Fortified wines Flashcards
Port map
Where is Port made?
Douro DOP
What are the subregions of Douro DOP?
Cima Corgo
Baixo Corgo
Douro Superior
Madeira map
Where is Madeira and what is the capital city?
Island off the coast of North Africa
Funchal is the main city
Sherry map
Where is Sherry locatied and what are the main regions to know?
Southwest Spain (Andalucia)
Jerez-Xeres-Sherry
Sanlucar de Barrameda on the coast
Marsala map
Where is Marsala located?
Western tip of Sicily
What wine regions in France make fortified wines?
Roussillon - Banyuls AOP
Southern Rhone - Muscat de Beaumes de Venise AOP
What grape is used in Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?
Moscat
What grape is used in Banyul?
Grenache
What region in Australia makes fortified wines?
Rutherglen, Victoria
What grape is used in fortified wines from Rutherglen?
Muscant
What regions in South Africa make fortified wines?
Klein Karoo
Western Cape
What grape is used in fortified wines from Klein Karoo?
Muscat de Frontignan
Muscat a Petits Grains
What is the geography/climate/soil of Madeira?
Mountainous hillside topography
Hot subtropical climate
Volcanic soil
What grapes are used in Madeira?
Sercial
Verdhelho
Bual
Malmsey
Tinta Negra (only red grape, low quality)
What is the geography/climate/soil of Port?
Mountainous hillside
Warm to hot Mediterranean
Schist soil
What grape is used in Port?
Touriga Nacional
What is the geography/climate/soils of Sherry?
Close proximity to Atlantic
Hot maritime
Albariza (chalk), Barros (clay), and Arenas (sand)
What grapes are used in Sherry?
Palomino
Moscatel
Pedro Jimenez
At what part of the winemaking process is port fortified?
During fermentation
At what part of the winemaking process is Maderia fortified?
During fermentation
Oxidized
Exposed to heat
When are sweeter styles of Madeira fortified?
Closer to the begining of fermentation
What is estufagem in the Maderia winemaking process?
HEATING THE WINE.
Depends on the quantity being produced there are differed methods
Most basic is Armazem de Calor - involved placing the fortified base wines in containers in rooms that are heated to 113 F for six months or more.
For high quality/fine Maderias the Canteiro process is used whereby containers are placed in warehouse attic which build up tremendous heat from the sun. They may be left there for 20yrs or more.
When is Sherry fortified?
After fermentation
Oxidized
What is “flor” (Sherry)?
- Layer of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae) cells that for naturally and float on the surfave of manzanilla and fino Sherries as they age in the cask.
- Flor prevents oxidation and contributes to a unique flavor of the wine.
What is the difference between biological aging and oxidative aging?
Biological aging dries out the wine more, results in a lighter body sand 14-16% alcohol. HAS FLOR.
Oxidative aging DOES NOT HAVE FLOR and results in a 17-18% alcohol wine.
Solera system diagram for Sherry
What does “Late Bottled Vintage” (LBV) mean on a Port label?
Wine from a single year
Matured in oak vats for 4-6 yrs
Intended to be consumer upon release
What does “Vintage Port” mean on a label?
- Rarest and most expensive Port
- From single year’s harvest and ONLY IN BEST VINTAGES.
- Vintage declared at descretion of producer
- Must be approved by Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto
- Must be bottled by July 30th of the 3rd yr after harvest and aged for many years (up to decades)
What does “Single Quinta Vintage” mean on a Port label?
- Variation of vintage port
- Produced from the grapes of a specific estate or vineyard
- ie: Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim
What is Villa Nova de Gaia?
- Town where dozens of lodges for storing and aging Port are located.
- Superior location for aging Port given high humidity and cooler temps.
What is Ruby Port?
Simplest Port
Aged for 2 yrs before release
Bright fruity, youthful, aromas
What is Tawny Port?
- Aged longer than Ruby so color is a bit darker
- Richer, more oxidized flavors
- Reserve Tawny Port aged for 7yrs
- Age on label is an average of how long wines in bottle were aged in cask (10, 20, 30yrs)
What is Colheita?
Single vintage Tawny Port
Aged in cask at least 7 yrs
What are the styles of Madeira ranked from driest to sweetest?
Sercial
Verdelho
Bual
Malmsey
What are the biological aging styles of Sherry (left side of diagram)
HAS FLOR
Manzanilla
Fino
Amontillado
Palo Cortado
What are the oxidative styles of Sherry (right side of diagram)?
NO FLOR
Oloroso
Cream Sherry
Which Ports require decanting for sediment?
Old Vintage
Single Quinta
How large is a typical pour of fortified wine?
2 oz
Port food pairings
- Ruby port - sour cherry pie (fruity notes from Ruby Ports compliment cherry pie)
- LBV - Queijo da Serra (Portugese cheese) or dark chocolate truffle (LBV loves chocolate)
- Taylor Fladgate Late-Bottled Vintage Port 2010 with Flourless Chocolate Cake and Fresh Raspberry Sauce (LBV loves chocolate)
- Churchill’s Vintage Port 2003 with Royal Blue Stilton Cheese by Long Clawson Dairy (buttery, tangy ingredients help highlight vintage Port)
- Graham’s 20-Year-Old Tawny with classic French crème brûlée (brings out nutty ingredients)
