Chapter 8: Sweet Wines and Fortified Wines: Flashcards
What are the three main methods of producing sweet wines?
Interrupting fermentation, adding a sweet component, and concentrating sugars in the grapes.
How is fermentation interrupted to produce sweet wines?
By adding alcohol to kill the yeast or by chilling and filtering the wine to remove yeast.
What are the key characteristics of Sauternes?
Sweet wine from Bordeaux, made from botrytized Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, with high acidity and flavors of apricot, honey, and vanilla.
What is noble rot, and how does it contribute to sweet wines?
A fungus (Botrytis cinerea) that concentrates sugars and acids in the grapes, enhancing flavor complexity.
What are the characteristics of Tokaji Aszú?
Hungarian sweet wine made from botrytized Furmint grapes, with flavors of dried fruit, citrus, honey, and nuts.
How are ice wines (Eiswein) made?
By harvesting grapes frozen on the vine, concentrating sugars and acidity.
What is a sweet component that can be added to wine to increase sweetness?
Unfermented grape juice or a sweet wine such as Pedro Ximénez.
What regions are famous for producing sweet wines using noble rot?
Sauternes (France), Tokaji (Hungary), and Beerenauslese/Trockenbeerenauslese (Germany).
What does ‘fortified wine’ mean?
A wine to which distilled alcohol is added, increasing the alcohol content.
What are the key types of Sherry?
Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez (PX).
What are the three main methods of producing sweet wines?
Interrupting fermentation, adding a sweet component, and concentrating sugars in the grapes.
How is fermentation interrupted to produce sweet wines?
By adding alcohol to kill the yeast or by chilling and filtering the wine to remove yeast.
What are the key characteristics of Sauternes?
Sweet wine from Bordeaux, made from botrytized Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, with high acidity and flavors of apricot, honey, and vanilla.
What is noble rot, and how does it contribute to sweet wines?
A fungus (Botrytis cinerea) that concentrates sugars and acids in the grapes, enhancing flavor complexity.
What are the characteristics of Tokaji Aszú?
Hungarian sweet wine made from botrytized Furmint grapes, with flavors of dried fruit, citrus, honey, and nuts.
How are ice wines (Eiswein) made?
By harvesting grapes frozen on the vine, concentrating sugars and acidity.
What is a sweet component that can be added to wine to increase sweetness?
Unfermented grape juice or a sweet wine such as Pedro Ximénez.
What regions are famous for producing sweet wines using noble rot?
Sauternes (France), Tokaji (Hungary), and Beerenauslese/Trockenbeerenauslese (Germany).
What does ‘fortified wine’ mean?
A wine to which distilled alcohol is added, increasing the alcohol content.
What are the key types of Sherry?
Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez (PX).
What are the characteristics of Fino Sherry?
Pale in color, dry, with flavors of almonds and bread, and aged under a layer of yeast called flor.
How is Oloroso Sherry different from Fino?
Oloroso is aged without flor, exposed to oxygen, resulting in a darker color and flavors of walnuts and caramel.
What is Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry?
A very sweet Sherry made from dried Pedro Ximénez grapes, with flavors of dried fruit and molasses.
What are the main styles of Port?
Ruby Port, Reserve Ruby, Late Bottled Vintage (LBV), Vintage Port, Tawny Port.
What are the characteristics of Ruby Port?
A youthful, fruity Port with flavors of red and black fruit (cherry, blackberry).
How is Tawny Port aged, and what are its key flavors?
Aged in oak barrels, leading to oxidative flavors like dried fruit, nuts, and caramel.
What is the difference between Vintage Port and Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port?
Vintage Port: Produced from the best grapes of a single year and aged in the bottle for many years.
LBV Port: Made from a single vintage but aged in large barrels and ready to drink when bottled.
What grape varieties are commonly used in Port production?
Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cão.
What are the key characteristics of Madeira?
Fortified wine from Madeira, Portugal, with flavors of dried fruit, caramel, and nuts, and a high acidity.
What are the main styles of Madeira?
Sercial (dry), Verdelho (medium-dry), Bual (medium-sweet), and Malmsey (sweet).
How is Rutherglen Muscat made?
From late-harvest Muscat grapes in Australia, fortified and aged oxidatively for rich, sweet wines with flavors of caramel, nuts, and dried fruit.
