Fortified intro

Question 1

Muscat de Frontignan vs Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois

Answer 1

Frontignan slightly fuller wine, riper flavour (low altitude vyds)
vs.
high altitude vyd for St-Jean-de-Minervois

Question 2

Why important to harvest relatively early for fortified wine?

Answer 2

Harvest before autumn rains = avoid humidity = avoid potential botrytis as not desired

Question 3

How is Cream Sherry made?

Answer 3

Oloroso (dry) blended with PX

Question 4

Why small size containers for maturation of oxidative wines?

Answer 4

Encourage oxygen exposure, increase rate of evaporation, lead to ullage

Question 5

Effect of biological ageing?

Answer 5

Lower levels of glycerol (=lighter body)

Aromas of hay, apple skin, bread dough, nuts

Question 6

Maderisation

Answer 6

the process whereby a wine is heated and oxidised

Question 7

Rancio examples

Answer 7

leather, wood varnish, strong coffee

Question 8

Why blend younger wines with older wines?

Answer 8

Freshen up vs. the developed flavours of the older wines (i.e. achieve balance)

Done in Sherry and Rutherglen Muscat

Question 9

Reasons behind blending to achieve volume?

Answer 9

Vineyard holdings small = need to blend grapes from several different producers
Some fortified made in small vessels = blending needed to achieve sufficient volume of consistent wine

Question 10

Which styles of Port are deliberately not filtered before bottling?

Answer 10

Vitnage, Single Quinta, Crusted and some LBVs