Dessert Wine Flashcards
How dessert wines are made?
The world’s greatest unfortified dessert wines result from an increase in natural sugar content through
dehydration and/or prolonged ripening.
Different techniques to produce Dessert Wines
Late Harves
Dried Grapes
Botrytis Affected grapes
Frozen Grapes
Late Harvest
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.
Dried Grapes
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
Botrytis-Affected Grapes
In humid climates, grapes destined for sweet wines may be attacked by
a beneficial mold, Botrytis cinerea, which dehydrates the grape and concentrates sugars.
Frozen Grapes
Grapes are literally frozen, on or off the vine, to decrease water content and increase
sugar and other soluble solids.
Dessert wines classification based on sugar content
- Medium Sweet: 60-125 g/l
- Sweet: 125-175 g/l
- Luscious: 175 g/l or more
What is a Sauternes?
Botrytis affected wine
Sauternes grapes
Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle
Where is Sauternes from?
Bordeaux, France
How the botrytis grow and attack the grapes?
Sauternes lies at the conflux of
the Ciron and Garonne Rivers, where humid autumns provide a
perfect incubator for noble rot.
Sauternes flavors
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.
Where is Tokaj from?
Hungary
What are the grapes of Tokaj?
Furmint
Is Tokaj can be affected by Botrytis?
Yes
How is Tokaj produced?
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.)
What are the differences between Sauternes and Tokaj?
Unlike Sauternes, Tokaj wines are usually aged in used oak barrels rather than new wood, and traditional
Tokaji is more dramatically oxidative in youth.
How icewine is made?
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.
Is Icewine affected by botrytis like Sauternes?
no
What are the main grapes used for Icewine?
Riesling and Vidal
How cold must be in order to produce icewine?
Provincial law in Ontario requires the icewine harvest to occur in
temperatures of -8° C or below.
What is the Italian Passito style?
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.
