Common Elements in Winemaking and Maturation Flashcards by Henry Piaskowski

Do wines protected from oxygen during winemaking benefit from oxygen at maturation?

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Oxygen free maturation vessels

Inert airtight stainless steel tanks

Cement vats lined with epoxy resin

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Oxygen friendly maturation vessel

Wooden (oak)

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Oxygen effect on wine

Soften tannins

Flavor complexity

Primary flavors to tertiary

Red wines get paler and more brown

White wines get deeper and more orange

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Typical max barrique aging

2 years

High oxygen to wine ratio means wines can’t be kept in barrique for long

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Deliberatly oxidized wines

Oloroso sherry

Tawny port

Rutherglen Muscat

Container not completely full

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Functions of Sulfur Dioxide

Antiseptic

Antioxidant

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Bound SO2

Sulfur dioxide that has protected grapes or wine from oxygen

Loses protective effect

Must be topped up

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Antiseptic effect SO2

Kills many unwanted bacteria

Saccaromyces Cerevisae is resistant to SO2

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Oak tannin effect on wine

Adds structure

Increases textural complexity

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Oak vessel considerations

Species and origin

Size

Production

Age

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Oak species and origins

Most are European or America/European oak has broadly same characteristics

France considered best

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Oak size

Smaller barrels have greater effect on wine

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Piece

228 liter oak barrel

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Oak barrel production

Toasting is biggest influence

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Toasting

Temperature and length of heat exposure

Determines level of sweet spice and toast oak gives

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Oak age

More use = less effect of toasting

4th usage imparts little to no flavor or tannin

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Oak alternatives

Staves

Chips

Micro oxygenation

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Benefits of stainless steel vessels

Easy to clean

Made in any shape or size

Can incorporate temperature control

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Stainless steel temperature control

Sleeves on outside

Internal coils with hot liquid

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Free run juice

Juice liberated from crushing

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Crushing

Breaks skins

Liberates free run juice

Doesn’t damage seeds

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Damaged seed problems

Release bitter oils and tannins

May make wine astringent and bitter

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Pressing

Separates liquids and solids

Pre fermentation for whites

After fermentation for reds

Avoid seed damage

Basket press

Vertical Pressure from plate lowered with a screw or lever Particularly popular in Champagne

Benefit of pneumatic press

Apply pressure over large area in a controllable way

Fractions

Different pressings First are different from later

RCGM

Rectified Concentrated Grape Must Used to enrich must weight Either before or during fermentation

Enrichment risks

Creates overly hard and thin wine due to imbalance

Chaptalization

Enrichment from sources other than grapes (beet sugar)

Acidification

Increase of acid Usually through addition of tartaric acid powder Permitted in warm Europe regions Common in other warm or hot regions

Deacidification

Usually in cooler climates Addition of an alkali

Fermentation

Conversion of sugar into alcohol and CO2 Produces heat and flavor compounds

Minimum alcoholic fermentation temp

5 C

Alcoholic fermentation stops

Yeast run out of nutrients >35 C Excessive sugar levels

Fermentation control methods

Yeast Temperature

Yeast options

Ambient Cultured

Ambient yeast considerations

Adds complexity Winemaker can't control which yeasts are present Some variation = unsuitable for high volume production

Cultured yeast considerations

Controllable Consistent flavors Some believe they reduce complexity

Lower temperature considerations (winemaking)

Reduces volatile aroma (floral) loss Can encourage fruity flavors in whites

Higher temperature considerations (winemaking)

Necessary for color and tannin extraction from black grapes

Can pumping over release excess heat?

Yes

Malolactic Fermentation

Usually once alcoholic fermentation done Caused by lactic acid bateria Converts malic (apples) to lactic (milk)

MLF byproducts

Buttery flavors CO2

MLF encouragement

Raising temps Not adding SO2 after alcoholic fermentation

MLF discouragement

Cool temps/Add SO2 Filter out lactic acid bacteria

Gross lees

Large sediment that forms hours after fermentation Can lead to unpleasant aromas

Blending timing

Usually after fermentation or during maturation

Clarification methods

Sedimentation Fining Filtration

Filtration methods

Depth Surface

Depth filtration

Wine passes through thick material Solids captured in filter Good for very cloudy wines and gross lees

Surface filtration

Very fine sieve Expensive and clogs easily Generally used after depth

Sterile filtration

Surface filters that can catch yeast and bateria

Stabilization areas

Tartrate Microbiological Oxygen

Tartrate stabilization

Cold stabilization Wine below 0C for short period Tartrate crystals filtered out

High microbiological risk wines

No MLF Low to medium alcohol Low acidity Low RS

Microbiological risk handling

Fortified High acidity Careful handling SO2 Sterile filtration

Oxygen stability techniques

SO2 Avoid oxygen exposure Flush bottles with CO2 or nitrogen