EU Sweetness Labelling and Closures

Question 1

Name u to five labels seen on sparkling wines from the EU containing 0-3g/l

Answer 1

Brut Zero, Brut Nature, Bruto Natural, Naturherb, Zéro Dosage

Question 2

Name up to three labels given to wines containing 0-6g/l of sugar?

Answer 2

Extra Brut, Extra Bruto, Extra Herb

Question 3

Brut, Bruto and Herb indicate how much sugar in the final wine?

Answer 3

0-12g/l in the final wine

Question 4

If no dosage can be added, where does the sugar come from in Brut Nature wines?

Answer 4

RS left after fermentation

Question 5

What is the difference in sugar level range between Extra Sec (Extra Dry, Extra Secco) and Sec (Dry, Secco, Trocken)?

Answer 5

Extra Sec has 12-17g/l

Sec has 17-32g/l

Question 6

Demi Sec goes by which other names ?

Answer 6

Semi-Seco, Medium Dry, Abboccato, Halbtrocken

Question 7

What sugar levels are in sparkling EU wines labelled Demi Sec?

Answer 7

32-50g/l

Question 8

What is sweeter than Demi Sec? What sugar levels does it have?

Answer 8

Douce

50g+

Question 9

What are the other names for the sweetest level of sparkling wine in Europe?

Answer 9

Douce is also known as Dulce, Sweet, Mild

Question 10

What +/- tolerance does the EU allow for each of these sweetness bands?

Answer 10

+/- 3g/l

Question 11

Closures:

What is the classic seal for sparkling wines?

Answer 11

cork

Question 12

Closures:

What is the shape of the classic cork used in sparkling wines on removal from bottle?

Answer 12

mushroom shape

Question 13

Closures:

What is its shape when it is placed in the bottle?

Answer 13

same as other corks, cylindrical

Question 14

Closures:

What is the classic sparkling wine corks width compared to that of a normal cork from a still wine?

Answer 14

It is significantly fatter at 31 mm (creates a tighter seal)

Question 15

Closures:

Of what type of cork is the sparkling wine cork composed?

Answer 15

Mainly composed of agglomerate cork with a disc of natural cork glued to either end

Question 16

Closures:

What is the inside neck diameter of the bottle? What is the diameter of the cork?

Answer 16

18-21 mm vs 31 mm

Question 17

Closures:

How is the cork placed into the bottle?

Answer 17

A machine squeezes it so it is 60% of its size and inserts it into the bottle neck

Question 18

Closures:

What is the current status of cork taint and sparkling wine?

Answer 18

Technical developments allows the removal of cork taint aromas from cork particles which keeps the final cork clean

Question 19

Closures:

Give an example of such a technical cork used in current sparkling wines

Answer 19

Diam corks which look and largely behave like natural cork

Question 20

Closures:

Give an example of how a technical cork is made

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Closures:

Name two other methods of closures for sparklers. Who uses them?

Answer 21

• synthetic with resealing capabilities (trialed by Yellow Tail)
• crown caps (often used as a point of differentiation by ancestral method wine makers)

Question 22

what factors influence the amount and size of bubbles in the glass (mnemonic)

Answer 22

S(occer) = Sugar
G(ame) = Grapes
L(osses) = Lees
T(urn) = Time
G(ladness) = Glassware
T(o) = Temperature
D(espondency) = Disgorgement

Question 23

How does sugar Influence the mousse?

Answer 23

sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide. The more sugar available for conversion, the more carbon dioxide that can be produced

Question 24

How do grapes influence the mousse?

Answer 24

different grape varieties have different amounts of sugar and the health of grapes is important eg botrytis decreases the amount of bubbles formed

Question 25

What effects do time on lees have on carbon dioxide in wine

Answer 25

carbon dioxide decreases as time on lees increases but ageing on lees for 18 + months makes for longer lasting bubbles in the glass

Question 26

What is the relationship between bottle ageing after disgorgement and carbon dioxide levels?

Answer 26

As time in bottle increases, the carbon dioxide falls

Question 27

What elements of glassware can effect the bubbles in the final wine?

Answer 27

The size, shape and manner in which they are cleaned all affect the mousse

Question 28

What happens to bubbles in sparkling wine served at a low temperature?

Answer 28

less carbon dioxide is released

Question 29

How does the disgorgement effect the carbon dioxide levels in the final glass in front of the customer?

Answer 29

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