Describing typical wine styles Flashcards
Bonarda from Argentina (full quality range)
Overall high acid and tannin with deep colour from grapes.
High yield: easy-drinking, medium to deep colour, fruity raspberry and blackberry aromas. E.g. fertile valley floors of La Rioja Province
Controlled yield and fully ripe: greater concentration, structure. E.g. old vine Bonarda in the eastern lower part of Maipú department, San Juan Province.
Malbec from Argentina
Deeply coloured, full-bodied, notes of black fruit, high levels of smooth tannins.
High quality examples: Old Malbec vines at high alt. foothills of the Andes in Luján de Cuyo (Mendoza); Malbec grown in wide diurnal range in Río Negro (Patagonia).
Torrontés from Argentina
Aromatic variety.
Intense fruity, floral perfume, medium body and medium acidity, stone fruits and melon flavours.
Best examples: Higher altitude sites e.g. Cafayate (Salta). Also Uco Valley (Mendoza).
Grüner Veltliner from Austria (full quality range)
High yield: fresh but unexciting
Controlled yield: full-bodied, concentrated, high acidity. In youth has stone fruit or citrus flavours, sometimes hints of white pepper. It develops layers of honey and toast with age.
Welschriesling from Austria
Dry style: fresh and simple, citrus and green apple flavours and high acidity Sweet style (susceptible to botrytis): high-quality dessert wine
Riesling from Austria
Dry and medium to full-bodied, ripe peachy primary fruit. Best examples can mature in bottle.
Zweigelt from Austria
Very deeply coloured, soft tannins, bramble fruit.
Blaufränkisch from Austria
Medium tannins, high acidity, peppery, sour cherry flavour
St Laurent from Austria
Similar to Pinot Noir, and often aged in oak. Can also be blended with Austrian or international varieties.
Kabinett Riesling from Germany
Delicate, light body, high acidity, flavours of green apple or citrus fruit often balanced with some residual sweetness. Note sweet wines have low alcohol 8-9% abv., and drier styles can reach medium alcohol 12% abv.
Spätlese Riesling from Germany
More concentrated citrus and stone fruit (peach or apricot), riper, slightly more body, alcohol, and sometimes sweetness than Kabinett from same region
Auslese Riesling from Germany
Dry or sweet, richer and riper than Spätlese from same region, with character from noble rot playing important part in flavour profile
Beerenauslese (BA) Riesling from Germany
Often has noble rot character (doesn’t always). Sweet, low alcohol, flavours of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel, flowers.
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) Riesling from Germany
Always has noble rot character. Sweet, low alcohol, flavours of honey, dried stone fruit, candied peel, flowers.
Eiswein Riesling from Germany
Finely balanced between acidity and sweetness, retained varietal flavours.
Müller-Thurgau (Rivaner) from Germany
Medium-dry to medium-sweet Qualitätsweine, attractive floral and fruity wine, but rarely of high quality (does not have high acidity and flavour intensity of Riesling).
Silvaner from Germany
Dry and sweet style, less acidic and less overly fruity than Riesling. Can have earthy quality. Can produce high-quality wine if grown in the right sites.
What is the name for Pinot Gris in Germany - made in what sweetness?
Grauburgunder/Ruländer (dry style)
What is the name for Pinot Blanc in Germany - made in what sweetness?
Weißburgunder (dry style)
Spätburgunder from Germany
Dry, can be light and fruity or made in more concentrated style often with oak aromas
Dornfelder from Germany
Deepy coloured
Portugieser, Trollinger, and Schwarzriesling (Meunier) from Germany
Light-bodied, fruity.
Some intensely coloured and flavoured examples with oak.
Mostly Qualitätsweine, consumed domestically.
Dry Furmint from Tokaj
New oaked, concentrated, high acid when young with flavours of apples, develops into nuts and honey with age.
Can be simple and unoaked for early-drinking.
What Hárslevelű contributes to a blend
Perfume
What Sárga Muskotály (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) contributes to a blend
Brings aromatic qualities
Tokaji Szamorodni
Dry style: Shows noble rot character (citrus peel, dried fruit, apricot) and character similar to Fino Sherry due to flor (bready notes).
Sweet style: noble rot character and oxidative character
Modern trend for sweet styles is to show less oxidative character
Tokaji Aszú
Sweet, deep amber, high acidity, intense aromas, flavours of orange peel, apricots and honey. More concentrated and intense as they move up puttonyos sweetness scale
Tokaji Eszencia
Enormously concentrated and sweet, able to mature and retain their freshness for a century or more.
Xinomavro from Naoussa
Similar to Nebbiolo
High acidity, tannin, medium colour that quickly fades to tawny. Lack fresh fruit even in youth.
Agiorgitiko from Nemea
If from hotter slower slopes: fruity wines for early consumption
From higher slopes: higher acidity, less fine tannins, adds freshness to a blend and suited to Rose production
Best examples have ruby colour, high levels of smooth tannins, low to moderate acidity, sweet spice and red fruit flavours. Good affinity for new oak, ages well.
Assyrtiko from Santorini
Dry, perfumed aromas, concentrated flavours of ripe citrus and stone fruit, balanced by naturally high acidity.
Vinsanto: sweet wine from late harvest grapes, luscious, high acidity, older wines have marked oxidative character of caramel and nuts
Premium Argentinian Chardonnay
Range of styles, but typically matured in oak barrels with at least a proportion of new oak.
Uco Valley: high-quality fruit, cool nights at high altitudes.
Premium Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon
Concentrated ripe fruit flavours, usually with toasty notes from oak.
Lower altitude vineyards of Maipú department in Central Mendoza.
Cool nights at high altitudes in Uco Valley in Mendoza.
High quality Argentinian Syrah
San Juan Province
Maipú
Most significant plantings of Chenin Blanc in Argentina
San Rafael department in Southern Mendoza
Varieties with greatest plantings in Argentina
In total: #1 Malbec, #2 Bonarda
White: Pedro Gimenez
Varieties with greatest plantings in Chile
Cabernet Sauvignon: greatest of either colour
Top whites: Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
Varieties with greatest plantings in British Columbia
Merlot, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Riesling in Canada
Fresh, fruity, dry and off-dry white.
Very fine Icewine.
E.g. Niagara Peninsula DVA (Ontario)
Fino Sherry
Pale lemon
Aromas of citrus fruit, almonds, herbs, bready notes, tangy/salty
Consume early
Manzanilla de Sanlucar de Barrameda
Similar to Fino but with more intensely tangy aromas
Oloroso Sherry
Brown
Full-bodied
Pronounced oxidative aromas: toffee, leather, spice, walnut
Very old Oloroso develops astringency (unless blended with younger Sherry wine from solera system)
Amontillado Sherry
Amber or brown
Less full-bodied than Oloroso
Yeasty aromas (fade slightly over time) combined with oxidative aromas
Palo Cortado Sherry
Aroma character of Amontillado, body and richness of Oloroso
PX Sherry
Deep brown
Lusciously sweet (500g/L rs)
Pronounced aromas of dried fruit, coffee, liquorice
Muscat Sherry
Similar to PX i.e. dried fruit, coffee, liquorice but also have varietal citrus peel character
Pale Cream Sherry
Pale lemon (similar appearance to Fino) Rarely have pronounced flor character
Medium Sherry
Shows both oxidative and biological characteristics (e.g. yeast-derived, and toffee/leather/walnut etc. best examples balanced with dried fruit notes of sweet wine)
