EU Sweetness Labelling and Closures Flashcards
Name u to five labels seen on sparkling wines from the EU containing 0-3g/l
Brut Zero, Brut Nature, Bruto Natural, Naturherb, Zéro Dosage
Name up to three labels given to wines containing 0-6g/l of sugar?
Extra Brut, Extra Bruto, Extra Herb
Brut, Bruto and Herb indicate how much sugar in the final wine?
0-12g/l in the final wine
If no dosage can be added, where does the sugar come from in Brut Nature wines?
RS left after fermentation
What is the difference in sugar level range between Extra Sec (Extra Dry, Extra Secco) and Sec (Dry, Secco, Trocken)?
Extra Sec has 12-17g/l
Sec has 17-32g/l
Demi Sec goes by which other names ?
Semi-Seco, Medium Dry, Abboccato, Halbtrocken
What sugar levels are in sparkling EU wines labelled Demi Sec?
32-50g/l
What is sweeter than Demi Sec? What sugar levels does it have?
Douce
50g+
What are the other names for the sweetest level of sparkling wine in Europe?
Douce is also known as Dulce, Sweet, Mild
What +/- tolerance does the EU allow for each of these sweetness bands?
+/- 3g/l
Closures:
What is the classic seal for sparkling wines?
cork
Closures:
What is the shape of the classic cork used in sparkling wines on removal from bottle?
mushroom shape
Closures:
What is its shape when it is placed in the bottle?
same as other corks, cylindrical
Closures:
What is the classic sparkling wine corks width compared to that of a normal cork from a still wine?
It is significantly fatter at 31 mm (creates a tighter seal)
Closures:
Of what type of cork is the sparkling wine cork composed?
Mainly composed of agglomerate cork with a disc of natural cork glued to either end
Closures:
What is the inside neck diameter of the bottle? What is the diameter of the cork?
18-21 mm vs 31 mm
Closures:
How is the cork placed into the bottle?
A machine squeezes it so it is 60% of its size and inserts it into the bottle neck
Closures:
What is the current status of cork taint and sparkling wine?
Technical developments allows the removal of cork taint aromas from cork particles which keeps the final cork clean
Closures:
Give an example of such a technical cork used in current sparkling wines
Diam corks which look and largely behave like natural cork
Closures:
Give an example of how a technical cork is made
Diam corks are made of recomposed cork particles, treated (including removing cork taint aromas) and glued back together with plastic.
The corks may offer different amounts of oxygen-ingress which allows oxygen to enter the cork at different rates so winemakers may select the best corks for early drinking or long term ageing wines.
Closures:
Name two other methods of closures for sparklers. Who uses them?
- synthetic with resealing capabilities (trialed by Yellow Tail)
- crown caps (often used as a point of differentiation by ancestral method wine makers)
what factors influence the amount and size of bubbles in the glass (mnemonic)
S(occer) = Sugar G(ame) = Grapes L(osses) = Lees T(urn) = Time G(ladness) = Glassware T(o) = Temperature D(espondency) = Disgorgement
How does sugar Influence the mousse?
sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide. The more sugar available for conversion, the more carbon dioxide that can be produced
How do grapes influence the mousse?
different grape varieties have different amounts of sugar and the health of grapes is important eg botrytis decreases the amount of bubbles formed
What effects do time on lees have on carbon dioxide in wine
carbon dioxide decreases as time on lees increases but ageing on lees for 18 + months makes for longer lasting bubbles in the glass
What is the relationship between bottle ageing after disgorgement and carbon dioxide levels?
As time in bottle increases, the carbon dioxide falls
What elements of glassware can effect the bubbles in the final wine?
The size, shape and manner in which they are cleaned all affect the mousse
What happens to bubbles in sparkling wine served at a low temperature?
less carbon dioxide is released
How does the disgorgement effect the carbon dioxide levels in the final glass in front of the customer?
disgorgement done well will result in very little carbon dioxide loss but done poorly, will lower the amount and therefore the pressure and frequency of bubbles in the wine
