific part of Normandy in the very north of France

40
Q

What is Calvados made of?

A

Apples and pears

41
Q

What kind of still is used in the production of Calvados?

A

Both pot and short column stills

42
Q

What kind of barrels are used in the production of Calvados?

A

Large oak vessels as a result the spirit retains a pronounced and easily recognizable aroma of apples

43
Q

Where is grappa made?

44
Q

What are the characteristics of grappa?

A

Herbaceous flavors from the pomace
Sharp texture

45
Q

Where is the home of Pisco?

A

Chile & Peru

46
Q

What country produces wood-matured pisco?

47
Q

What kind of still is used in the production of pisco?

48
Q

What is Central Europe famous for?

A

Fruit brandies

49
Q

What countries other than France & Italy produce fresh grape and pomace brandies?

A

Spain
South Africa
Mexico

50
Q

True or False
Grappa is a pomace spirit.

51
Q

What are the two most important subregions of Armagnac?

A

Bas Armagnac
Ténarèze

52
Q

What does chateau mean on Armagnac labels?

A

It indicates a small individual producer

53
Q

What does chateau mean on Armagnac labels?

A

It indicates a small individual producer

54
Q

What is the aging requirements for Blanche Armagnac?

55
Q

What is the aging requirements for VS Armagnac?

56
Q

What is the aging requirements for VSOP Armagnac?

57
Q

What is the aging requirements for XO Armagnac?

58
Q

What is the aging requirements for Hors d’Age, vintage Armagnac?

59
Q

What are the 4 major cognac houses?

A

Remy Martin
Martell
Hennessy
Courvoisier

60
Q

What are the main regions of cognac?

A

Grande Champagne
Petit Champagne
Borderies

61
Q

If any of the sub regions of cognac appear on a label then ——— of the grapes used to make that cognac must have been grown in stated region.

62
Q

If a cognac is a blend of spirits from Grande Champagne (min 50%) and Petite Champagne it can be labelled ———.

A

Fine Champagne

63
Q

What is the minimum age of the youngest spirit in the blend of a VS Cognac?

64
Q

What is the minimum age of the youngest spirit in the blend of a VSOP Cognac?

65
Q

What is the minimum age of the youngest spirit in the blend of a XO Cognac?

66
Q

What is the minimum age of the youngest spirit in the blend of a Napoléon Cognac?

67
Q

What is the minimum age of the youngest spirit in the blend of a Hors d’Age Cognac?

68
Q

What are the characteristics of a VS Cognac?

A

Typically has a distinct fruit & oak aromas with a slightly sharp texture

69
Q

What are the characteristics of a VSOP cognac?

A

Richer and fuller than VS
Some aromas of maturity

70
Q

What are the characteristics of XO Cognac?

A

Seamlessly integrated array of raisin, floral, oak and rancio aromas, and a smooth mouthful.

WSET Level 2 in Spirits (9 decks)

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