Element three - Maturation, Treatments and Bottling. Part One, Post-fermentation operations

Question 1

What is the typical length of time for white wines between fermentation and bottling?

Answer 1

2-6 months.

Question 2

Oak allows slow oxygenation, explain!

Answer 2

Aids colour and tannin polymerisation and stabilisation.

Question 3

What type of red wine benefit from maturation?

Answer 3

Full-bodied red with a firm tannin structure.

Question 4

During maturation aldehydes are oxidised producing acetic acid, also known as?

Answer 4

Volatile Acidity

Question 5

What type of white wine can benefit from maturation?

Answer 5

High acidity white with good concentration of flavour

Question 6

Chardonnay that has undergone ____________ have the capability to age longer the those that has not.

Answer 6

Barrel fermentation

Question 7

Ideal bulk storage temp is ____ for red and ___ for white!

Answer 7

Red: Between 10°-20° but 15° is optimal
White: 10°

Question 8

For wine matured in oak, 75-85% humidity is regarded as optimal, why?

Answer 8

High humidity prevents the wood drying out, and that minimise leakage and reduce evaporation.

Question 9

Wine need to be protected from oxidation, level of minimum free sulfur dioxide during the maturation period?

Answer 9

20 mg/l

Question 10

Wine in tanks are protected from oxidation how?

Answer 10

An inert gas (Nitrogen, carbon dioxide or argon) used as “blanket” over the wine

Question 11

Micro-oxygenation is use for red or white?

Answer 11

Red wines.

Question 12

Why is micro-oxygenation used and how?

Answer 12

To mimik the oxygenation i barrel ageing, oxygen injected into wine through a porous ceramic material. Oxygen levels are controlled and calculated depending on quantity of wine. Multiple treatments are done.

Question 13

What are the benefits of micro-oxygenation? (5)

Answer 13

1. Reduction in herbaceous aromas,2. better structured wines, 3. Better oak integration, 4. Better control of reductive characters and 5. speed and cost savings on oak.

Question 14

Give examples of wines made with oxidative ageing?

Answer 14

Oloroso Sherry, Tawny Port and Rutherglen liqueur muscat.

Question 15

Explain Biological ageing!

Answer 15

They are left open to the air and a layer of floor yeast will develop on the wines surface, protecting the wine from the air.

Question 16

Give examples of wine with biological ageing!

Answer 16

Fino Sherry and Vin Jaune

Question 17

What is causing the change in aromas when biological ageing?

Answer 17

the ethanal formation and its degradation to form diethyl acetyl.

Question 18

What dose lees contact encourage and why?

Answer 18

malolactic fermentation because lees are nutrient rich, providing food for lactic acid bacteria.

Question 19

What dose leeds stirring give to the wine?

Answer 19

change in texture and flavours, producing a softer, richer and more complex wine.

Question 20

What will unstirred or too-thick lees deposit give?

Answer 20

risk of producing undesirable off-flavours, like hydrogen sulphide och mercaptan odours (Cabbage-like)

Question 21

What two gases are used in inert gases winemaking?

Answer 21

Nitrogen and carbon dioxid, aragon too but expensive.

Question 22

What is the purposes of using inert gas?

Answer 22

reduce the possibility of oxidation by reducing exposure of the wine to the air and to prevent the growth of spoilage yeas and bacteria.

Question 23

Explain why carbon dioxide is a suitable gas to use in winemaking and its use? (4)

Answer 23

1. Is denser than nitrogen and dissolves more redadliy in wine. 2. used to displace air from empty tanks, and to flush hoses and pumps. 3. Used as a “blanket” on top of the tank, protecting from oxygen and microflora to develop. 4. Is used more for white wines then red.

Question 24

Explain why Nitrogen is a suitable gas to use in winemaking and explain it´s process? (3)

Answer 24

1. Less soluble in wine than carbon dioxid, so its used to “sparge” a wine. 2. Sparging involves pasing fine bubbles of nitrogen through wine, this will remove dissolved oxygen in wine or when additions are made to a wine, SO2. 3. Nitrogen is more commonly used in reds then in white due to low solubility.

Question 25

Explain the different things new and old oak gives the wine?

Answer 25

New oak give oak-derived flavours and old oak softens and rounds texture through micro-oxigenation effect over time.

Question 26

Premium red in oak barrel, racking every three to four months give what to a wine?

Answer 26

Helps clarification, soften the wood flavour and provides oxygenation.

Question 27

Premium red in oak barrel, oxygenation is positively encouraged during the first six months, how?

Answer 27

by leaving the barrels with the bung up, with regular topping-up.

Question 28

Many to Chardonnays are barrel fermented prior to barrel maturation, why?

Answer 28

Tend to result in better integration of wood and wine, compared to putting the wine into barrel only after fermentation.

Question 29

Give 6 examples to what effects maturation in small ( less than 500 litres) oak barrels give the wine.

Answer 29

1. New oak gives a range of oak - and toast - derived flavours : Vanilin, spice, coffee and sweet coconut.
2. Reduces fresh, grapey aromas - wine being in a mildly oxidative environment. 3. Slow oxygenation leads to early polymerisation of tannins softening the mouth feel and reducing astringency. 4. Aged in small barrels increased complexity of aromas and flavours. 5. Oxygenation deepens the colour of white and stabilise the colour of red wines. 6. Small barrels encourage the natural stabilization and clarification of a wine in a natural and slow way.

Question 30

What are the three types of white oak commonly used in winemaking?

Answer 30

1. Quercus Alba (american)
2. Quercus petraea / Quercus Sessiliflora (european)
3. Quercus robur (european)

Question 31

Quercus Alba is an American oak with what type of qualities? (2)

Answer 31

1. Low in phenol, 2. high in aromatics, particularly the oak lactone ( coconut)

Question 32

Quercus petraea / Quercus sessiliflora is an european oak with what type of qualities? (3)

Answer 32

1. a tighter grained oak, with fewer extractable tannins.
2. High aromatic potential, lactones, volatile phenol aldehydes ( eugenol - cloves)
3. Phenol aldehydes, vanilin - oaky and vanilla odours.

Question 33

Quercus robur is an european oak with what typ of qualities? (2)

Answer 33

1. Low odoriferous compounds

2. high extractable polyphenol content.

Question 34

why dose the french oak have a high reputation?

Answer 34

its fine grain and attractive oak flavours, also most expensive

Question 35

Troncais, Allier and Nièvre is what and give what?

Answer 35

oak forests in the center of France, giving very tight-grained wood.

Question 36

Vosger is what and similar to who?

Answer 36

oak forset similar to Allier

Question 37

Limousin is what and gives what? (not the car)

Answer 37

oak forests in the east of cognac, giving looser-grained, more tannic wood.

Question 38

Give examples of eastern european sources of oak!

Answer 38

Russian and Hungarian and Slavonian

Question 39

Portuguese oak is used as what?

Answer 39

a cheaper option too french oak.

Question 40

American oak is sourced from?

Answer 40

Oregon, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Question 41

Explain the how cutting is different in European oak and American Oak!

Answer 41

The porous european oak need to be cut or split along the oak grain to minimise risk of leakage. American oak is much less porous and can be sawn from each quarter of the log, = higher yield from each log.

Question 42

French oak has been air dried for how long traditionally?

Answer 42

18-36 months

Question 43

Shaping and toasting the oak dose what to the wood?

Answer 43

it modifies the physical and the chemical composition of the wood.

Question 44

the less a barrel is toasted, the more….

Answer 44

Tannins and other wood characteristic will leech into the wine and the more “oaky” or “woody” will be the result.

Question 45

wines matured in heavily toasted barrels are more likely to taste….

Answer 45

Spicy and toasty

Question 46

wine aged in under-seasoned or under-toasted barrels can taste…

Answer 46

sappy and astringent

Question 47

Size of barrel: Give the right name
225L
228L
300L
500L
1000 or larger

Answer 47

225: Bordeaux barrique
228: Bourgogne pièce
300: Hoghead
500:Puncheon
1000—>: Fudre

Question 48

the word barrique is now casually used for any barrel of about _____.

Answer 48

225-300L

Question 49

What is the downside to shave and re-charred a barrel?

Answer 49

Flavours are rarely as subtle, and do not integrate well in to the wine. the barrel is also much more brittle.

Question 50

What is the most important in barrel maintenance in the celler? (2)

Answer 50

low temperature and high humidity

Question 51

What would be the correct temperature for the barrel if: Malolactic fermentation
Maturing wine

Answer 51

Malolactic: 18-24
Maturing: 10-18

Question 52

What dose the oak chips give the wine? (3)

Answer 52

1. vanilia and coffee flavours
2. may improve mouth-feel
3. Huge cost savings

Question 53

Toasted oak powder, two thing that is gives to the wine. What about EU?

Answer 53

Can add tannin and flavour.

The use remain illegal in the EU

Question 54

Why is extended storage in stainless steel avoided?

Answer 54

the wine may become reduced, unpleasant aromas will developed.