Fortified Flashcards
Name most famous style of fortified wine where potential alcohol and health of the grapes are more important than the range of flavours in the grapes?
Sherry made from Palomino.
Skin contact is not desirable in production of which styles of white fortified wines, and Why?
Biologically aged Sherries such as Fino and Manzanilla as the phenolic compounds extracted can restrict the growth of flor yeast.
Which styles of Sherries are made by fermenting the wine to dryness and then adding a sweetening component?
Pale Cream, Medium and Cream. This can create wines in different styles than would be possible by fortifying during fermentation.
What percentage of alcohol will usually have grape spirit used in fortification of wines?
95-96% abv grape spirit.
By Law what percentage of alcohol need to have grape spirit used in fortification of Port wines?
77% abv (+/- 0.5%). This is only exception for Port.
Name reasons why high alcohol grape spirit is used for fortification of wines?
Neutral in aroma and flavor (don’t mask characteristics of the wine).Minimise the volume of spirit needed to bring the fortified wine to the required alcoholic strength (less dilution of the base wine).
Name the only style of fortified wines where style and quality of the spirit has an important influence of the style and quality of the final wine?
Port, lower alcohol spirit is used so it is more characterful characterful and contributes more of its own aroma and flavour characteristics to the blend.
What kind of flavours show wines stored in stainless steel or concrete, protected from oxygen?
Youthful, primary flavours.Those wines are released early from the winery and should be drunk soon after release.
Name some styles of fortified wines showing youthful, primary flavours, they should be drunk soon after release?
Number of VDNs, Ruby and Rose Ports and some White Ports.
Name some styles of fortified wines which are aged oxidatively?
Premium Tawny Ports, Madeiras, Rutherglen Muscats and some styles of VDNs and Sherries, are aged oxidatively, often for extended periods of time.
What kind of aromas will develop fortified wine maturated with oxidative ageing?
Aromas of nuts, caramel and dried fruits.
Name some styles of fortified wines matured with biological ageing?
Fino and Manzanilla Sherries.
What is purpose of a veil of flor yeast?
Protects the wine from oxidation, while lowering levels of glycerol (and hence body).
Name styles of Port which are purposely not filtered?
Vintage, Single Quinta, Crusted and some LBVs. They should be decanted.
Low alcohol level when tasting fortified wines will be wines with how much alcohol?
15% to16.4% abv.
Medium alcohol level when tasting fortified wines will be wines with how much alcohol?
16.5% to 18.4% abv.
High alcohol level when tasting fortified wines will be wines with how much alcohol?
18.5% abv and above.
Name the city around which is production of Sherry located?
Jerez in Andalusia.
When was the Spain first wine-related Regulatory Council formed and where?
In 1933, setting regulations to control the production and trading of Sherry wines.
What is the Spanish name for Regulatory Council?
Consejo Regulador.
What is altitude of vineyards in the Jerez region?
Low altitude (0-90 metres above sea level).
What kind of climate you can find in Jerez region?
Jerez has a hot Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, relatively rainy winters.
What is a pago?
Terroir. Vineyards are divided into smaller delimited areas called pagos so we can also say vineyard district.
What is the principal type of soil in Jerez?
Albariza.
What is Albariza?
Albariza is a mixture of limestone, silica and clay.
What are characteristics of Palomino variety?
It is mid to late ripening, well-suited to dry, sunny weather, and capable of producing large yields.However, it loses acidity quickly when it nears maturity and is neutral in flavor so don’t add much of its own primary aromas to Sherry wines.
Wines destined for biological ageing will be fortified to what percentage of alcohol?
15-15.5% abv, the optimum concentration of alcohol needed for flor yeast to grow.
Wines destined for oxidative ageing will be fortified to what percentage of alcohol?
17% abv, at which flor yeast cannot survive.
Which dry Sherry wine must have attributes from both biological and oxidative ageing?
Amontillado.
What are two most famous styles of dry Sherry which are biological aged?
Fino and Manzanilla.
Define Palo Cortado style of Sherry?
Aromas similar to those of an Amontillado, but a palate more similar to that of an Oloroso.
Which style of Sherry have attributes from oxidative ageing?
Oloroso.
Name styles of dry Sherries?
Fino, Manzanilla, Manzanilla Pasada, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, and Oloroso.
What are the most common grape varieties used for naturally sweet wines?
PX and Moscatel.
Name three styles of sweetened Sherries?
Pale Cream, Medium, and Cream.
Name style of sweetened Sherry that must have undergone a period of biological ageing prior to sweetening?
Pale Cream
Name style of sweetened Sherry that must show characteristics of both biological and oxidative ageing?
Medium
Name style of sweetened Sherry that must show characteristics of oxidative ageing?
Cream
In what year the Port vineyards were officially demarcated?
In 1756,
Name three sub-regions of Douro valley?
Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior.
Which part of the Douro valley is generally used for production of Age-Indicated Tawny Port and Vintage Ports?
The Cima Corgo is warmer and drier than Baixo Corgo (around 700mm rainfall per annum).
What is the most important soil type in Douro?
Schist.
Why are vine roots able to penetrate deep into the bedrock to find water in Douro?
Because the schist in the area splits into vertical layers rather than the more typical horizontal.
What are the maximum yield permitted for Port wine production?
55hl/ha, but more likely to be around 30hl/ha.
What are five red varieties that are traditionally most important for the production of Port?
Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional and Tinto Cão.
What variety is the most grown for production of Port?
Touriga Franca.
What Touriga Franca contributes to the Port wine blend?
It contributes colour, tannin and acidity as well as juicy red and black fruit flavours and floral aromas to a blend.