D4 Sparkling Wine Flashcards
Most common temperature for primary fermentation
14-20 °C
Why are buttery aromas not present after malo?
Diacetyl produced by malo is metabolized by yeast during second fermentation
French term for secondary fermentation
Prise de mousse
Parts of liqueur de tirage
wine/must sugar cultured yeast yeast nutrients clarifying agent (bentonite or alginate)
Temperature for secondary ferment
10-12°C
cooler ferment = more complexity
Length of second fermentation (traditional)
4-6 weeks
Temperature during lees ageing
around 10 °C
When is autolysis starting to be noticeable?
after 15-18 months
How long does autolysis continues
for 4-5 years on average
French name for riddling
Remuage
Explain Maillard reaction
Sugar reacts with compounds formed during yeast autolysis
roasted, toasted vanilla aromas
Explain Ancestral method
Partly fermented must is put into bottles and remaining sugar is converted into alcohol and CO2
Tank method:
1) temperature to stop fermentation
2) temperature to stabilize wine
1) 2-4°C
2) -2°C
How are wines made by tank method filled into bottles
Through counter-pressure filler
First fills bottle with CO2 under pressure. The bottle is then filled with chilled wine replacing the CO2
EU Sweetness levels
Brut Nature/Bruto Natural/Naturherb/Zéro dosage 0-3 g/L
(no dosage added)
Extra Brut/Extra Bruto/Extra Herb 0-6 g/L
Brut/Bruto/Herb 0-12 g/l
Extra-Sec/Extra Dry/Extra Trocken 12-17 g/l
Sec/Secco/Seco/Dry/Trocken 17-32 g/l
Demi-Sec/Semi-Seco/Medium-Dry/Abboccato/Halbtrocken 32-50 g/l
Doux/Dulce/Sweet/Mild 50+
Factors affecting the mousse
- Amount of sugar available to be turned into alcohol and CO2
- The capacity of CO2 to be dissolved in wine (depends on grape variety and health of the grapes – botrytis reduces amount of bubble formation)
- The length of time on the lees = more lees ageing less but longer lasting bubbles
- How well the disgorgement process is carried out
- Time in the bottle and type of the closure
- The size and shape of glasses, temperature of the wine and how the wine is served
Champagne - ways to produce rosé
Rosé d’assemblage = blending red wine with white
Rosé de saignee = skin maceration of black grapes
AOC in Champagne for still wines
AOC Coteaux Champenois (still red, rosé or white)
AOC Rosé des Riceys (rosé from Pinot Noir)
When were the current Champagne boundaries established
1927
Name of Champagne rating system for villages
Échelle des Crus
Soils in Champagne
Chalky soils with limestone subsoil and chalk
Porous and store water well
5 Champagne sub-regions
- Montagne de Reims
- Vallée de la Marne
- Côte des Blancs
- Côte de Sézanne
- Côte des Bar
Montagne de Reims
- Known for black grapes (GC Mailly, Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay, Bouzy = on chalky soils)
- Wide plateau, top villages facing north (but more frost prone)
- Very high acidity, austere in youth
Vallée de la Marne
- Mainly Meunier on clay, marl and sand (fruity), early drinking style Chardonnay
- Frost prone valley (Meunier buds latest)
- GC Aÿ
Côte des Blancs
- 95% Chardonnay – purest form of chalk
- GC Cramant, Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
- Great intensity and longevity but austere in youth
Côte de Sézanne
- Continuation of Côte des Blancs, mostly clay and silt with pockets of chalk
- Mostly Chardonnay (fruitier, riper, lower quality)
Côte des Bar
- Large area in the south, ¼ planted with Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian calcareous marls
- Steep slopes, stony limestone with excellent drainage
- Ripe PN for non-vintage blends
Champagne grape varieties
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Meunier
Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Fromenteau
Planting density in Champagne
Max inter-row spacing of 1,5m
Max intra-row spacing of 0,9-1,5m
Max total spacing never reaching more than 2,5m
Density of around 8.000 vines per ha
Max number of fruiting buds per square meter in Champagne
18
Champagne training systems
- Taille Chablis
• Best for Chardonnay, 3-4 cordons (up to 5), at the end of each cordon is a spur with up to 5 buds.
• Form of spur pruning, retaining large proportion of permanent wood (protects against frost)
• Spurs must be trained to a max. 0,6 m above ground (fruit gets benefit of solar energy reflection) - Cordon du Royat
• For Pinot Noir and Meunier
• Single cordon that is spur-pruned, shoots are vertically positioned - Guyot (single or double)
• Replacement cane system with VSP, permitted in lesser-rated vineyards - Vallée de la Marne
• Similar do Guyot but with higher number of buds (used much less now)
Upper EU limit for harvest (sparkling wine)
15.500 kg/ha
what is ‘marc’
Traditional unit loaded into basket press
4000 kg of grapes
Champagne fractions
Cuvée – first 2.050 l (per 4,000 kg of grapes) = free run juice
Rich in acidity, great finesse, long ageing potential
Taille – 500 l
Lower acidity, richer colour and phenolics, to make more expressive young wines
Higher proportion in NV
Max alcohol in Champagne
13% abv
Max yield in Champagne
79 hl/ha
can potentially be raised to 98% and surplus put into reserves
What is ‘perpetual reserve’
Proportion of wine is drawn off every year for blending and replaced by younger wine
Number of GC and Premier Crus in Champagne
Échelle des crus
– 17 GC
– 42 Premier cru
– 257 other villages
(status applies to the whole village)
Champagne average yield in last decade
10,500 kg/ha
Average price of 1 kg of grapes in Champagne
6,10 euro
1,2 kg of grapes needed for one bottle
Common features of Crémant wines:
Whole bunch pressing (hand harvesting)
Max yield at pressing 100 l per 150 kg of grapes
Min 9 months sur lie ageing
Min 12 months maturation between tirage and release (including the 9mths sur lie)
Max 13% abv
Min 4 atmospheres of pressure
Crémant d’Alsace grape varieties:
6
Pinot Blanc (20%) Auxerrois Chardonnay (1% Crémant only) Riesling (used more for still wines) Pinot Gris Pinot Noir
(Gewurz and Muscat not permitted)
Max yield for Crémant d’Alsace
80 hl/ha
Growers in Alsace must declare in:
July
Alsace winemaking
often chaptalized
single vintage usually
short time on lees (12 months)
Mainly brut
Rose by short maceration (12-24h)
Crémant d’Alsace Emotion
Prestige category launched in 2012 (so far not very popular)
Min 75% Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (separately or together)
Min 24 months on lees
Crémant de Bourgogne max yield
75 hl/ha
Producers in Burgundy must declare in:
before the end of March
Burgundy grape varieties:
7
Gamay Pinot Gris Pinot Blanc Pinot Noir Aligoté Chardonnay Melon
Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc requirements
min 30% Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris
Max 20% of Gamay
Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noirs requirements
Pinot Noir only
Crémant de Bourgogne Eminent
Additional ageing on lees of min 24 months
Crémant de Bourgogne Grand Eminent
For whites: only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
For rosé: 20% of Gamay is allowed
Vintage is optional but commonly used
Min 36 months of lees ageing and then min 3 months in the bottle before release
Brut designation only
Soils in Loire
Wide range – clay-limestone, flint-clay, sand, gravel and tuff
o More schist and limestone in Anjou
o More chalk in Touraine
Loire grape varieties (8) and requirements about blends
Chenin Blanc (mainly) Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Grolleau Noir Grolleau Gris Pineau d’Aunis Pinot Noir Chardonnay
Max 30% of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis in blend (together or separately)
Loire max yield
74 hl/ha
Loire needs to declare in:
July
Use of reserve wine in Loire
Common only for premium wines
Prestige de Loire
2018 White only (made from Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir)
Min 24 months on lees
Must be vintage-dated and in Brut style (including Brut Nature and Extra Brut)
Producers must achieve set of environmental standards (sustainable viti within 5 years)
Saumur Mousseaux
Min 60% Chenin Blanc (up to 10% Sauvignon Blanc)
Rosé must be min 60% Cabernet Franc (and up to 10% Sauvignon Blanc)
Mechanical harvest allowed and more juice can be extracted (100 litres from 130 kilos)
67 hl/ha max
Vouvray Mousseaux
Chenin Blanc dominant (must make up majority), only other permitted variety is Orbois
Can be machine harvested and can have more juice extracted than Crémant
Tiny production of Vouvray Pétillant (lightly sparkling) and growing Pet Nat
65 hl/ha max
Cataluna Cava regions
- Penedès
- Lleida
- Tarragona
Penedès soils
Coastal vineyards
o Alluvial and clay soils
High altitude vineyards (200-300m but up to 800m)
o More granite sub-soils, poorer, higher acidity and more flavour, more ageing potential
Macabeo
Typically lower vineyards – 100-300m
Late budding, first to be picked, high yielding
Susceptible to botrytis and bacterial blight (warm, moist conditions, no cure)
Light intensity apple and lemon
Xarel-lo
Typically plated at sea level and up to 400m
Mid-budding and ripening
Susceptible to powdery and downy mildew (otherwise good disease resistance)
Greengage and gooseberry, herbal (fennel), can become earthy when over-ripe, can be oaked
Parellada
Typically higher sites (500m), susceptible to powdery mildew
Lowest yielding (needs long season to keep alcohol low), early budding, latest ripening
Adds finesse and floral notes
Black Cava varieties
Garnacha Tinta
Trepat (from Tarragona)
Pinot Noir
Monastrell
Max yield Cava
kg/ha + hl/ha
12.000 kg/ha
80 hl/ha
with limit of 100l from 150kg of grapes
Cava planting density
1500-3500 vines/ha
Cava training
bush vines or single/double cordon
Cava Rosado requirements
min 25% of black grapes
made by contact with skins (no blending allowed)
Malo in Cava
usually prevented
Cava ageing requirements and sweetness
Cava - 9 months on lees
Cava Reserva - 15 months
Cava Gran Reserva - 30 months
- Brut or lower only
Cava registers
Growers
Producers of base wine
Storekeepers of base wine
Cava producers
Cava de Paraje Calificado (2017)
Single estate or vineyard Cava – own grapes, estate produced and bottled.
Min 10 yo vines
Max production 8.000 kg/ha, 48 hl/ha after pressing
Cannot be acidified
Min ageing 36 months
Brut or lower
Corpinnat
Traditional method with 100% organic grapes grown in Penedès
Harvested by hand, vinified entirely on the premises of the winery.
90% of grapes must be approved local varieties
3 categories of ageing on lees – 18, 30 and 60 months
Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja (2019)
Must be hand harvested, traditional method
3 tiers:
- Crianza (min 15 months on lees)
- Reserva (min 24 months)
- Gran Añada (min 36 months)
Proportion of tank method wine in Italy
96% of production
Italian wine classification based on level of pressure
Spumante – min 3 bar
Frizzante – 1-2,5 bar
Prosecco DOCG names
Asolo (2%) Conegliano Valdobbiadene (16%)
for both ‘Superiore’ can be added and ‘Prosecco’ omitted
Glera
Previously called Prosecco. Name was changed so defined area could be protected (to prevent other regions from using it)
Vigorous, semi-aromatic, often very high yields
Susceptible to millerandage, powdery and downy mildew, drought, grapevine yellows
First two buds do not bear much fruit (trained long, vertically trellised dystems with 8-12 buds)
Low to medium planting density (3.000 vines/ha)
Prosecco planting density
low to medium
3000 vines/ha
Prosecco training, pruning, trellising
- Sylvoz
• High cordon system with shoots that hang downwards
• Suited to high vigour sites with aim for high yields, encourages over-cropping (req. trimming of canopy to avoid excess shading)
• Inexpensive to create, minimises winter pruning, suitable for machine harvesting
• Height provides some protection from frost - Double-arched cane
• Form of replacement cane pruning, canes are bent into arches
• Improves even growth and fruitfulness of Glera and increases ventilation
• Very common on hillsides – for high quality fruit
• Individual branches need to be tied by hand, canopy needs to be thinned - Guyot
• Used on flatter land for machine worked vineyards
Prosecco harvest
Grapes for Rive, Cartizze and ‘sui lieviti’ must be hand harvested
Prosecco malo
blocked
Prosecco ageing requirement
none
Prosecco adjustment of sweetness
Traditionally wines were bottled without final adjustment of sweetness
But allowed since 2014
Prosecco Charmat Lungo
min 9 months on lees
Prosecco Col Fondo
since 2020 sui lieviti
dry, frizzante style
‘rifermentazione in bottiglia’ must appear on label
Prosecco grape and vintage requirements
min 85% Glera
85% of grapes must conform to vintage on label
Max yields Prosecco
Prosecco DOC – max 125 hl/ha
Prosecco DOCG – max 94,5 hl/ha
o If ‘Rive’ is mentioned – 90 hl/ha
o Superiore di Cartizze DOCG – 85 hl/ha
Superiore di Cartizze DOCG
Single vineyard (108 ha) in Valdobbiadene, lower yield (85hl/ha), only spumante style
Regarded as highest quality area, fuller body and normally RS higher than Brut
Word Prosecco can be omitted
Rive + village/vineyard
Must be hand harvested
Lower max yield (90hl/ha)
must be vintage dated
Prosecco sweetness levels
DOC - Brut nature to Demi sec
DOCG Extra Brut to Demi sec
Asti max yield
75 hl/ha for tank method
Asti density and training systems
medium density
Guyot with VSP
Asti winemaking
Two separate phases
1st – production, clarification and filtration of the must, followed by chilling (2-3°C) and storage (up to 2 years)
2nd – single fermentation when required
Low temperatures – 16-18°C, neutral cultured yeast
Malo is prevented
Sugar converted to CO2 comes from must
First CO2 is released through valve, later captured (RS and pressure is calculated)
Fermentation is stopped by rapid chilling, filtering under pressure
Asti DOCG requirements
alcohol min 6%, no max
usually around 100 g/l RS
Zero dosage to Dolce (usually 12 g/l and above)
Asti Methodo Classico must be aged 9 months on lees and Dolce
Moscato d’Asti DOCG
Must be 4,5% - 6,5%
RS usually around 130g/l
Must not exceed 2,5 bars (frizzante only)
Lambrusco soils
Alluvial, mainly clay and silt
Good water-holding capacity (prone to compaction)
High fertility
Irrigation used
Lambrusco training
Cordon (like Sylvoz) or Geneva Double Curtain
High yield aim
Lambrusco varieties, DOCs and yields
- Lambrusco Salamino
• DOC Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce (min 85% of Salamino, max yield 133 hl/ha) - Lambrusco Grasparossa
• DOC Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro (min 85% of Grasparossa, max yield 126 hl/ha) - Lambrusco di Sorbara
• DOC Lambrusco di Sorbara (min 60% of Sorbara; max 126 hl/ha) - DOC Reggiano Lambrusco (or Reggiano DOC)
• Max yield 126 - DOC Lambrusco di Modena (or Modena DOC)
• Max yield 161 hl/ha
Time on skins Lambrusco
1-2 days (high level of anthocyanins, low tannin aim)
3-4 days for Grasparossa fuller bodied wines
Lambrusco malo
blocked usually
Lenght of fermentation Lambrusco
2 weeks for frizzante
month for spumante
Min alcohol Lambrusco
10,5% for frizzante
11% for spumante
However amabile or dolce can have min 7% abv (with potential alcohol of 10,5%)
Sweetness levels lambrusco
Spumante according to EU standards
Frizzante - broader ranges
- secco/asciutto
- abboccato
- amabile
Franciacorta soils
mixed due to glaciers
6 main types which give range of expressions in base wines (for blending)
Franciacorta varieties
Chardonnay (75%)
Pinot Noir
Pinot Blanc
Franciacorta density
min 4,500 vines/ha
training systems Franciacorta
heavy cropping systems prohibited
Cordon spur-pruned or Guyot with replacement cane
Franciacorta winemakeing requirements
must be whole bunch pressed (PN for rose can be destemmed)
min time on lees 18 months
Traditional method only
Mostly vintage wines (but not labelled as such because of ageing req.)
Franciacorta max yield
65 hl/ha
Franciacorta non-vintage
up to 50% Pinot Blanc
min 18 months on lees
Franciacorta Satèn
only white grapes
min 24 months on lees
less sugar at tirage - no more than 5 atmospheres
Brut only
Franciacorta Rosé
min 35% of Pinot Noir
mostly direct pressing or short maceration
(blending permitted)
min 24 months on lees
Franciacorta Millesimato
min 85% of grapes must conform to vintage
min 30 months on lees
Franciacorta Riserva
min 60 months on lees
Franciacorta 3 big producers
Guido Berlucchi
Bellavista
Ca’ del Bosco
Trentodoc varieties
Champagne varieties
Trentodoc training
Guyot or pergola
Trentodoc density
4.500-6.000 vines/ha
sometimes terraced
Trentodoc max yield
105 hl/ha
Trentodoc malo
takes place
Trentodoc ageing requirements
Non-vintage - min 15 months (usually 20-30 months)
Vintage - min 24 months
Riserva - min 36 months (in practise 5-10 years is common)
Trentodoc sweetness levels
Trento & Trento Rosato - Brut Nature - Dolce
Trento Riserva - Brut Nature - Brut
Trentodoc largest producer
Ferrari - 75%
Perlwein
Tank method or carbonation
usually less than 3 atmospheres
Does not attract tax
Often sweeter than Sekt
Sekt
90% of production
Tank method without vintage or grape varieties mentioned
Grapes from Southern Europe
Can be sold 6 months after start of second ferment
Min 90 days on lees (30 if stirred)
Medium acidity and RS
Deutscher Sekt
German fruit
Tank or traditional method
single variety (min 85%) or blend
Region cannot be mentioned
Variations in soil and climate are mainly overridden by blending
Deutscher Sekt bA
‘of defined region’ on the label
Refers to Qualitatswein
Tank or traditional method
Winzersekt
Grower sekt, estate bottled from own grapes
Traditional method only
Min 9 months on lees
Typically Riesling and Brut
Vintage, variety, producer’s name must be on the label
Germany traditional method wines
Mainly Riesling and Champagne varieties
typically go through malo
min ageing on lees 9 months
Mature sweet Riesling may be used for dosage
German wine law - general
min alcohol 10%
min pressure 3,5 atmospheres
vintage or varietal wines must conform to 85%
Transfer method wines min 3 months on lees and released after 9 months
German labelling term for fermentation in the bottle
Klassische Flaschengärung = traditional method
Flaschengärung = transfer method
German large Sekt producers
Rottkäppchen-Mumm
Henkell & Co
Schloss Wachenheim
together 80% of production
Winzersekt producers
Reichsrat
Buhl
Schloss Vaux
VDP Sekt
Fruit must be estate-grown and produced specifically for Sekt
Must be picked early and by hand, whole cluster pressed and traditional method only
2 tiers:
- Min 15 months of ageing on lees
- Min 36 months of ageing on lees, single-vineyard and vintage req.
England site selection
South-facing slopes for maximum of exposure to light
Maximum shelter from prevailing winds (mostly from south-west)
Good drainage is essential – free draining soils or drainage systems installed
Altitude below 125m
England soils
Kent – mostly clay (good water holding capacity and fertile)
Sussex – mostly clay with significant chalk content
Hempshire – significant chalk content (good drainage and low fertility)
Chalk on higher elevation slopes – more finesse, higher acidity and leaner body
England density
medium 4000-5000 vines/ha
England training
Guyot with VSP
narrow rows with canes trained close to ground (heat retention)
Open canopy for air flow
Max and average yield in England
max 80 hl/ha
average 24 hl/ha (double for best sites)
Winemaking in England
Traditional method mostly
Predominantly vintage wines (just building up reserve stock)
Malo widely used
Min 9 months on lees
6 grapes allowed in England PDO
Chardonnay Pinot Noir Meunier Pinot Précoce Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris
England producers
Nyetimber and Wiston Estate
England scope of export
8%
USA regions and their cooling influences (+ producers)
California
- Anderson Valley (Navarro River - fog, Roederer Estate)
- Russian River Valley (Petaluma Gap, Korbel)
- Carneros (San Pablo Bay, Gloria Ferrer - Freixenet, Domaine Carneros - Taittinger)
- Napa Valley
- Edna Valley & Arroyo Grande
- Santa Maria Valley & Sta. Rita Hills
- Lodi
Washington state (Chateau Ste. Michelle)
Oregon (many specialist companies)
USA winemaking
extended lees ageing (av 3 years)
Blending is important
Blanc de Noirs is more common than in Europe (but no regulations)
Custom crush facilities very common
Chile - grape varieties
Chardonnay Pinot Noir Sauvignon Blanc Pais Moscatel
Chile regions leading in sparkling wine
Casablanca San Antonio Limari Curico Bio Bio
Central Valley (inexpensive wines)
Argentina grape varieties
Pedro Giménez (Criolla family) Chardonnay Pinot Noir Chenin Blanc Ugni Blanc Semillon
Argentina winemaking
Carbonation and some flavouring (strawberry)
Tank method
Some traditional wines for premium (such as Baron B Unique)
Argentina wine law
Big boost since 2005 because of removal of domestic 12% tax on sales in return for investment in sparkling wine sector
Méthode Cap Classique requirements
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc, Pinotage
Must be traditional method
Min 3 bars of pressure
Min 12 months of lees ageing (changed from 9 months in 2020)
Acidification is common and malo is a choice
Robertson & Bonnievale
In Breede River Valley
Only regions with limestone soils
Narrow valley warms up slowly in the morning (shade from mountains)
Afternoon breezes
Soils in SA
Shale, clay, decomposed granite
Limestone in Breede River
Méthode Cap Classique proposals for 2 categories
Standard - existing rules
Premium - only Champagne varieties, Chenin and Pinotage, whole bunch press, min 36 months on lees
Sparkling Shiraz
Picked as for still wine and vinified normally incl malo and possible oak ageing
all methods possible (other varieties also possible)
Common to have more than 20g/l RS to balance alcohol and tannin
Usually released after 1-2 years
NZ regions notable for sparkling
Marlborough
Central Otago
Gisbourne (large volumes)
