Fortified Wines Flashcards
When was the Douro first demarcated?
1756 - by Marquis de Pombal, the vineyards were classified as feitori (inferior ones called rama) and marked for sale in the english market
What is the typical alcohol range of fortified wines in Portugal?
16-22 %
Define Frasqueira Madeira
Single varietal, must spend 20 years in wood, must show vintage, often aged in demijohns
Which classic fortified wines underwent the ‘Torna Viagem’?
Madeira, Setubal
When does beneficio usually occur in Port production?
When 1/3 of the sugars have been fermented
In what part of the Douro Valley is the town of Pinhao located?
Cima Corgo
Who makes the vintage port ‘Nacional’
Quinta do Noval, Grade A vineyard in the Cima Corgo, 40+ year old ungrafted vines
What is a Colheita Tawny?
The port must be aged in cask for 7 years, made in a single vintage, often bottled to order
Who makes vintage port from ‘Quinta do Bomfim’
DOW’s, Grade A, Cima Corgo
How long must ‘Extra Reserve’ Madeira be aged?
15 years
Madeira DOP wines can only be produced where?
2 islands - Madeira or Porto Santo
What is the process of Canteiro?
Wines are cask-aged for minimum 2 years in lodge attics, bottled at minimum 3 years, practiced for the finest madeiras - frasqueiras in particular
How sweet is ‘Meio Seco’ Madeira?
54-78 g/L RS
How sweet are Extra Seco and Seco Madeira?
Extra Seco < 40; Seco < 65 g/L RS
How sweet are Meio Doce, Doce, and Muito Doce?
Meio Doce 78-100; Doce > 100; Muito Doce > 135
Grape adapted to the Douro for resistance to heat and dryness?
Touriga Franca
Douro main grapes, tinto and branco
Touriga Nacional / Tinta Roriz / Touriga Franca; Viosinho / Rabigato / Gouveio
Who makes the vintage port ‘A Capela’
Quinta do Vesuvio, Douro Superior, 90+ yr old vines - only ’07, ’11, ‘16
Declared port vintages of the 2010’s
11 (LEGENDARY), 16, 17, 19, 20
Declared port vintages of the 2000’s
00, 03, 07
Declared port vintages of the 90’s
91, 92, 94 (LEGENDARY), 97
Declared port vintages of the 80’s
80, 82, 83 (BEST), 85, 87, 89
Declared port vintages of the 70’s
70, 75, 77, 78
When was fascism overthrown and democracy installed in Portugal?
1974
Declared port vintages of the 60’s
60, 63, 66, 67
Classic old port vintages
1927, 1931 (Noval’s Quinta do Silval and Nacional first produced), 1947
Who makes ‘Quinta de Terra Feita’?
Taylor Fladgate - inaugural 1986, Cima Corgo
Port house that bottles its Colheita port to order
Calem
Ports made in the traditional style by foot treading in lagares
Niepoort “Biomha Vinha Velha,” “Garrafeira,” Noval “Nacional”
In 2018 the minimum alcohol range for port dropped from 19% to
18%
What is Porto Branco Leve Secco?
white port which has a min. 16.5% abv
Port residual sugar usually falls in what range?
70-120 RS, most vintage ports around 100g/L
What treaty kicked off the Port and Madeira industries?
Treaty of Methuen 1703 - switch allegiance from France to England
Ruby port aging
bulk aged 2-3 years
Reserve Ruby / Vintage character
4-6 years
LBV
4-6 years, if ‘envelhecido em garrafa’ extra 3 years
Vintage and SQV
3 years
Tawny
no age required, sometimes white port is blended in
Reserve Tawny
min. 7 years in cask, blend of vintages
Colheita Tawny
min. 7 years, somtimes bottled to order (Offley, Niepoort, Calem)
Tawny 10 / 20 / 30 / 40
racked, refreshed, blended to taste of the style
Touriga contribution
intensity
Tinta Cao
freshness
Tinta Roriz
succulence
Touriga Francesca
fruit
Tinta Amarela
color, yield
Duration of port fermentation
2-3 days (lagares or autovinifiers)
Aguardiente beneficio percentage
77% clear flavorless brandy added in a 1:4 ratio
When does mutage/beneficio occur?
1/3 of the sugar is fermented (must at 90 g/L)
Size of a shipping Pipe
Douro - 550L
Vila Nova - 620L
Export shipping - 534L
Mountain range protecting the Douro from the Atlantic
Marao Mountains and Montemurro mountains
Douro tributaries W-E
Corgo (Lamego, Regua), Tedo, Tavora, Torto (Pinhao), Tua
Class B ranking for Port vineyard
1,001 - 1,199
Class C ranking for Port vineyard
801 - 1,000
Terroir matrix for port vineyard rank
LAAGSM
Location, Aspect, Altitude, Gradient, Soil, Microclimate (shelter)
Vineyard matrix for port vineyard rank
VPMAD
Varieties, Productivity, vine Maintenance, vine Age, vine Density
How much of their production are port houses allowed to sell annually?
“lei do tergo” - 1/3
Who owns Quinta de Napoles, Carril, and Passadouro?
Niepoort (1842)
Who owns Quinta da Leda?
SoGrape - now the source for Barca Velha since 2001 (from 1952 was Quinta do Vale Maeo)
Who owns Quinta do Panascal?
Fonseca (1815)
Who owns Quinta de Vargellas and Quinta da Terra Feita?
Taylor Fladgate (1692)
Who owns Quinta do Silval?
Quinta do Noval (1715)
Who owns Quinta dos Malvedos?
Graham’s (1820)
Who owns Quinta do Bomfim?
Dow’s (1877)
Who owns Quinta do Bom Retiro?
Ramos Pinto (1880)
Who owns Quinta da Cavadinha?
Warre’s (1670)
Who owns Quinta do Vau and Quinta do Seixo?
Sandeman (1790)
Where is Quinta do Vesuvio?
Douro Superior
Who owns Quinta do Roeda?
Croft (1678)
Who owns Quinta dos Canais?
Cockburn’s (1815)
Who owns Quinta das Carvalhas?
Royal Oporto (1756) - 2nd largest landholder
Colheita and Frasqueira Madeira vintage minimum
85%
Colheita Madeira minimum aging
5 years - may be a blend
Sercial Madeira sweetness
40-45 g/L - citrusy, nutty
Verdelho Madeira sweetness
65-80 g/L - smoke, honey
Bual Madeira sweetness
80-96 g/L - chocolate, coffee
Malvasia Madeira sweetness
96 + g/L - toffee, marmalade
Seleccionado blended Madeira
min. 5 years - finest, choice, select
Reserva blended Madeira
min. 5 years
Reserva Especial blended Madeira
min. 10 years
Extra Reserve blended Madeira
min. 15 years
Solera Madeira
canteiro aged, may draw off 10% per year, labelled with original date of solera
blended madeiras are typically aged how?
estufagem, aged in tank
poios
basalt terraces
latadas
low trellises - grapes suspended below canopy to stay dry
levadas
rainwater irrigation canals
estufagem
stove tanks used to heat wine to 45-50 C for 3 months and then rested for 90 days - not marketed for 2 years
minimum for canteiro aging
3 years
armazems de calor
steam pipes used to heat a port lodge for low, slow maderization
The best soil for port vineyards is made from
schist
Describe albariza soil
lime-rich chalk made from Triassic diatom algae - high active lime content helps grapes retain acidity
Size of a sherry butt
600-700 L
Sherry butts are filled to __ %
90%
What happens after primary fermentation of sherry?
Wines are racked and fortified to 15.3% abv - ideal for flor but kills off acetobacter - then racked again
What is used to fortify sherry?
Mitad y Mitad - mixture of pure alcohol and grape juice
What is the optimal temperature for the growth of flor?
60-85 F
Maximum amount of sherry allowed to be drawn from a solera?
1/3
What is a criadera?
a level of a solera - usually 7 but can be up to 40 criaderas!
How is sherry sweetened “cabaceo” and colored?
Mistela - made of sunned pedro ximenez grapes
Dulce Pasta - mistela of sunned palomino grapes
Dulce de Almibar - blend of fino and invert sugar
Vino de Color - boiled, reduced syrup and must
Sancocho - reduced to 1/3
Arrope - reduced to 1/5
How sweet is Dry sherry?
5-45 g/L
How sweet is Medium Dry? Sweet?
5-45; 45-115 g/L - usually made from amontillado
How sweet is Pale Cream?
45-115 g/L - usually made from fino
How sweet is Cream?
115-140 g/L - usually made from oloroso
Fino sherry
biological aging of free-run primera yema 15-17% abv (sometimes lower abv after flor aging) - “Palma” sobretablas - healthy flor
Sherry press yield, and must additions?
72.5 L / 100kg of grapes; must is acidified with tartaric acid and sulfured after pressing, then racked off sediment
Manzanilla sherry
fino aged in Sanlucar
Amontillado
mature fino - “Palma” cortada sobretablas - flor recedes
Palo Cortado
fino redirected to oxidative aging in sobretablas (second classification) - usually within 2 years
Oloroso
press wine - segunda yema - “gordura” or “una raya” in sobretablas - fortified to 18% for oxidative aging
Is Samos Nectar a fortified wine?
No, a dried grape wine; But Samos PDO can be made as a VDN
Name the fortified Greek wine that is blended with black currants (mavri korinthiaki). Who is the most storied producer?
Mavrodaphne of Patras; Achaia-Clauss
Where is the birthplace of Vin Doux Naturel and who introduced the process of ‘mutage’?
Rivesaltes; Arnaud de Villeneuve - 13th century - Doctor to King James of Mallorca
What is the most common fortified Muscat of the Languedoc?
Muscat de Frontignan
What does the term “rimage” signify?
Banyuls that is vintage-dated, grenache-based, and bottled within one year
What is Corsica’s fortified-only AOP?
Muscat du Cap Corse
Name the mistelle (vin de liqueur) associated with each of the following regions: Champagne, Jura, Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados
Ratafia, Macvin, Pineau de Charentes, Floc de Gascogne, Pommeau de Normandie
What style of Marsala permits ‘concia’? What is ‘concia’?
Ambra, the use of mosto cotto (cooked must) as a sweetener
What are the first two possible classifications for sherry post-fermentation?
Palo (slash) - wines destined for biological aging; Gordura (circle) - wines destined for oxidative aging
What grapes are authorized for the production of Pico DOP Licoroso?
Verdelho, Arinto, Terrantez
What are the fortified wine styles of Tarragona DOP?
Garnatxa de Tarragona (Vi di Licor made from Garnaxa blanca y negre), Moscatel de Tarragona (Vi di Licor made from Alejandria y Gra petit); vino rancio or vimblanc - vi di licor from overripe grapes
What is the min. RS for varietally labelled PX (VDN) from Jerez? Montilla Moriles PX?
212 g/L; 272 g/L
Muscat of Rutherglen - age, RS, taste
3-5 years aged, 180-240 g/L, - primary fruit
Classic Rutherglen - age, RS, taste
6-10 years aged, 200-280 g/L, some rancio - primary fruit
Grand Rutherglen
11-19 years aged, 270-400 g/L, mature rancio
Rare Rutherglen
20+ years aged, 270-400 g/L, mature rancio
Cape Vintage
Single vintage, no aging requirement, recognized by industry/trade publications
Cape LBV
Single vintage, aged 3-6 years - min. 2 years in oak
Cape Tawny
Mandatory red wine, must be aged in wood - no min. aging requirement, just tawny color
Cape Dated Tawny
Single vintage, matured in wood, no min. requirement, may not blend white and red
Cape White
Port-style made from non-muscat cultivar (chenin, colombard, fernao pires) aged in wood for 6 months
Name a PDO from the Aegean Islands which produces VDN Grand Cru (single vineyard) wines
Samos, Muscat of Rhodes (Aspro - petit grains), Muscat of Lemnos (Alexandrias)
Fino cannot be age designated T or F
True! Fino and Moscatel VDN are meant for near term consumption. Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado, and PX VDN can be age designated.
The sub zone of Montilla-Moriles DO?
Montilla-Morilles Superior (albariza soils)
What is Hanepoot?
Fortified wine made from Muscat d’Alexandrie; non-fortified referred to as Muscadel
Aging requirement for Malaga vs. Malaga Transanejo
6-24 months in oak; 60+ months in oak (in between- Palido 6mo, Noble 2-3yr, Anejo 3-5yr)
Malaga terms : Arrope
Rectified Concentrated Grape Must, heated and reduced to 1/3 volume
Pantomima
RGCM heated and reduced to 1/2 volume
Pajarete
Traditional Malaga VDL or VDN made without arrope
Lagrima
Traditional Malaga VDL or VDN made without mechanical pressing
Which Languedoc Muscat AOP has the highest min. RS requirement for VDN?
Saint-Jean de Minervois - 125 g/L; others are 110 g/L (Muscat de Frontignan VDL is 185 g/L)
Maury VDN blanc must be vintage dated T or F
True! Grenat VDN is also required to be vintage dated
Maury styles?
rouge sec, VDN blanc, ambre, VDN grenat, tuile, VDN hors d’age, VDN rancio
What is the best quality Marsala grape?
Grillo - textural, high sugar levels (esp. trained alberello - gobelet style), structure, prone to oxidation
What Andalusian DO is famous for being wines of the discovery of America?
Condado de Huelva - shipped to the West Indies in 1502
What is Jerepigo?
Red or white sweet VDL from South Africa, min. 160 g/L usually muscat blanc or rouge
What are the possible zonas de crianza for Jerez-Xeres-Sherry
Sanlucar de Barrameda, Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria
What is the difference between Palido and Dorado? (Rueda, Condado de Huelva)
Palido is biologically aged; dorado is oxidative; 3 years in wood for Palido, 4 years for Dorado with 2 in wood
What is trasiego
the movement of wine within a solera
mitad y mitad
half brandy (grape spirit) half mature sherry - used to fortify (gentler on the young wine than straight alcohol) also called “vino borracho” or “combinado”
desfangado
racking to clarify sherry must
saca
a drawn lot of sherry (withdrawal for bottling) - sacar - “to take out”
barro
dark, clay-dominated soil (less than 30% limestone) southeast of Jerez, mixed between the albarizas of Jerez and Sanlucar - produces lesser quality wines in general
soleo
process of drying grapes 1-3 weeks on esparto (grass mats) - practiced with PX and moscatel, also called asoleado
alumbra
a practice carried out after harvest of digging rectangular pits between vine rows on albariza hill sides to catch and store rainwater during the autumn and winter
Where in Jerez is most Moscatel planted?
Chipiona (Florido)
3 iconic pagos in Jerez
Macharnudo, Anina, Balbaina, Carrascal - all relatively large in size
min. aging of Cape LBV
3 years
min. aging for Biscoitos licoroso?
2 years, min. 16%
5 grapes of Rivesaltes?
Grenache Blanc, Gris, Noir, Macabeo, Tourbat (Malvoisie de Roussillon)
Which appellations may bottle a Muscat de Noel?
Lunel, Rivesaltes, and Saint Jean … NOT Frontignan or Mireval
min. aging and encepagement for Banyuls Grand Cru?
min. 30 months in barrel, 3 years (5 years for Hors d’Age) encepagement - min. 75% grenache blanc, gris, noir, macabeu, muscat blanc a petit grains, muscat d’alexandrie, tourbat; max 10% accesoires - carignan, cinsaut, counoise, mourvedre, syrah
What is Commandaria?
Dried grape wine (sun-dried for 2 weeks) from Cyprus named after the Crusaders, 2 main types - nonvintage fortified made from mavro; unfortified made with some portion of xynisteri
What is Para liqueur? What is unique about it?
single vintage fortified wine made with grenache, shiraz, and mataro, matured in seasoned oak barrels for 28 years, made by Seppeltsfield
Who is the largest producer of Marsala? Smaller artisanal label?
Cantine Florio or Pellegrino, De Bortoli
What are the fortified wines of Sardinia?
Vernaccia di Oristano (sherry-like)
Giro di Cagliari (black grape)
Moscato di Sorso/Sennori (moscato bianco)
Cannonau di Sardegna
(Malvasia di Bosa can be sherry-like but is unfortified)
2 PDO fortified wines from Greece? Pairing suggestions?
Mavrodaphne of Patras or Cephalonia PDO - baklava; Monemvassia-Malvasia PDO (oxidative) - saganaki
3 fortified wines that may be made in a “rancio” style?
Rare Muscat of Rutherglen, Maury, Madeira, Sherry
Where would you find fortified verdejo?
Rueda “Dorado” or Palido
VOS vs. VORS sherries?
for amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado, or PX - average age of a lot drawn is 20 for VOS, 30 for VORS
What 4 conditions spur the development of flor?
humidity from the poniente, alcohol level at 15-15.5%, moderate temperature between 60-70 degrees, and a absence of fermentable sugars, also primera yema (free-run juice)
Marsala grapes
Ambra/Oro - Grillo (best), Inzolia, Cataratto, Damaschino;
Rubino -
Perricone,
Calabrese (Nero Davola)
What is the most used grape for generoso wines from Condado de Huelva DO?
zalema
Dry wines from Sierras de Malaga DO come from what part of the region?
High elevation sites with continental climes 750+ m altitude, “dry” wines are less than 12 g/L RS
What is the name for moscatel grano menudo in Malaga?
moscatel morisco
White grapes of Sierras de Malaga
PX, moscatel (alejandria + grano menudo), SB, Macabeo; authorized: airen, doradilla
What is the only native red grape of Malaga?
Romé - others recommended: CS, merlot, syrah, temp; authorized: garnacha, CF, PN, PV
vinas de uvas pasificadas dulce
sweet wines from dried grapes
vino de licor
fortified
vino maestro
mistela
vino tierno
sun-dried and fortified
vino naturalmente dulce
unfortified PX or moscatel
vino de uvas sobremaduras
late harvest (passerillage sur souche)
Dry table wines can be produced in Malaga DO T or F?
True! from 70% PX, moscatel (grano menudo or alejandria)
Not just Sierras de Malaga!
What is the minimum residual sugar level for all Port wines?
17.5 g/L
EU regulations recognize Vin Doux Naturel as a separate style of wine than Vin de Liqueur ? T or F
False
Aguardente used to fortify Porto must be produced in Portugal?
False
What is Muscat de Noel?
Bottled before Dec. 1 - made in Lunel, and Rivesaltes, St Jean Minervois
Where is Muscat de Noel NOT made?
Mireval , Frontignan
Minimum RS for Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?
100 g/L (as opposed to 110 g/L for the Languedoc Muscats)
Minimum RS for Muscat de Rivesaltes?
100 g/L
Minimum abv for Rivesaltes, Maury, Banyuls, Rasteau, Muscats?
15%
Monemvasia Malvasia aging requirements
2 years oxidative or 4 years total
Min. aging for Carcevelos, Pico, Biscoitos, Graciosa
2 years
Min. aging for Banyuls “traditionnel”
3 years (grenache only)
Min. aging for Banyuls/Maury/Rivesaltes “Ambre”
3 years
Min. aging for “Blanc” or “Rimage”
May 1 year following harvest
Fine Marsala aging
1 year
Marsala Superiore (or “Vecchio”) aging?
Superiore Reserva aging?
2 years,
4 years
Marsala Vergine aging
5 years
Marsala Vergine Stravecchio aging
10 years
What is “concia”
Mosto coto - used as sweetener up to 1% - only for Ambra style, similar to arrope - used for cheap marsala
What is “sifone”
Mistelle used as sweetener
Oro/Ambra Marsala varieties
Grillo, Inzolia, Cataratto, Damaschino
Rubino Marsala varieties
Perricone, Calabrese (Nero d’Avola), Nerello
Who discovered Marsala for the British market?
John Woodhouse 1773 - fortified for safe shipment, claret was heavily taxed at the time
Superiore-level only label terms
SOM (Superior Old Marsala), Garibaldi Dolce, London Particular
Fine IP Marsala label term?
“Italy Particular” - no legal meaning
How is Muscat of Rutherglen produced?
Fortified and aged under hot tin roofs
What is the minimum RS for each Muscat VDN
Muscat du Cap Corse - 90
Muscat Beaumes de Venise - 100
Muscat de Rivesaltes, Languedoc - 110
Muscat de St Jean Minervois - 125