Fortified Wines Flashcards
How many methods of fortification is there in fortified wines? And what are they
3
- Port - the wines fermination may be arrested through the addition of spirit while sugars remain
- Sherry - the wines may be fortified after Fermentation has concluded. It produces a fortified wine, although the winemaker may restore sweetness by the addition of sweetened wine or grape syrup
- A mistelle is produced, a grape is fortified prior to Fermentation, this produces a mistelle rather than a fortified wine
What is Vins de Liqueur
French for Liqueur wines
Ratafia - Champagne
Pineau des Charentes - Cognac
Floc de Gascogne - Armagnac
Marvin du Jura - Jura
All of these are growing regions in France associate with what style?
Vins de liqueur
This famous fortified wine is from Portugals Douro Valley
Port
What is the Douro Port Wine institute or Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP)
It’s a regulatory body that oversees and enforces the laws in regards to Port production
A decree restricting sales of Port to 1/3 of a house’s total inventory is called
Lei do tergo (law of the third)
What is beneficio authorization?
The maximum amount of wine that may be fortified in a given year based on a matrix of 12 factors
How does the IVDP matrix of twelve factors work?
- Each factor has a minimum and maximum point associated with it and there are a total of 2,361 points available
- Vineyards that score over 1,200 points get A Grade
- Vineyards that score between 1,001 and 1,200 points get a B grade
- and so on to F grade
- 7 soil and climate factors are scored:
Location, altitude, exposure, bedrock, rough matter, slope, and shelter - 5 factors relate to the one itself: type of vine, planting density, yield, training system, and vine age
Main red grapes in Duero?
- Touriga Nacional
- Francesca
- Tinta Roiz
- Tinta Cão
- Tinta Barroca
- Tinta Amarela
- Tinto Francisca
- Bastardo
- Moutisco Tinto
What is the minimum percentage of red grapes that can be in a Porto blend?
60%
Main white grapes of Porto?
- Gouveio
- Malvasia Fina
- Viosinho
- Rabigato
- Eagana Cão
- Folgasão
How are the vineyards of Porto planted?
Vinhos ao Alta - vertical rows leading up to the slopes
What are the open granite troughs called that the port grapes are fermented in?
Lagares
What is the short goal of the port wine making process?
To maximize extraction of color and flavor in the limited available time
When does beneficio take place in the port process?
It occurs when 1/3 of the sugar content has been inverted to alcohol
What is alcohol percentage port is fortified at?
19-22%
What is the name of the addition in port that gives it, its high alcohol volume?
Aguardente - burning water - a 77% abv neutral grape spirit
What is the French term for beneficio?
Mutage
What does the process of beneficio do for the port wine?
Halts Fermentation
Kills yeast
Preserves sweetness in the Port
What is the ratio for aguardente being added
1:4 ratio
What is the name of the traditional barrel used to age and ship Port wines?
Pipe
What is the pipe size used in the Douro Valley?
550L
What is the pipe size used in the In Vila Nova de Gaia
620L
What is the standard size used to ship Port?
534.24L
What are the two styles of port?
Ruby and Tawny
Which port is described as:
Darker Color
Youthful fruit
Spice Tones
More aggressive, fiery Character
Ruby Port
What port is being described:
- Cask aged
- more complex
- mature tones of toffee
- dried fruit
- toasted nuts
- develops lighter, amber tones of color with age
Tawny Port
How long is ruby port aged?
2 - 3 years prior to bottling
How is Ruby Port aged?
In bulk mostly in wood,cement or stainless steel
What is the most expensive style of port to purchase and why?
Vintage Port and makes up 1-3% of production
- A port house will declare a vintage year only in exceptional harvest