Dessert Wine

Question 1

How dessert wines are made?

Answer 1

The world’s greatest unfortified dessert wines result from an increase in natural sugar content through
dehydration and/or prolonged ripening.

Question 2

Different techniques to produce Dessert Wines

Answer 2

Late Harves
Dried Grapes
Botrytis Affected grapes
Frozen Grapes

Question 3

Late Harvest

Answer 3

The simplest technique of concentrating sugars is simply to leave the
grapes on the vine! Many dessert wines are the product of late-harvested grapes. Grapes that hang on
the vine may become subject to natural dehydration or botrytis, or they may remain pure.

Question 4

Dried Grapes

Answer 4

Most European cultures maintain some tradition of partially drying grapes after
harvest, shriveling berries prior to fermentation. This ancient tradition is strongest today in Italy, where
it is responsible for passito and recioto styles throughout the country

Question 5

Botrytis-Affected Grapes

Answer 5

In humid climates, grapes destined for sweet wines may be attacked by
a beneficial mold, Botrytis cinerea, which dehydrates the grape and concentrates sugars.

Question 6

Frozen Grapes

Answer 6

Grapes are literally frozen, on or off the vine, to decrease water content and increase
sugar and other soluble solids.

Question 7

Dessert wines classification based on sugar content

Answer 7

• Medium Sweet: 60-125 g/l
• Sweet: 125-175 g/l
• Luscious: 175 g/l or more

Question 8

What is a Sauternes?

Answer 8

Botrytis affected wine

Question 9

Sauternes grapes

Answer 9

Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle

Question 10

Where is Sauternes from?

Answer 10

Bordeaux, France

Question 11

How the botrytis grow and attack the grapes?

Answer 11

Sauternes lies at the conflux of
the Ciron and Garonne Rivers, where humid autumns provide a
perfect incubator for noble rot.

Question 12

Sauternes flavors

Answer 12

Flavors of vanilla and toast mingle
with botrytis aromas of ginger and honey, and the wines are golden
in color with lush, tropical and stone fruit characteristics.

Question 13

Where is Tokaj from?

Answer 13

Hungary

Question 14

What are the grapes of Tokaj?

Answer 14

Furmint

Question 15

Is Tokaj can be affected by Botrytis?

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

How is Tokaj produced?

Answer 16

The classic sweet wines of Tokaj, producers mix batches of botrytis-affected, syrupy grape must known as
aszú with dry base wines to create the final product. Historically, these wines have been labeled by 3-6
puttonyos to indicate increasing levels of sweetness. (A puttony is a traditional container for aszú grapes.)

Question 17

What are the differences between Sauternes and Tokaj?

Answer 17

Unlike Sauternes, Tokaj wines are usually aged in used oak barrels rather than new wood, and traditional
Tokaji is more dramatically oxidative in youth.

Question 18

How icewine is made?

Answer 18

Unlike botrytis wines, in which winemakers pray for noble rot to permeate their vineyards, icewine fruit
remain totally clean and unblemished into the early winter. Icewine—Eiswein in Germany—is harvested
at night in late November, December or January, when the fruit is partially frozen. Under bitterly cold temperatures,
the grapes are quickly crushed and pressed when the liquid content is still icy slush. Much like
the concentrating effect of botrytis, this technique reduces the relative amount of water in the must,
allowing the winemaker to produce a sweet, decadent wine—but without the flavor-changing impact of
botrytis.

Question 19

Is Icewine affected by botrytis like Sauternes?

Answer 19

no

Question 20

What are the main grapes used for Icewine?

Answer 20

Riesling and Vidal

Question 21

How cold must be in order to produce icewine?

Answer 21

Provincial law in Ontario requires the icewine harvest to occur in
temperatures of -8° C or below.

Question 22

What is the Italian Passito style?

Answer 22

Italian passito wines usually result from grapes dried indoors for a period of 1-2 months after harvest,
according to the requirements of individual appellations. Overall, however, these wines are
basically categorized as follows: red or white; and fresh, fruity, and primary or oxidative, caramelized,
and complex.