Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

WSET 4 > D18: Red Wine Making > Flashcards

D18: Red Wine Making Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
WSET ® Level 1 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 1 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Spirits flashcards WSET® Level 4 Wine flashcards
1
Q

What do most choices for red winemaking focus on?

A

Extraction from skin of :

  • anthocyanins
  • tannins
  • flavours

The levels and nature of these components have significant influence on style of wine. Want to ensure everything is in balance and don’t cause over-extraction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What four factors affect extraction?

A

Temperature

Skin contact

management of skins and juice

medium in which extraction takes place

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What impact does temperature have on extraction of ATFs?

A

higher temps = greater extraction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What impact does skin contact have on extraction of ATFs?

A

longer time spent on skins = greater extraction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What impact does management of skins and juice have on extraction of ATFs?

A

the more the skins are mixed through juice = greater extraction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What impact does the medium in which extraction takes place have on extraction of ATFs?

A
  • tannins most soluble in alcoholic solutions (wine)

- anthocyanins most soluble in aqueous solutions (grape must)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are anthocyanins?

A

Source of colour in young red wines

  • not stable single molecules
  • colour can be altered or lost during certain aspects of winemaking (lees, addition of SO2)
  • become stable when combined with tannins
  • need oxygen to facilitate this reaction
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why do you want to encourage some oxygen exposure during the red winemaking process?

A
  • want processes that encourage gentle oxygenation of wine

- helps promote colour stability

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the link between anthocyanins, oxygen and colour?

A
  • anthocyanins and anthocyanin-tannin compounds change over time
  • wine starts to pale and changes from ruby to brown
  • change is slower for anthocyanin-tannin compounds than anthocyanins
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Why might you chill red wine grapes during transportation and grape reception?

A
  • phenolics in skins of black grapes makes them less vulnerable to oxidation than white grapes
  • chilling helps slow down oxidation and microbial spoilage
  • may also chill grapes if cold soaking is planned
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Most red wine is made by…

A

destemming and crushing fruit before fermentation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What maceration options does a winemaker have before fermentation starts?

A
  • cold soaking

- maceration using heat (flash detente or thermovinification)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why might a winemaker chose to do a pre-fermentation maceration?

A
  • want to extract COLOUR and FLAVOUR but NO TANNINS
  • anthocyanins soluble in both must and wine
  • tannins only soluble in alcoholic liquids so can’t be extracted at this point
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Describe the process of cold soaking

A
  • cold maceration or pre-ferm maceration
  • juice and skins chilled to 4-10 degrees
  • reduces rate of oxidation, microbial spoilage and spontaneous fermentation
  • lasts 3 - 7 days
  • usually some pumping over/punching down to mix skins and juice, and aid extraction
  • avoids growth of spoilage microbes that need oxygen (acetic acid bacteria) on top of cap skins
  • gentle technique - ONLY FOR PREM WINES
  • cold temps = slow extraction which can be easily monitored and controlled
  • Pinot Noir tends to use this to improve colour as has low levels of anthocyanins
  • cost involved as requires energy to chill the wine and takes up space and time in the winery
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Give an example of wine which would routinely undergo pre-ferm maceration/cold soaking

A

Premium Pinot Noir

helps improve the colour as it has low levels of anthocyanins

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Why would you choose to do a maceration using heat?

A

higher temps = greater extraction

- extract higher levels of anthocyanins and flavours quickly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What two options do you have for pre-ferm maceration using heat?

A
  • flash detente

- thermovinification

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is ‘flash detente’

A
  • pre-ferm maceration using heat
  • destemmed grapes quickly heated to 85-90 degrees
  • rapidly cooled under a vacuum
  • takes about 2 mins (reduces chance of ‘cooked’ flavours developing
  • process bursts cells in grape skins so allows for rapid extraction of anthocyanins and flavours
  • v expensive to buy so only used in high-volume wineries where large amount justifies cost
  • can be a treatment for smoke taint
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is thermovinification?

A
  • pre-ferm maceration using heat
  • heat must to 50-60 degrees
  • time can be several minutes to several hours
  • higher the temp, shorter the maceration
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the pros and cons of using thermovinification and flash detente?

A
  • juice may be pressed off skins before ferm if a low tannin, fruity style desired
  • can cause issues with colour instability (not enough tannins to bind with anthocyanins to form stable compounds)
  • only used for inexpensive/mid-range wines that will be consumed quickly post-production
  • can be used as blending component in higher quality wines (gives juice and fruit to final wine)
  • juice could just be fermented for period of time on skins if need more tannins
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What style of wine does thermovinification and flash detente suit?

A
  • both methods are good if wine has been affected by botrytis as high temps denature oxidative enzymes (LACCASE) produced by rot
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Why do cap management for red wine?

A
  • important to mix skins with juice or wine during fermentation
  • mixing disturbs the juice and skins so that juice which hasn’t been saturated with colour, flavour, tannins would come into contact with skins
  • helps promote extraction
  • don’t want cap to dry out
  • helps distribute heat produced during ferm so good for temp monitoring and control
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How do choices made regarding cap management have an influence on the style of the final wine?

A

1) different techniques for mixing skins with liquid
2) frequency of mixing and duration of mixing
3) timing of mixing influences what compounds are extracted - at start: more colour, less tannins; at end: greater tannin extraction

24
Q

What impact does temperature have on cap management?

A
  • warmer ferms extract more than cooler ferms
  • temp controlled vessels allow for adjustment during ferm process
  • can reduce tannin extraction by cooling temp at point where tannins most likely to be extracted
25
Q

What are the five cap management techniques a winemaker can use?

A
  • punching down
  • pumping over
  • rack and return
  • Ganimede Tanks
  • rotary fermenters
26
Q

Cap Management

Describe punching down

A
  • plunger is used to submerge the cap in the liquid
  • carried out by hand or by mechanical plunger
  • labour intensive if done by hand so better suited to low volume prem wines
  • gentle process - also called pigeage in French
27
Q

Cap Management

Describe Pumping Over

A
  • juice/wine taken from bottom of vessel and sprayed over cap of skins
  • about 1/3 to 1/2 of liquid is pumped and sprayed over
  • extracts colour, tannins and flavour from cap on skins as it passes through
  • gentle extraction as doesn’t break cap

- do need to do rack and return or punch down as well to help extract enough CFT*

  • can be done aerobically by splashing wine into new container and pumping it from there over cap of skins.
  • Is some oxygen exposure which can be good for yeast health and removing unwanted aromas
  • can do this anaerobically in closed vessel
  • mainly used on all black varieties
  • done in most wineries as equipment already there and can pre-programme tanks to do this at certain points in the day which reduces need for labour
  • french call it remontage
28
Q

Cap Management

Describe Rack and Return

A
  • juice pumped from one vessel to another
  • as juice is pumped out, cap of skins falls down vessel
  • the juice is them pumped from the new vessel in through the top of the original vessel and sprayed over the skins
  • breaks up the cap, mixes the juice and skins thoroughly
  • more extractive than other two methods
  • only done 1-3 times during ferm, alongside punching down/pumping over
  • used for red wines where want med to high levels of CFT
  • not fully automated so need labour to set up and monitor
  • also requires clean, free vessel which might not be possible
  • French - delestage
29
Q

Cap Management

Describe Ganimede Tanks

A
  • specialised tank
  • bubbles CO2 up through must/wine
  • pressure builds up under cap until cap bursts
  • breaks cap quickly and is quite extractive and suited to producing wines with medium/high CFT
  • new technique but becoming more common as can be fully automated and is less labour intensive than R&R
  • more expensive tanks than stainless steel
  • can use oxygen rather than CO2 if want higher exposure to oxygen during fermentation
30
Q

Cap Management

Describe Rotary Fermenters

A
  • horizontal, closed, stainless steel tanks
  • whole tank rotates and internal blades break up cap and ensure adequate mixing
  • horizontal orientation increases surface area between skins and juice
  • effective at extracting and best suited to production of wines with med/high levels of CFT
  • can be programmed to rotate at certain times
  • mainly for inexpensive/mid-priced wines
  • quite expensive tanks so common in larger volume wineries
31
Q

What are two other possible maceration options?

A
  • must concentration

- co-fermentation

32
Q

What is must concentration?

other maceration option

A
  • levels of CFT can be increased by drawing off some juice after crushing and before start of ferment
  • this concentrates remaining must
  • lowering volume of red wine so does have price implications
  • juice that has been removed is light in CFT so can be used to make rose (saignee)
33
Q

What is co-fermentation?

other maceration option

A
  • process of fermenting different grape varieties together in same vessel
  • commonly refers to practice of fermenting small proportion of white grapes within red wine ferm
  • takes advantage of phenolic compounds in white grapes which can increase colour and stability
  • can also give some aroma compounds
  • adding too much white can cause dilution and lower colour intensity
  • doesn’t really have associated costs
34
Q

What is ‘whole berry/whole bunch’ fermentation?

A
  • can use uncrushed fruit in fermentations
  • whole bunches of whole destemmed grapes
  • either entirety or small portion in crushed fruit fermentation
  • for whole bunches, must be hand-harvested
  • no real cost implication
35
Q

What is the objective of ‘whole berry/whole bunch’ fermentation?

A
  • create oxygen free environment for uncrushed fruit
  • grapes change from aerobic respiration to anaerobic metabolism
  • anaerobic process = some sugar in grapes convert to alcohol
  • occurs without involvement of any yeast and called INTRACELLULAR FERMENTATION
  • malic acid broken down to create ethanol
  • reduces malic acid levels by up to 50%, lowering total acidity and raising pH of must/wine
  • glycerol levels increase, adding texture and some distinctive aromas (kirsch, banana, bubblegum, cinnamon)
36
Q

Discuss the impact of stems for whole bunch fermentation

A
  • stems need to be fully ripe
  • adds flavours: ‘spicy’, ‘herbal’
  • can add some tannins
  • unripe stems = green flavours and bitter tannins
  • can add stems to crushed fruit fermentations to provide tannins and spicy flavours
  • dont really add stems to wines naturally high in tannins
37
Q

Describe the process of carbonic maceration

A
  • whole, uncrushed bunches into vessels filled with CO2 (so no oxygen)
  • INTRACELLULAR FERMENTATION begins
  • once level of alcohol of grape reaches 2%, grape skins start to split and grapes release their juice
  • juice is drained and grapes pressed at this stage to separate juice from skins
  • free run juice and press juice are blended
  • yeast then completes ferm off skins
38
Q

What are the benefits of carbonic maceration?

A
  • method extracts colour but little tannin
  • wines typically have low tannin but distinctive notes of kirsch, banana, bubblegum, cinnamon as result of intracellular fermentation
  • don’t really have any oak exposure so costs kept low
39
Q

What styles of wine are typically associated with carbonic maceration?

A
  • fruity, low tannin wines
  • best drunk in year after harvest
  • famous for Beaujolais Nouveau
40
Q

What does semi-carbonic maceration involve?

A
  • does not involve filling a vessel with CO2
  • vessel filled with whole bunches
  • grapes at bottom crushed under weight of grapes above and some juice is released
  • ambient yeast starts to ferment juice
  • fermentation produces CO2 which fills vessel and remaining intact grapes undergo carbonic maceration
  • intact grapes split and release juice, grapes are pressed and yeast completes fermentation off skins
  • if want more concentration, body and tannins and have longer ageing capacity, alcoholic fermentation may continue on skins and involve some punching down/pumping over
  • decreasing amount of carbonic maceration takes place until all grapes are broken up
  • alcoholic ferm may be followed by post-ferm maceration and/or maturation in oak to add complexity (Cost implications here!)
  • can have better integration of aromas so wines are more fruity, have softer mouthfeel than crushed fruit fermentations
41
Q

What styles of wine would semi-carbonic maceration suit?

A
  • good for some styles of Pinot Noir, Malbec, Tempranillo, Gamay and Carignan
42
Q

What are the benefits of doing whole berries/bunches with crushed fruit and what is the process?

A
  • mixing whole berries/bunches with crushed grapes in fermenting vessel at start of fermentation
  • if whole bunches used, need to ensure stems are ripe
  • bunches/berries submerged by crushed grapes and kept away from O2 so INTRACELLULAR FERM takes place
  • can get more carbonic characteristics by raising percentage of whole berries/bunches
  • berries/bunches progressively crushed during fermentation as cap is regularly punched down
  • may undergo some post-erm mac or oak maturation may follow
  • generally thought to give smoother texture and more vibrant/fresh aromas
43
Q

What is the impact of temperature on fermentation?

A
  • higher temps promote extraction
  • warm temps can cause volatile, fruity aromas to evaporate
  • need to strike a balance between the two
  • temps can be controlled throughout fermentation process to increase or reduce extraction of certain compounds and help ferment to dryness
44
Q

What temperature would you choose to ferment a fruity, low tannin wine?

A

cooler temp fermentation

- 20 degrees

45
Q

What temperature would you choose to ferment a wine with greater tannins, concentration and ability to age?

A

warmer temp fermentation

- 30 degrees

46
Q

Fermenting wines in stainless steel or concrete helps…

A

retain fruit flavours

** can be open at top (good for extraction techniques) or can be closed

47
Q

Fermenting wines in wooden tanks…

A
  • can be large or small
  • small oak (225 - 500L) sometimes used
  • barrels kept on side with one of heads removed to form small, open-top fermenter
  • difficult to manage fermentation in these and very labour intensive
  • typically limited to prem and super-prem production
  • does give wine with rounder mouthfeel and better integration of oak during maturation
48
Q

Post Fermentation Maceration

A
  • can leave wine macerating on grape skins for some time (from few days to few weeks) after fermentation
  • thought to further extract tannins and encourage polymerisation of tannins
  • aiming to improve tannin structure and texture and wines ageing potential
  • mainly for prem and super-prem wines as well as very good and outstanding wines that are intended for ageing
  • takes up tank space and time so not possible for high-vol, inexpensive wines
49
Q

Pressing the Wine

A
  • separates wine from skins and takes place when no more extraction is desired
  • don’t need to protect wine from oxidation so don’t need to flush equipment with inert gases
  • free run wine drained from fermentation vessel and grape skins then removed for pressing
  • press wine mixed with free run wine as blending component to add extract CFT

** timing of pressing is variable and depends on style of wine produced

50
Q

When might pressing take place if a wine has undergone carbonic maceration?

A

Carbonic Maceration:
- pressing may occur when fermenting must reaches 2% and produces wine with medium colour and fruity flavours but low tannins

Other wines pressed after period of post-ferm mac to maximise tannin structure of wines

Can also press after alc fermentation is complete, or press just before end of alcoholic fermentation to allow wine to finish fermenting in barrels (better integration of oak flavour and rounder mouthfeel)

51
Q

What is the role of MLC in red wine production?

A
  • routinely carried out for red wines
  • winemaker can choose vessel where MLC occurs
  • in oak, can lead to better integration of oak characteristics during maturation
  • can decide whether to encourage MLC to occur during alcoholic fermentation or whether should take place after ferm has ended
  • MLC decreases acididty and increases pH of wine
  • possible to adjust acidity of wine as necessary
  • can also reduce alcohol of wine at this stage
52
Q

What is the maturation process for ‘inexpensive red wines’?

A
  • likely to be released soon after ermentation for cost and logistical reasons
  • don’t tend to under maturation in barrel
  • can get oak notes through oak alternatives (staves etc)
53
Q

What is the maturation process for ‘mid-market/premium/super-premium reds’?

A
  • likely to spend a few months in oak
  • might use some new oak to enhance complexity of wine
  • gentle oxidation helps soften tannins and develop some tertiary aromas and flavours which enhance complexity and quality
54
Q

Why might a winemaker choose to not mature his wines in oak, and give 3 examples

A
  • some may not have been matured in oak or only undergone minimal ageing in old oak
  • winemaker might want to focus on primary aromas and flavours of wines

Examples

  • Loire Valley Cab Franc
  • Spanish Mencia
  • Argentinian Malbec
  • these are exceptions and majority from this region will be matured in oak
55
Q

What is the process around lees ageing for red wines?

A
  • can help soften tannins in red wines
  • can reduce colour intensity
  • racking used to separate wine from lees and controls amount of lees present in vessel throughout maturation process
  • not typical to keep gross lees nor stir lees when making red wines

WSET 4 (17 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions