Enology Flashcards
What is Wine?
Product of complete or parcial fermentation of fresh crushed grapes or fresh grape must.
What it is enology?
The science behind the story of grapes and wine making
What enology covers?
- cultivation and maintenance of grapes harvests
- wine production
- wine analysis and diseases
- wine maturation
In Middle Ages, the propagation of the vine in France was largely due to?
The church
Which technology advance made wine national drink in the 1800’s?
Railways
In which year did phylloxera first begin to destroy the french vineyards?
1864
2000 years BC, Vine cultivation and wine making was carried out for?
The Egyptians
The Greeks
The Romans
When and who support wine trade in the 16th century?
The Dutch
Important dates for wine in France?
1152 - Eleanor of Aquitaine merrier Henry II of England
1668 - Dom Perignon discovered how to make sparkling wine
1864 - First appearance of phylloxera
1935 - AOC and INA creates
What is the vegetative cicle of the vine?
December - February: dormancy
Name 3 aroma families found in wine?
Flower aromas
Vegetable aromas
Animal aromas
Why pruning?
Wine grapes are pruned to produce fewer grapes that are more concentrated in flavour. Table grapes normally have a larger canopy which enables a higher quantity of fruit
What antioxidant is found in the wine?
Tannin
What is Terroir?
It comprises all the physical elements of a place that can affect the character of wine made from it. The nature, soil, topography, climate and tradition.
Soil can be characterized by:
Level of fertility
Structure
Mineral composition
Color
Vines with Poor, pebbly soil is better for:
Water run off
Reflection of the sunlight
Heat storage for the day which is rendered back to the vine at night
How soil affects the characteristics of the wine ?
Sand gives light, early maturing wines
Chalk produces supple wines and good alcohol levels
Gravel provides finesse
Clay gives a heavier firmer style with deep color, more aromas and tannins
France climate zones?
Mediterranean 13-15c a lot of sun exposure, dry summers
Maritime 11-12.5c average sun exposure, regular rainfall
Continental 10-12c average sun exposure, regular rainfall, influence from mountains, lakes or rivers
Clima factors:
Sun Rainfall Wind Slope Aspect Altitude and surroundings
The only grape variety that produces quilts of wine:
Vitis vinifera
Grape varieties in Fance
Red
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet franc
Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir
White Chardonnay Muscadet Semillon Chenin blanc Sauvignon Blanc Ugni blanc
Components of grape skin:
Pigments
Flavor molecules
Tannin
Components of the pulp:
Water
Sugar
Acids
Vitamins
What is Alcoholic fermentation ?
It is the transformation of sugar into alcohol by the action of yeast
What is the differences between physiological ripeness and Phenolic ripeness?
The physiological ripeness. This index, refers to industrial ripeness and it is measured by using refractometer or hydrometer
Phenolic ripeness. This index, refers to the pigments and tannis reaching maturity and this is measured by biting into the grape and chewing the seeds . They should be brittle, crunchy, and tasted toasted.
What is raising?
Concentration of the sugar in grapes by either suspending them on netting or laying them out on straw after harvest, or vine raising brunches by leaving them dry naturally
What is malolactic fermentation?
Breakdown malic acid into lactic acid caused by a lactic bacteria called cocci. This reduces the acidity by 50%. It is a secondary fermentation that occurs after the al Colin fermentation.
Improvements in wine that are legal:
Lack of alcohol Lack of acidity Excess acidity Color too pale Improving tannin Excess of sugar
What is yeast?
Microscopic unicellular fungus of variable form which naturally transforms grape sugar into alcohol
Who discover yeast?
Luis Pasteur
What is a Pied de Cuvée?
It’s a traditional yeast starter. To encourage an early start, some grapes are harvested early and left fermented.
This starter the is added to the new must with active yeast.
Why is oak aging essential?
- clarification and degassing take place
- interaction with oxygen is quicker in oak
- intensify color and soften tannin
- it homogenizes production
What about aging in vast?
It is useful to homogenize production and to avoid variations in wine quality within batch.
What is finishing and filtration?
Fining It is traditionally done using egg white and this is a very old method for clarifying stabilizing the color of wine. The proceed consist of adding finings to wine (usually a protein such as egg white, gelatin or casein) which will attract suspended particles and drag them to the bottom of the bat or barrel.
What changes can happen in clarification ?
Slight color loss
Reduce astringency
Softening of tannins
What it is the difference between red and white wine vinification?
For red wines pressing takes place after alcoholic fermentation. Maceration with skins takes place before pressing and this gives color to the wine.
White wine, the pulp of the wine needs to be white, NB the press is before alcoholic fermentation.
Process in red wine
Grapes
Destemming (opcional)
Crushing
Alcohol fermentation
Cap
Pressed wine
Malolactic fermentation
Free run Wine Malolactic fermentation Blending free run and pressed wine Sulfite and maturation (vast or barrel) Fining and filtration Bottling
How white wines are classified?
Dry - 4grams per little
Semi sweet 4 - 12
Medium 12 - 45
Sweet +45 grams
What are the two mayor methods to produce rose?
Direct pressing
Abreviares maceration
How you classified the champagne according the sweetness?
Brut nature -3grms (no sugar added - zero dosage) Extra brut 0 -7gms Brut - 12gms Extra dry - 12 a17 grams Sec 17 - 32 grams Demi sec 32 - 50’grams Doux +50 grams
Process to make champagne:
Same as white wine. Only two presses is allowed (one for vintage)
- bottling: add liqueur de tírage (sugar and yeast) this will crear the bubbles
- secondary ferementation: bottles will be place in slats at 13-18c Ana remains in dead yeast lees for 15monts for non vintage and 36 months for vintage. The longer they remained in the lees the finer the bubbles and foam will be.
- Riddling bottles are stacked in an easel and riddle until the deposit is in the neck of the upturned bottle.
- disgorging: remove the deposite using existing Co2 pressure in the bottle. This is done by freezing the neck of the bottle.
- topping up.: this enable the bottle to be filled to the same level liqueur de dosage (sugar + wine) which determines the sweetness level
Red Grapes planted in Bordeaux ?
Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet franc Malbec Petit Verdot Camenere
White grapes from Bordeaux?
Muscadelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Merlot Blanc Ugni blanc Colombard
Which grape is most prone to noble rot?
Semillon
Regional AOP in Bordeux?
Bordeux Bordeux superior Bordeux Clairet Bordeaux Rose Crémant Bordeaux
Which grape varieties is predominant in Pomerol?
Merlot
AOP left bank of Gironde in Bordeaux?
Medoc Haut Medoc Saint Estephe Paulliac Saint Julien Listrac Medoc Moulis Margaux
What soils types in Bordeaux?
On right banck, clay, particular great for Merlot and limestone, specially in St Emilion
On left bank, gravelly and acidic soils. Great for Cabernet Sauvignon
South of Bordeaux, landes Gascone, Sandy Soils, less favorable for the production of great wines
