Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

WSET Dip D1 > Finishing and Packaging > Flashcards

Finishing and Packaging Flashcards

1
Q

Define Clarification

A

All the processes, both physical and chemical, that are used to make wine clear

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define Sedimentation

A

The process of natural clarification when suspended matter precipitates over time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Why do some premium wineries only clarify through sedimentation?

A

They believe that they avoid the potential loss of textures and flavors that can happen if a wine is fined or filtered

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is something that must be considered when it comes to only clarifying the wine via sedimentation?

A

It is really only something that is suitable for premium or super-premium wines due to the amount of time it requires

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is centrifugation?

A

A rapid process that spins the wine at high rotational speed to clarify it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What kind of filtration (surface or depth) can centrifugation replace?

A

Depth filtration.

  • This can allow for early bottling
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Is centrifugation something that small wineries can or should do?

A

Can? Yes.

Should? Probably not because the machinery required to do this is very expensive, so it generally only done in high volume wineries.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define Fining

A

Fining is a procedure in which a fining agent is added to speed up the process of the precipitation of suspended material in the wine.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a colloid?

A

microscopic particles too small to be removed by filtering

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the aim of fining a wine?

A

To help clarify the wine and to stabilize it against the formation of hazes later in the bottle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Can you over-fine a wine?

A

Yes. It is easy to do so many winemakers conduct lab trials before using a fining agent so that they only use the minimum effective amount.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What happens to a wine if it is over fined?

A

Many fining agents can remove positive compounds from a wine which can make it unstable when too much is added

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the three categories of common fining agents

A
  • Those that remove unstable proteins
  • Those that remove phenolics that contribute undesirable color and bitterness
  • Those that remove color and off-odors
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Name all of different fining agents

A
  • Bentonite
  • Egg Whites
  • Gelatin
  • Casein
  • Isinglass
  • Vegetable protein products
  • PVPP
  • Charcoal
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Describe what Bentonite is and how it works as a fining agent

A

Bentonite is a form of clay which adsorbs unstable proteins and unstable colloidal coloring matter.

  • It has a minimal effect on the flavor and texture of a wine.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Are there any negatives to using bentonite?

A

Yes, it can remove some of the color in red and produces large amounts of sediment, so wine is lost when it is racked off

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the two forms of egg whites that are used to fine wine?

A

Fresh or powdered form

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How does using egg whites as a fining agent affect the final wine?

A

It has the ability to remove harsh tannins and clarify wine so the wine comes out clearer and softer. It is also very gentle to the win.

  • Egg whites are an allergen so it must be declared on the label if sold in the EU and other places if used above a specific limit.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Gelatin is a fining agent made from _______, and how does it affect red and white wines?

A

A protein collagen extracted from pork

It removes bitterness and astringency in red wine, and browning in white wine pressings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is casein?

A

a milk-derived protein that removes browning in white wines and clarifies wine to some extent.

  • Must be declared as an allergen on the label in some territories
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is Isinglass?

A

A protein collagen made from fish bladders

  • must be used in the smallest effective amount possible as it can cause a haze and create a fishy smell
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the two main types of filtration?

A
  • Depth Filtration

- Surface Filtration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are the two common forms of depth filtration?

A
  • Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

- Sheet Filters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the other name for Diatomaceous Earth?

A

Kieselguhr

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
How does a Rotary Vacuum Filter work?
This type of filter uses a layer of DE to filter the wine. Wine is sucked by vacuum from the outside of the drum, through the DE to the inside of the drum - This is an oxidative process as the drum is exposed to air
26
What is the advantage of using an enclosed DE filter?
They work the same, but can be flushed with an inert gas to avoid oxidation taking place
27
What are the other names for Sheet filters?
- Plate and frame | - 'Pad' filters
28
How do sheet filters work?
Wine is passed through a sheet of the filtering material. The more sheets there are in the filter the quicker the wine can be filtered.
29
What are the two types of Surface Filters?
- Membrane Filters | - Cross-flow Filters
30
What is another name and Membrane Filters, and how do they work?
Cartridge filters They catch particles that will not go through the pore size of the filter.
31
List some of the drawbacks to using a membrane filter
- The wine usually should be pre-filtered via a depth filter | - They are slower as the pores in the cartridges are smaller
32
Give the other name for a Cross-flow Filter
Tangential Filter
33
How do Cross-flow Filters work?
They allow wine to pass through the filter while uniquely cleaning the surface of the filter as it works.
34
What is are two of the benefits to using a Cross-flow Filter?
- They can filter wine with a high load of particles or lees very quickly - There are no replacement sheets, cartridges, or earth to dispose of.
35
What does the term 'stabilization' refer to in regards to wine-makeing?
The used of different wine making interventions, that if not carried out, could lead to undesirable effects in the finished wine
36
What are the different kinds of stabilization that can be carried out?
- Protein Stability - Tartrate Stability - Microbiological Stability
37
What is key procedure to ensure protein stability?
Fining with bentonite
38
What are tartrates?
Harmless deposits of crystals that can form in a finished wine. - principally potassium bitratrate and less frequently calcium tartrate
39
What some of the different processes done to achieve tartrate stability?
- Cold stabilization - Contract Process - Electrodialysis - Ion Exchange - Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) - Metatartaric Acid
40
How was cold stabilization carried out vs. how it is done now?
Traditionally it was done by leaving the wine in the a cold cellar for months through the winter. Now the wine is kept at -4°C (25°F) for around 8 days so that any crystals form before the wine is bottled.
41
How can colloids affect the process of cold stabilization?
- Since they are microscopic particles that cannot be filtered out, they must be fined out or they will interfere with the crystals from precipitating.
42
Cold stabilization only precipitates out ______ and not ______
Potassium bitartrate Calcium tartrate
43
Explain what the contact process is
A quicker, continuous, more reliable, and cheaper form of cold stabilization where potassium bitartrate is added to the wine to speed up the crystallization process. Wine only has to be chilled down to 0°C (32°F) for a few hours as well.
44
What is Electrodialysis?
A process that uses a charged membrane to remove selected ions. It can remove potassium, calcium and tartrate ions
45
What are two other important things to remember about Electrodialysis?
It is allowed in the EU and other territories as a form of tartrate stability. Although the initial investment cost is high, it is cheaper and more efficient in than cold stabilization in the long run.
46
How does Ion Exchange work in reference to Tartrate stability?
It does not actually remove tartrates. Instead it replaces potassium and calcium ions with hydrogen or sodium ions, which will not drop out of solution
47
What is CMC?
Carboxymethylcellulose: A cellulose extracted from wood and prevents tartrates from developing to a visible size.
48
True or False, CMC is not suitable for use on red, white, and rose wines
True! It is widely used on inexpensive white and roses. In red wine however, it reacts with tannins (which renders it ineffective) and cause a haze.
49
How does meatartartic acid work?
When this compound is added to a batch of wine, it prevents the growth of potassium bitartrate and calcium tartrate crystals.
50
What are the drawbacks for CMC and metatartartic acid?
Neither one if a long term solution as they lose efficiency over time. (That being said CMC > M.A.)
51
Why is it important for wines to micro-biologically stable?
- Wines with R.S. have the potential to start re-fermenting in the bottle again. - Lactic Acid Bacteria (which promotes MLF) and Brettanomyces can live in low pH and high alcohol environments.
52
What chemical can be used to help manage Brett if it is running a muck?
If Brett levels are high, it can be treated with DMDC (Dimethly dicarbonate also known as Velcorin) which inactivates Brett.
53
What is Sparging?
It is the name for the process of lowering the amount of dissolved oxygen levels in a wine by flushing it with an inert gas
54
List all of the different faults that are possible
- Cloudiness and hazes - Tartrates - Re-fermentation in Bottle - Cork Taint - Oxidation - Volatile Acidity - Reduction - Light Strike - Brettanomyces
55
List as many reasons as you can as to why a wine could be cloudy/hazy
- Growth of yeast or bacteria coupled with failure to filter adequately - Poor filtering of the wine; wine was pumped at a high pressure through a filter and unwanted molecules got through. - Protein haze due to using the wrong fining agent - The wine was over-fined
56
What causes Volatile Acidity?
It is caused by the activity of acetic acid bacteria, inadequate levels of SO2, and excess exposure to oxygen
57
What does Brett smell like?
Animal, spicy, farmyard smells.
58
What are the key steps to avoiding Brett?
- Excellent Hygiene - Maintaining effective SO2 levels - Keeping pH levels low - Making sure the time between alcoholic fermentation and MLF as short as possible.
59
How will having to much/little oxygen potentially affect a final wine?
- Too much oxygen will lead to premature aging (oxidation and color loss) - Too little oxygen may lead to reductive characteristics (rotten eggs, onion)
60
What are all the sources of oxygen once the wine is in the bottle?
- Amount of dissolved oxygen in a wine - Oxygen in the head space (ullage), is often the largest oxygen contribution - Amount of oxygen in the cork/closure - OTR of the cork/closure
61
List all of the different packaging options for wine
- Glass - Plastic - Bag-in-box - Brick - Pouch - Can
62
List the positives to using glass bottles?
- Ideal container because it is inert - Impermeable to Oxygen - Does not convey taints to the wine - Bottles can be delivered in a near sterile condition - Inexpensive to make - In principle it is 100% recyclable
63
What are the disadvantages to using glass bottles?
- High carbon footprint - Heavy to transport - Fairly fragile - If the wine is put in a clear bottle, it can suffer from light strike
64
What is the average shelf life of a bag-in-box?
6-9 months
65
What is the other (brand name) for a glass stopper?
Vinolok

WSET Dip D1 (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions