Fortified Flashcards
What is the fundamental reason for fortifying wine historically?
Adding distilled spirit to wine preserves it from spoilage/oxidation, enabling it to survive long transport (particularly used by the English and Dutch in 17th-18th centuries).
When can fortification occur in wine production?
Either before, during, or after fermentation. The timing affects the wine’s sweetness and style.
What happens if wine is fortified BEFORE fermentation?
This creates a “vin de liqueur” or “mistelle,” never truly fermented. The added spirit halts fermentation at 0% alc from grapes, yielding a sweet, unfermented base (e.g., Pineau des Charentes in France, or Macvin).
How does fortification DURING fermentation affect the wine?
It stops fermentation early, leaving residual sugar. This is how Port, Banyuls, and Vin Doux Naturels are made – typically around 16–22% abv.
Which style emerges from fortifying AFTER fermentation?
These wines ferment dry, then are fortified. Sherry is the main example, adding spirit to 15–18% abv, then undergoing either biological or oxidative aging.
What are the most famous fortified wines globally?
Port (Portugal), Sherry (Spain), and Madeira (Portugal), plus styles like Banyuls, Vin Doux Naturel, Marsala, Rutherglen Muscat, etc.
What is Port?
A fortified wine from the Douro region of Portugal, made by adding grape spirit (aguardente) during fermentation to preserve natural sugar.
What are the main red grapes for Port?
Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tinta Amarela, etc.
How does the Douro fermentation typically happen for Port?
Short, intense maceration (2-3 days), often in lagares with foot-treading or mechanical equivalents at high temperatures (79–84°F). At ~8% abv, spirit is added to halt fermentation.
What is “aguardente” or “beneficio” in Port making?
It’s the grape spirit used for fortifying Port, raising alcohol to ~17–22% abv.
Which broad categories does Port generally split into?
Ruby-style (ruby, reserve, LBV, vintage) vs. Tawny-style (tawny, aged tawny, colheita).
Define Ruby Port.
A basic, youthful style aged in large vats 2-3 years, non-vintage, fruit-forward. The simplest form of Port.
Explain Ruby Reserve Port.
A slightly higher-quality Ruby (sometimes “Premium Ruby”), sees a bit more aging or better lots. Also not vintage dated.
How does Vintage Port differ from Ruby Reserve?
Vintage Port is declared in exceptional years, bottled after ~2-3 years cask aging. Meant for decades of bottle aging. It’s from a single harvest, intense, tannic, and rare.
What is Single Quinta Vintage Port?
Vintage Port from one estate’s fruit. Used in years a house doesn’t declare a general vintage but has top fruit from a prime “quinta.” Examples: Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas.
Define Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port.
Wine from a single vintage aged 4–6 years in cask, bottled later than standard vintage port. Typically ready to drink sooner but can vary; some unfiltered LBVs can age.
When do you decant a Vintage Port?
Often recommended after 10–20+ years of bottle age to remove heavy sediment. Vintage Ports throw substantial sediment.
Tawny Port: how is it produced?
Either from lighter extractions or extended cask aging that oxidizes color from ruby → tawny. Basic Tawny is simplest, short-cask or use of white grapes for color adjustment.
Explain Reserve Tawny Port.
Aged minimum of 7 years in wood, showing some oxidative, nutty character. A step up in complexity from basic tawny.
What are Tawny Ports with Indication of Age (10, 20, 30, 40)?
They are blended wines reflecting an “average taste” of that age bracket. True age can be younger or older, but must taste like a 10/20/30/40-year-old Tawny.
Describe Colheita Tawny.
It’s a single-vintage tawny, aged at least 7 years in cask (often much longer). Repeated topping can allow extremely long barrel aging before bottling.
Why is Madeira considered “intentionally cooked” wine?
It’s subjected to heat and oxygen intentionally (estufagem or canteiro), which gives it a unique caramelized, nutty character, making it nearly indestructible to oxidation.
Name the two main heating methods for Madeira.
Estufagem (stainless vats with heating coils ~113–122°F for ~3 months) or Canteiro (barrel-aged in warm attics for at least 2 years).
Which method is used to make top-quality Madeira?
Canteiro is the more traditional, high-quality approach; the wines develop complexity slowly under mild heat/cooling cycles in barrels.
