CSW Prep - Wine Composition and Chemistry Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the major categories of chemicals found in wine?

A
Water
Alcohol
Acid
Sugar
Phenolic Compounds
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2
Q

The acronym WAASP is helpful to remember what?

A

The major chemicals found in wine. Water, Alcohol, Acid, Sugar, Phenolic Compounds

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3
Q

What is important to know about water?

A

Makes up 80-90% of wine.

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4
Q

How much of wine is made of water?

A

80-90%, typically from the grapes themselves.

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5
Q

Why would winemakers add water to wine?

A

Intentionally dilute if alcohol or phenolic compounds beyond desired levels.

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6
Q

What is the primary compound in wine?

A

Water

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7
Q

What is the second major compound in wine?

A

Alcohol

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8
Q

What is the approximate amount of alcohol commonly found in wine?

A

10-15%

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9
Q

What are the most common kinds of alcohol found in wine?

A
Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)
Glycerol
Methyl Alcohol (Methanol)
Fusil Oils (Higher Alcohols
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10
Q

What is the most common kind of alcohol found in wine?

A

Ethanol.

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11
Q

What is the result of fermentation (Yeast + Sugar = ?)?

A

Ethanol (Alcohol)

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12
Q

What is the intoxicating element in wine?

A

Ethanol.

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13
Q

True or False: Ethanol is a volatile compound?

A

True. meaning that it evaporates easily.

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14
Q

What is a volatile organic compound?

A

Organic chemicals that have high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature.

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15
Q

What is the subjective reference for alcohol level?

A

“Body.” Light body wines tend to have less alcohol.

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16
Q

What is the key component that differentiates wine from other forms of alcohol?

A

Acid.

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17
Q

What type of is most reliant on acid for flavor structure?

A

White Wine.

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18
Q

What are the principle acids in wine?

A
Tartaric Acid
Malic Acird
Lactic Acid
Acetic Acid 
Succinic Acid
Citric Acid
(CLAMS T)
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19
Q

What is tactic acid?

A

White crystalline diprotic acid. It has the propensity to form tactic crystals (yes cream of tartar) at low temperatures.

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20
Q

What happens when tactic crystals form?

A

Crystals will not redissolve into the wine and wine will be noticeably less acidic.

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21
Q

What is malic acid?

A

Dicarboxylic acid, made by all living organisms, contributes to pleasantly sour taste in fruits.

Associated with green apples.

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22
Q

Where is the most common source of malic acid?

A

Underripe grapes (think green apple).

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23
Q

What types of wines a least like to have high malic acid?

A

Wine made from grapes grown in hot, warm climates, where grapes ripen easily. Malic acid commonly found in underripe grapes.

24
Q

What is lactic acid?

A

Acid not found naturally in grapes but created by lactic bacteria. Lactic bacteria convert malic acid into lactic acid.

25
Q

What is malolactic fermentation?

A

Process in winemaking where tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grapes, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid.

26
Q

Which is less intense: Lactic acid or malic acid?

A

Lactic acid. But it is not found naturally in grapes, it is created by malolactic fermentation.

27
Q

Which is found naturally in grapes: Malic Acid or Lactic Acid?

A

Malic acid.

28
Q

What is acetic acid?

A

Acid of vinegar.

29
Q

What is the most volatile type of acid commonly found in wine?

A

Acetic acid, readily joins the aromas of wine.

30
Q

What are the two numbers used to describe the acidity of wine?

A

(1) Total Acidity (TA), and (2) pH

31
Q

What is total acidity (TA)?

A

Volume of all acids found in wine.

32
Q

What does pH calculate?

A

Calculates the combined STRENGTH of acids presenting wine. The lower the pH, the stronger the acids.

33
Q

What is the typical range for acidity strength in wine?

A

2.9 and 3.8 on pH scale.

34
Q

What is Succinic acid?

A

Acid found in wine and common by-product of normal alcohol fermentation.

35
Q

How is citric acid sometimes found in wine?

A

Added to increase total acidity, as it is not commonly found in grapes.

36
Q

How much sugar is typically found in grapes?

A

15-28 percent sugar at harvest.

37
Q

What are the two types of sugar commonly found in grapes?

A

Glucose and Fructose.

38
Q

What converts sugar to alcohol?

A

Yeast.

39
Q

What is the average recognition threshold for sugar?

A

Around 1%

40
Q

What are the most important compounds in wine concerning the chemical construction/destruction process?

A

Carbohydrates, or compounds containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

41
Q

What are other common terms for phenolic compounds?

A

Phenolics, polyphenolics, or polyphenols.

42
Q

What are anthocyanins?

A

Phenolic compounds. Give wine blue, purple or red color. Change with acidity level, redder in more acidic wines and blue in less acidic ones.

43
Q

If a wine is more blue, it may be an indicator of what AND due to what compound?

A

Indicates that wine may be less acidic, due to phenolic compound - Anthocyanins.

44
Q

Name three commonly phenolics found in wine.

A
Anthocyanins
Flavones
Tannins
Vanillin
Resveratol
45
Q

What are flavones?

A

Yellow pigments found in white wine.

46
Q

What are tannins?

A

Astringent or bitter compounds found in skin, seeds or stems that form the backbone to wine structure of big red wines. Also prevent oxidation.

47
Q

What compounds commonly helps prevent oxidation in red wines?

A

Tannin

48
Q

What is vanillin?

A

Phenolic compound. Aromatic compound in oak that imparts vanilla odor.

49
Q

What is resveratol?

A

Phenolic compound believed to have beneficial health effects.

50
Q

What are aldehydes?

A

Less common phenolic compound, formed when wine is exposed to air.

Commonly used in making sherry or maderia.

51
Q

What are esters?

A

Molecules result from joining acid and alcohol. Largest group of odiferous compounds in wine.

52
Q

What are the most common dissolved gases found in wine?

A

Oxygen and carbon dioxide.

53
Q

What is common problem associated with presence of dissolved oxygen?

A

Oxidation.

54
Q

What are sulfites.

A

Less common phenolic compound. Importance preservative.

55
Q

What phenolic compound is commonly associated with preservation?

A

Sulfites. Some people sensitive, so wines destined for US with more than 10 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur dioxide required to place warning on label.